
Book^q? n6 



20IS CENTURY HISTORY _. 



Springfield, and ClarK County, Ohio 



REPfiESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



EDITED AND COMPILED 
BY 

HON. WILLIAM M. ROCKEL 

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO 



"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples" 



PUBLISHED BY 

BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING CO. 

GEO. RICHMOND, Pres. C. R. ARNOLD. Sec'y and Treas. 

CHICA.GO, ILLINOIS 

1908 






y^^v /o 



7 



o 

i 



pvctzcc 



The aim of the publishers of this volume and of the author of the history 
has been to secure for the historical portion thereof full and accurate data respect- 
ing the history of the county from the time of its early settlement, and to con- 
dense it into a clear and interesting narrative. All topics and occurrences have 
been included that were essential to this object. Although the original purpose 
was to limit the narrative to the close of the year 1906, it has been found ex- 
pedient to touch on many matters relating to the year 1907, and also, in some 
meastire, to the current year 1908. 

It is impossible to enumerate here all those to whom thanks are due for 
assistance rendered and kindly interest taken in this work. We woiild, however, 
make mention of Benjamin T. Prince, A. M., Ph. D., and W. B. Patton, M. D., 
as the respective authors of special and valuable articles herein printed. In the 
preparation of the history reference has been made to, and in some cases ex- 
tracts taken from standard, historical and other works on the different subjects 
treated of. 

The reviews of resolute and strenuous lives which make up the biographical 
part of this volume, and whose authorship is for the most part independent of 
that of the history, are admirably calculated to foster local ties, to inculcate 
patriotism, and to emphasize the rewards of industry dominated by intelligent 
purpose. They constitute a most appropriate medium of perpetuating personal 
annals and will be of incalculable value to the descendants of those commemorated. 
These sketches replete with stirring incidents and intense experiences, are flavored 
with a strong human interest that will naturally prove to a large portion of the 
readers of this book its most attractive feature. 

In the aggregate of personal memoirs thus collated will be found a vivid 
epitome of the growth of Clark County, which will fitly supplement the historical 
statement, for its development is identified with that of the men and women 
to whom it is attributable. The publishers have endeavored to pass over no 
feature of the work slightingty, but to fittingly supplement the editor's labors 
by exercising care over the minutest details of publication, and thus give to the 
volume the three-fold value of a readable narrative, a useful work of reference, 
and a tasteful ornament to the library. We believe the result has justified the 
care thus exercised. 



Special prominence has been given to the portraits of representative citizens 
which appear throughout the volume, and we believe that they will prove not 
its least interesting feature. We have sought in this department to illustrate the 
different spheres of industrial and professional achievement as conspicuously as 
possible. To all those who have kindly interested themselves in the successful 
preparation of this work, and who have voluntarily contributed most useful in- 
formation and data, or rendered other assistance, we hereby tender our grateful 
acknowledgments. 

THE PUBLISHEES. 

Chicago, 111., July, 1908. 



mote 



All the biographical sketches published in this volume were submitted to 
their respective subjects or to the subscribers, from whom the facts were primarily 
obtained, for their approval or correction before going to press; and a reasonable 
time was allowed in each case for the return of the typewritten copies. Most of 
them were returned to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed, 
after being corrected or revised ; and these may therefore be regarded as reasonably 
accurate. 

A few, however, were not returned to us; and, as we have no means of know- 
ing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot vouch for their accuracy. In. 
justice to our readers, and to render this work more valuable for reference purposes, 
we have indicated these imcorrected sketches by a small asterisk (*), placed 
immediately after the name of the subject. They will all be found on the last 
pages of the book. 

THE PUBLISHEES. 



Contents 



CHAPTER I. 

Peehistoric Matter 19 

A Tale of the Airly Days — Geological Formation — Limestone Formation — Coal, Oil and Gas — Glacial 
Drift — Singular Growth of Timber — ^Prehistoric Man — Prehistoric Animals — Mounds and Mound Builders 
— The Bechtle Mound. 

CHAPTER II. 

Topography 32 

Character of the Surface — ^Elevation Above Lake Erie — Mad River — ^Tributaries of Mad River — Little 
Miami and Other Streams — Character and Fertility of the Soil — Timber — Comparative Table of Crops. 

CHAPTER III. 

Indian Occupation 44 

In a Condition of Nature — Erie Indians — Iroquois — Twightwees — Shawnees — Indian Villages — ^Battle of 
Piqua — Tecumseh — Indian Character — Indian Fighting — Indian Incidents, etc. 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Old Northwest 61 

The Old Northwest — Settlement by the French — French Settlement in Ohio — French Dominion — English 
Dominion — Important Part in the Revolution — ^United States' Control — Ordinance of 1787 — Arthur St. 
Clair. 

CHAPTER V. 

State and County Government 72 

Ohio — -Admission of State — County and Township Organization — Organization of Counties— Formation of 
Clark County — Systems of Survey — The U. S. Rectangular Survey — Miami Rivers Survey — Virginia Mili- 
tary Survey — Pre-emption Lots — Table of Measurements — Name of Boundary- — Selection of County Seat 
— ^New Boston — George Rogers Clark. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Pioneers and Pioneer Days 89 

No Time Like the Old Time — The Squatter — The Pioneer and His Times — First Settlers and Settlements — 
Present Pioneers — Wild Animals and TTieir Extinction — John Paul, the First Settler — Johnny Appleseed 
and Other Characters — Simon Kenton — Gen. Anderson's Address at the Ohio Centennial. 

CHAPTER VII. 

County Politics and Roster of Officials 109 

Whigs and Republicans in Politics — Vote at Presidential Election — Close Calls and Defeats — Log Cabin 
Campaign — Pre-eminence in Politics — Civil War Spirits — War Politics — Political Meetings — Garfield and 
Pendleton Debate — Keifer-Bushnell Contest — Unsuccessful Candidates — Plug Hat Brigade — Incidents At- 
tending Elections Under Former Laws — State Officials — Apportionment to Congress — Congressional Dis- 



, CONTENTS 



tricts — Jlembers of Congress — State Senators — Representatives — Common Pleas Judges — ^Probate Judges 
— Clerks of Court — Prosecuting Attorneys — Sheriffs — Auditors — Treasurers — Recorders — Surveyors — Coro- 
ners — County Commissioners — Infirmary Directors. 

CHAPTER Vin. 

MiscEiiAUEous Notable Events 127 

Centennial of the Battle of Piqua — Springfield Centennial — Underground Railway — White Rescue Case — 
Springfield's First Riot — The Second Riot — Cyclones — Freshets — The Great East Street Shops — The Cru- 



CHAPTER IX. 

COtTNTY BmLDlNGS, ETC 145 

Court House — East County Building — ^^Vest Countj' Building — County Jail — Soldiers' Monument — County 
Infirmary — Children's Home — ^Agricultural Society. 

CHAPTER X. 

Public Roads aud Highways 154 

Condition of Roads Indicative of Advancement — Indian Trails, etc. — Early Roads — ^Military Route — 
Corduroy Roads — ^National Roads — Toll Pikes — Stage Coach Trip Through Springfield in 1834 — Dickens' 
Ride Through Ohio in 1842. 

CHAPTER XI. 

Rajxeoads and Tbaction Lines 170 

Building of Railroads — First Railroad — ^N. Y., P. & 0. — Springfield, Jackson & Pomeroy — ^I., B. & W. — 
Present Railroad Systems — Traction Lines — Street Railways — Telegraph — ^Telephone; Bell Company, 
Home Company. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Mtt.t. s 179 

The Old Mill — Mills op Mad River: Medway Mills, Eagle City Mills, Rector's Mill, Kizer Mill, Hertz- 
ler's-Snyderville Mill, Woodbury Mill, Ross Mill, Nauman Mill, Croft Mill, Snyder's Mill, Grisso Mill 
Leflel's Mill, Kneisley's Distillery, Rubsam's Mill, Enon Mill — Buck Cbeek: Lagonda Mill, Rennick- 
Bechtel Mill, Kitt Mill, Hunter Mill, Dawson-Runyan Mill, Cartmell JOll, Perrin Mill, Warder Mill, 
Croft Mill, Baldwin Mill, Barnett Mill, Wilson-Moorefield Mill, Rabbits-Olds Mill, Buckeye Works-P. P. 
Mast Co., Pitts Threshing Machine Shop, Snyder Hydraulic, Foos Oil Mill — Beavee Ceeek — Teibutaey 
OF Buck Ceeek: Demint's Mill, Lingle Mill, Fisher Mill, Foos Mill, Lowry Mill, Filler Mill — Mtt.t. 
Ceeek : Rebert Mill, Paden's Mill, Leflfel Saw Mill — Donnell's Ceeek : Dormell's Mill, Lowrey's Mill, 
Baisinger Mill — Rock Run — Chapman's Cbeek: Lance's Mill, Seitz Mill, Chatterlen Mill, Enoch's 
Mill, Dibert's Mill — Honey Ceeek: Black's Mill, Rayburn Mill, Paul Mill — Little Miami Riveb: 
Clifton Mills, Knot's Mill, Burk's Mill — Muddy Run: Shellabarger Mills, Partington Mill — Miscella- 
neous. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Featebnax Homes and Philantheopic Institutions 197 

Be Kind — Ohio Masonic Home — Odd Fellows' Home — Knights of Pythias' Home — Oesterlen Orphans' Home 
— Clark Memorial Home. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Mtt.ttaby History of Speingfield and Claek County, Ohio 206 

Paper Read by Gen. J. Warren Keifer at First Centennial of Springfield — ^Revolutionary and Territorial 
Times— War of 1812-1815— Mexican War, 1846-1848— Civil War, 1861-1865 — Second Ohio Infantry — Third 
Ohio Infantry — Sixteenth Ohio Infantry — Thirty-first Ohio Infantry — Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry — Seventy- 
first Ohio Vol. Infantry — Eighty-sixth Ohio Infantry — Ninety-fourth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and 
Tenth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio — One Hundred and Forty-sixth 



CONTENTS 



Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Krty-seeond Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Fifty-third 
Ohio Infantry — Sixteenth Ohio Independent Battery — Seventeenth Ohio Independent Battery — Squirrel 
Hunters, 1862 — First Kentucky Infantry — United States Navy— United States Military Academy — Spanish 
War, 1898. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Townships 221 

Bethel — German — Ureen — Harmony — Madison — ^Mad Eiver — Moorefield — Pike — Pleasant — Springfield. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Villages , 318 

AUentown — Beatty — Bowlusville — Brighton — Brottensburg — Catawba — Clifton — Cortsville — Dialton — -Dolly 
Varden — Donnelsville — Durbin — Eagle City — Enon — Harmony — Hennesy — Hustead^ — -Lawrenceville — ^Lagon- 
da — Limestone City — Lisbon — ^Medway — ^New Boston (see Chapter 5) — New Carlisle — ^New Moorefield — 
Northampton — Owltown — Pitchi,n — Plattsburg — Selma — Sugar Grove — South Charleston — Tremont City — 
Vienna — ^Villa — Windsor. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

City of Springfield ( I ) 358 

Distances from Springfield to Other Cities — Springfield in 1907 — Location, etc. — Naming and Platting of 
the City— Plats and Additions to City — Early Settlements — Selection as County Seat — Early Events — • 
Council with the Indians — Early Customs — "Sleepy Hollow" and Old Virginia — Eaelt Settlers: James 
Demint, Griffith Foos, Robert Renniek, John Daugherty, John Ambler, Cooper Ludlow, Walter Small- 
wood, Pierson Spinning, Rev. Paul Henkle, Ira Paige, Maddox Fisher — Condition in 1828 — Condition 
in 1832 — A^illage Days, 1834-1850 — Condition in 1S50 — City Government — Roster oe Officials: Presi- 
dent of Council — Mayors of City — Solicitors — Treasurers, City Clerks — Police Department — Chiefs of Po- 
lice — Police Judges — Police Prosecutors — Police Clerks — Board of Public Safety — Roster of 1907 — Fibe 
Department: Volunteer — Paid Fire Department — Roster of Present Department — Public Buildings: 
Market House — City Hall — City Jail and Station House — Public Library — Hospital — Postoffice — ^Post- 
masters — Snyder Park — Fountains, etc. — Hotels: Foos Tavern — Lowry Hotel- — Ludlow Hotel — Ross Tav- 
ern, Hunt's Hotel — MacElroy Hotel — ^Norton Hotel — Werden Hotel — Buckeye House — Hagenbach Hotel- 
Murray — Cherry House — Williss House — ^National Hotel — American and Western Houses — Lagonda — 
Bookwalter Hotel — Arcade Hotel — Palace Hotel — Palmer House — Opera Houses: Black's Opera House 
— Grand Opera House — Fairbanks' Theatre — The New Sun — Office and Store Buildings: Kizer — Old 
King — Union Hall — Commercial — Bookwalter — Buckingham — Mitchell — Arcade — Johnson — Zimmerman — 
— Gotwald — King — Bushnell — Wren's Department Store — Fairbanks — ^Dial — Financial Institutions : Mad 
River National Bank — First National Bank — Citizens' National Bank — Lagonda National Bank — Spring- 
field National Bank — Springfield Savings Bank — Springfield Building and Loan Associaton — ^Merchants 
and; Mechanics' Building and Loan Association — Other Associations — American Trust and Savings Com- 
pany — Manufacturing Industries: Defunct Industries — Paper Mill — Oil Mill — Woolen Mills — 
Car Shops — Threshing Machines — Sewing Machines — "Whitely, Fassler & Kelley — Champion Ma- 
chine Co. — The A. C. Evans Co. — Champion City Manufacturing Co. — Tricycle Factory — ^Pres- 
ent Industries — International Harvester Co. — P. P. Mast Co. — American Seeding Co. — Thomas Manu- 
facturing Co. — Springfield Metallic Casket Co. — Crowell Publishing Co. — Good & Reese Co. — James Leffel 
& Co. — Wickham Piano Plate Co. — Bettendorf Metal Wheel Company — Robbins k Myers Co. — Foos Manu- 
facturing Co. — Springfield Machine Tool Co. — Tha 0. S. Kelly Co. — Springfield Malleable Co.— Mast, 
Foos & Co. — Indianapolis Switch & Frog Co. — ^Miller Improved Gas Engine Co. — Patric Furnace Co. — 
Trump Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Gas Engine Co. — The E. W. Ross Co. — Foos Gas Engine Co. — 
Heating and Lighting Plants: Gas — Electric Light — Home Lighting, Power & Heating Co. — The 
People's Light, Heat & Power Co. — Ansted t Burk — Barnett Flouring Mills — Stone and Lime Industries 
— Springfield Breweries — Summary of Industrial Matters: Machinery, Material & Supplies — Gas & 
iSteam Engine Group — Iron & Steel Products — Manufacturing Publishers — Manufacturing Florists — Medi- 
cine, Chemical and Coffin Companies — General Factories — Miscellaneous Factories — ^Mercantile Affairs: 



CONTENTS 



Retailers — Rroceries — Dry Goods — Clothing — Druggists — Jewelers — Shoes — Meats, etc. — Livery Men — Hat- 
ters — Hardware Stores, etc. — Books and Book Binderies — Cemeteeies: Columbia Street Cemetery — 
Greenmount Cemetery — Ferncliff Cemetery — Catholic Cemeteries — Lagonda Avenue Cemetery — St. Ber- 
nard's Cemetery — Cavalry Cemetery — The Press: First Paper, The Farmer — The Republic — Press Re- 
public—The News — Mad River Democrat — Transcript — Democrat — Gazette — Morning Sun — Farm & Fire- 
side — Farm News — Poultry Success — Springfield Journal Adler — Miscellaneous — Editors, etc. — Societies: 
Commercial Club — Lagonda Club — Country Club — Literary Clubs — Men's Literary Club — Young Men's 
Literary Club — Miscellaneous Clubs — Women's Club — Authors — Masons — Odd Fellows — Knights of Pythias 
— Miscellaneous — Trades and Labor Organizations. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Spbingfield ( II ) EnucATiOJr — Schools .■ 455 

Early History — Location, Principal and Enrollment of the Various School Buildings (1907) — -Private 
Schools Other Than Wittenberg College — Parochial Schools — Wittenberg College. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Spbingfield { III ) Chubches 474 

(Genera! History from paper of Dr. Kay.) 

Center Street Methodist— High Street M. E. Church— St. Paul's M. E.— Clifton Avenue M. E.— Grace 
M. E.— North Street A. M. E.— Wiley A. M. E.— Allen Chapel A. M. E.— Methodist Protestant Church 
— The Christian Denomination — Disciples' Church of Christ in Springfield — LTnited Presbyterian — First 
Presbyterian — Second Presbyterian — Third Presbyterian Church — Protestant Episcopal — The Heavenly 
Rest Protestant Episcopal — First Baptist — Trinity Baptist — The Blessed Hope Baptist — St. John's Bap- 
tist Church (colored) — LTniversalists — First Lutheran — St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran — Zion's 
Lutheran — Second Evangelical Lutheran — Third Lutheran Church — Fourth Lutheran Church — Fifth Luth- 
eran — St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran — Cavalry Evangelical Lutheran — St. Raphael's Catholic — St. Ber- 
nard's Catholic — St. Joseph's Catholic — United Brethren — Lagonda Avenue Congregational Church — First 
Congregational — Jewish Congregation — Seventh Day Adventists — Christadelphians — Grace Reformed — 
Church of Living God — Young Men's Christian Association — Young Women's Christian Association — 
Central Y. M. C. A. 

CHAPTER XX. 

Bench and Bab 514 

Early Courts — Common Pleas — Common Pleas Judges — William A. Rodgers — William White — James S. 
Good — Charles R. ^^^lite — F. M. Hagan — John C. Miller — Jacob Kreider Mower — ^A. H. Kunkle — Probate 
Court Judges — Circuit Court Judges — Police Court Judges — Early Lawyers — Members in 1852 — Samson 
Mason — Charles Anthony — Samuel Shellbarger — George Spence — Samuel A. Bowman — Members in 1864 — 
Members in 1881 — Sometime Members — General Keifer — A. P. Linn Cochran — Bar Association — ^Library 
— Members in 1908. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

The Medical Peofessiost of Clark County 536 

(By Dr. W. B. Patton.) 
Sources of Information — Medical Districts — Richard Hunt — William A. Needham — Isaac Hendershott — 
Job Haines — Organization of Medical Society — Re-organized 1850 — Second Re-organization — Robert Rodg- 
ers — ^Dr. Berkely Gillette — Dr. Andrew Bruce — Benjamin Winwood — Alexander Dunlap — Isaac Kay — John 
H. Rodgers — H. H. Seys — Buckinghams — Andrew McLaughlin — Present Society — Hospital. 



ITnfeex 



Biograpblcal 



PAGE 

Albin, Edgar W 704 

Albin, George 704 

Allen, Aaron 682 

Allen, Aaron T 682 

Allen, Aydon 727 

Allen, William 727 

Anderson, J. Fred 534 

Ansted & Burk Co 590 

Anthony, Gen. Charles .... 525 

Anthony, .Joseph 525 

Arbogast, Clarence W 803 

Arbogast, William H 803 

Bacon, Henry 525 

Bahin, Michael J 60S 

Baird, Edwin M 946 

Baird, Milton J 1019 

Baird, Samuel E 946 

Baird. William J 1020 

Baker, Dr. Alonzo A 771 

. Baker, Adam 717 

.Baker, Andrew J 761 

. Baker, Asa M 797 

Baker. Daniel 761 

■ Baker, Jacob 672 

Baker, Jonathan D 852 

Baker, Moses M 853 

Baker, Samuel 796, 1036 

Baker, Seipio E 683 

- Baker, Silas 1036 

Baker, Sidney G 796 

Baldwin, William 723 

Ballard, Charles E 534 

Ballentine, James V 586 

Ballentine. William 1047 

Bateman, H. E 817 

Battin, Charles S 788 

Battin, David 735 

Battin, John 735 

Battin, Samuel R 735 

Bauer, Charles 713 



PAGE 

Bauer, Charles A 974 

Bauer, Charles L 975 

Bauer, Jacob 733 

Bayley, William 671 

Beard, David B 823 

Beard, George A 534 

Beard, .John B 823 

Becker, John H 699 

Becker, Joseph A 90S 

Bevitt, W. P 530 

Bird, A. Van 811 

Bitner, William H 812 

Blose, Daniel 1030 

Blose, John Henry . 1030 

Bobo, Norton V 940 

Boggess. Carey 534 

Bookwalter, F. M 636 

Bower, Eli C 825 

Bowers, Harvey 835 

Bowers, Philip 835 

Bowlus, Charles J 1023 

Bowlns, .John L 1044 

Bowman, Border 534 

Bowman, E. 534 

Bowman, J. E 534 

Bowman, Samuel A 529 

Branson, Nathan V 739 

Brenner, Harry A 534 

Brown, .John S 913 

Bruce, Dr. Andrew 542 

Buckingham, Dr. E. M...538, 541 

Buckingham, Dr. John 543 

Buch waiter, Edward L 580 

Bunyan, George D 909 

Bunyan. Dr. G. H 538 

Bunyan, William 909 

Burk, John W 590 

Burkhardt. Ernest 714 

Burnett, A. G 525, 530 

Burnett, John 925 

Burnett, John D 530 



PAGE 

Burnett, Richard 925 

Burnett, Hon. William R 925 

Burnham, M. T 530, 534 

Burton, James 1033 

Burton, William H 1033 

Busch, Albert F 534 

Bushnell, Gov. Asa S 547 

Bushnell, John L 893 

Butcher, John 890 

Butcher, John, Sr 890 

Byevs. A. T 530 

Bymaster, Charles 669 

Byraaster, George W 661 

Byle, Jacob 824 

Callison, David F 693 

CaUison, Earl E 693 

CaUison, Robert 693 

Calvert, R. G 718 

Campbell, W. G 732 

Carroll, Robert W 525 

Cartraell, Nathaniel M 690 

Cartmell, Thomas J 690 

Cartmell, William B 781 

Chamberlain, Isaac 968 

Chamberlain, Walter N 968 

Cheney, Col. Milton 1054 

Chinn, B 530 

Circle, Lawrence D 919 

Circle, William L 919 

Clark, Emerson E 815 

Clark, James 815 

Clark, .John David 815 

Clark. O. 615 

Clarke, Charles E 615 

Click, Emanuel 926 

Click, Frank 926 

Clingerraan, J. B 730 

Cochran, Aaron 529 

Cochran, A. P. Linn 531 

Cochran, David M . 529 



10 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Coffin, Elijah G 603 

Coffin, Philander 603 

Cole, John M 534 

Cole, Milton 530 

Coleman, J. L 745 

Coleman, Randolph 530 

Collier, John 954 

Collier, John W 954 

Collins, Clement V 533, 534 

Collins, Dr. Elijah T 832 

Collins, James M T04 

Collins. M. I-I., M. D 832 

Collins, Thomas 751 

Colvin, Chase 746 

Cooke, Dr. Jesse 538 

Constantine, C. W 530 

Cotter, George S 1047 

Coverdill, J. R 525 

Crabill, Joseph F 1010 

Crabil), Joseph, Jr 723 

Crabill, P. P 573 

Crabill, William, Jr 773 

Craig, Harley 939 

Craig, Harry 93'J 

Craig, Joseph B 525 

Craig, William 930 

Grain, John A 663 

Grain. John B 663 

Crane, Joseph H 510 

Grawmer, John P 868 

Crowell, John S 620 

Gushing, William 525 

Davisson, Elijah L 648 

Davisson, George W 600 

Davisson, Lemuel 600, 648 

Dean, George 566 

Detrick, Harrison L 641 

Detrick, Philip 641 

Deuwell, Graham 530 

Dial, Enoch G 523 

Dial, E. G 530 

Dial, George S 532, 534 

Dickason, Samuel 737 

Diekason, Walter 737 

Diffendal, L. F 1043 

Dillahunt, Alexander N ..... . 833 

Dillahunt. George W 833 

Downey, Harry C 65S 

Downey, W. C 658 

Drake, Cyrus 754 

Drake. Thomas 1034 

Drake, Willis J 1034 

Drake, AVilliam 754 

Drake. William M 754 

Dufeey, A. L 665 

Dugdale, W. H 530 

Dunlap, Dr. Alexander 542 



PAGE 

Dunlap, Charles 530 

Dunn. Charles P 1042 

Durkee, Geo. W 728 

Durkee, Marcus 728 

Ebersole, Jacob 851 

Ebersole. Joel 851 

Eichelbarger, James T 816 

Elder, Robert 1034 

Elder, Walter N 534 

Elliott, .T. S 848 

Elvin. John R 087 

Ernst, George K 681 

Ernst, Noah 681 

Estle, Orson D 691 

Estle, William H 691 

Evans, Charles 531 

Evans, Milton L 980 

Fairbanks, N. H 903 

Feirstine, Henry L 1051 

Feree, Adam W 597 

Feree, Peter 597 

Finch. Absalom 850 

Finch, Elbeit 859 

Fisher, Henry 73S 

Fisher, John H 738 

Fissel, Frederick 702 

Fistner, Charles W 887 

Flatter, J. L 654 

Florence, Edward H 770 

Flynn, E. P 870 

Foos, Gustavus S 575 

Foos, John 525 

Foos, Robert H 596 

Foos, William 587 

Foos, William F 598 

Foster, Mack 890 

Frantz, Benjamin 634 

Frantz, Daniel 634 

Frantz, Martin 634 

Freeman, H. E 642 

Frey, George 525, 531 

Frey. George H., Jr 964 

Frey. George H., Sr 879 

Frey. Samuel C 879 

Fried, Charles C 867 

Frock. Jeremiah 811 

Frock, Samuel 811 

Fuller, Charles E 871 

Fuller. James C 872 

Garlough. Alvah T 764 

Garlough, Benjamin F 731 

(Jarlough, Jacob 731 

Garlough. James T 599, 764 

Garlough, Jesse E 509 

Garst, Dr. Elias 538 



PAGE 

Garst, Dr. Michael 538 

Garver, Benjamin C 627 

Gai-ver, John N G27 

Geigev. Frank W 532, 534 

Geiger, Henry 571 

Geiger, Hezekiali R., D. D... 571 

Geis. Charles 862 

Gerlaugh, Arthur 973 

Gerlaugh, Charles L 973 

German, Adam 916 

German. .John 605 

German, Peter 605 

Geron, Adam 758 

Geron, Peter 75S 

Gilbert, C. F 976 

Gillette, A. H 530 

Gillette. Dr. Berkeley 541 

Goodall, Stephan C 662 

Goode, Frank C 530 

Goode, James S 518 

Goodfellow, John 804 

Goodfellow, Thomas 804 

Goodwin, James P 534 

Gordon, William, Sr 795 

Gordon, AVilliam R 795 

Gotwald, Dr. D. K 544 

Gower, John H 690 

Gram, Harry G. R 534 

Gram. Jacob 994 

Gram, William J 994 

Grant, Clifton P 534 

Grieser, George 1027 

Griest. Nathan 993 

Griffith. William H 534 

Grimjje, Frederick 516 

Grube, Adam 980 

Gundolf. William 932 

Gwyn. Edward 722 

Gwyn. Edward C 722 

Haddix, Frank 953 

Haddix. George 953 

Haddix. John 953 

Hagan, Edward 5.34 

Hagan, Francis M 5-52 

Hagan, Francis M.. Jr 534 

Hagan. John B 529 

Haines, Dr. Job -537 

llalsey. James S 523 

Hanna, J. J 530 

Hardman, .Jonathan 61.3 

Hardman. Peter 613 

Hardman. William 613 

Harner, Jacob M 534 

Harraman, A. C 103S 

Harris, Lucius M 626 

Harrison, D. A 529 

Harshman, Ephraim F 788 



INDEX 



11 



PAGE 

Harshman, J. S 1042 

Hartman, Elmer C 1053 

Hartmau, Gideon 1011 

Hartman, Peter 1011 

Harvvood, Frank C 1008 

Harwood, Thomas E 1007 

Hatfield, James Hon 57S 

Hatfield, Nathaniel 578 

Hauk, Columbus B 09G 

Hauk, James N 996 

Hays, Edward A 7G8 

Hays, Samuel 76S 

Heistand, Abraham 863 

Heistand, Christian L 881 

Heistand, Dr. C. M 544 

Helf rich, John E 597 

Helfrich, Michael 597 

Helman, Cyrus S 604 

Hendershott, Dr. Isaac .537 

Hess, John 742 

Hess, Thomas M 742 

Hicks, J. William 799 

Higgins, Patrick J 534 

Hill, William D 531 

Hinkle, John 864 

Hinkle, Michael 864 

Hinkle, Saul S 529 

Hirons, .John B., M. D 1046 

Hiser, Charles H 617 

Hiser, Daniel B 617 

Hockman, Milton H 664 

Hodge, Andrew 721 

Hodge, Asa W 721 

Hodge, J. Milton 721 

Hoffman, Martin C 767 

Holt, Hon. George W 516 

Homan, James 530 

Hopkins, E. B 893 

Horner, W. R 530 

Horner, William R 534 

Houck, Edwin S 534 

Houston, Leon H 1016 

Houston, Robert 538 

Houston, Thomas F 1016 

Houston, William L 1016 

Howett, Daniel 895 

Howett, Joseph R 895 

Humbarger, John W 915 

I-Iurabarger, Wm 915 

Hunt, James M 525 

Hunt, Ralph 574 

Hunt, Dr. Richard 537 

Hunt, Maj. William 574 

Hunter, Lemuel 771 

Hunter, William 771 

Hurd, Alya B 910 

Hypes, Hon. Oran F 933 

Hyslop, Wilham W 1022 



PAGE 

Jaynos, Sully 534 

Jenkins, Da\id Benton 807 

Jenkins, Frederick 905 

Jenkins, Wilbert S 904 

Jenkins, Wiley 904 

Jewett, George W 525 

.Johnson, Rev. E. Roger 938 

Johnson, George F 10.54 

Johnson, .Tames 565, 818 

Johnson, Hon. James, Jr.... 818 

•Johnson, O. B 530 

.Johnson, Robert 565 

Johnston, Floyd A 534 

Jones, Alf 692 

Jones, Clark E 752 

Jones, F. 637 

Jones, Rooney W 1026 

Jones, Newton R 1027 

Jones, William Wallace .... 753 
Jones. Z. B ; 692 

Kappenbarger, Conrad 948 

Kauffman, Christian 1021 

Kauffman, Mrs. Elizabeth . . . 824 

Kauffman. Levi 1020 

Kay, Charles S 92S 

Kay, Dr. Isaac 1018 

Kedzie, George L 1015 

Keifer, Benjamin F 787 

Keifer, Horace C 781 

Keifer, Joseph 556, 787 

Keifer, Hon. J. Warren 556 

Keifer, William W 534 

Kelly, Edwin S 862 

Kelly, John 594 

Kelly, Hon. Oliver S 593 

Kell.v, O. W 595 

Kennedy, Dr. George F 541 

Kershner. James K 975 

Kiblinger, Daniel 1007 

Kiblinger, Jacob M 1007 

King, David, Sr 905 

King, Robert Q 906 

Kinnane, James J 784 

Kissell, Harry S 964 

Kissell. Samuel J 684 

Kisseli, Silas G 684 

Kitchin. Erasmus J 555, 762 

Kitcliin, .T. Forest 534 

Kitchin, James H 555 

Kitchin, Stephen 702 

Kneisly, Aaron S ; 876 

Kneisly. Daniel 876 

Kobelanz, Frederick 956 

Kobelanz. John H 956 

Krapp, Frank M 754 

Kunklo, Albert H 522, 534 



Lawrence, D. D 731 

Laybournc, Lawrence . . . 532, 534 

Laybourn, Lewis J 792 

Layton. Joseph 516 

Layton, John A 847 

Layton, William 847 

Layton, William A 847 

Leatherman, Charles 977 

Leatherman, John W 977 

Lef evre, Robert M 715 

Leffel, Charles Nelson 550 

Jjeffel, Frederick 550 

Lenhart, Abraham 653 

Lenhart, Adam 653 

Lindenmuth, John H 805 

Link, A. C 534 

Linn, .James A 791 

Linn, William R 791 

Little. Joel L 985 

Littler, John H 523 

Loftus, M. J 1052 

Loreuz, Julius F. W 534 

Loveless, Charles 661 

Loveless, Herbert E 658 

IjOwtj, James E 729 

Lowry, Robert M 730 

Ludlow, Charles 947 

Ludlow, Dr. John 942 

Ludlow, T. W 739 

Lutz, Lafayette R 585 

Lutz, John 585 

Lutz, Michael 585 

Lynch, Edward J 534 

McClellan, Jacob L 992 

McClintock, Albert, M. D... 827 

McClintick, Eli F 998 

McConkey, Capt. Alexander . . 608 

McConkey, Archibald 608 

McConkey, Daniel 611 

McCormick, T. J 747 

McGaffey, John 529 

McGarry, .Jacob R 531 

McGregor, Howard 534 

Mclntyre, Dr. A. H 544 

McKee, Elza F 534 

McKenny. James L 806 

McKenzie, Francis E 647 

Mclkinley, Walter 657 

JIcKinney. Cyrus 806 

JIcKinney, Samuel 806 

McKinnon. Daniel 516 

McLaughlin, Dr. A. C 541 

McLean, Hon. John 515 

McNemar, R. R 525 

Mahar, William T 534, 535 

Malone. James B 535 

jMartin, Abraham 958 



12 



INDEX 



I ^ PAGE 

Martin, Christian 5SS 

Martin. David 95S 

Martin, Emanuel J 5SS 

Martin, Oscar T 532 

Martin, P. B 530 

Martin, Paul C 535 

Martin, William A 644 

Martz, B. F 530 

Mason, Rodney 525 

Mason, Gen. Samson 525 

Mast, Hon. Phineas P S86 

Mattinson, Thomas S59 

Maughan, Patrick L 656 

Maughan, Patrick 656 

JIaxson, Jesse 1 996 

Mellinger. Benjamin F 901 

Mellinger, Il.irry S 839 

Mellinger, .Tolm E 961 

Mellinger. .Tohn H S39 

Merritl, Charles H SSO 

Merritt, Edward SSO 

Michael, Adam 756 

Michael, Alexander 1018 

Michael. Simon 756 

Michael. Walter S 1018 

Mickle, Charles E 1046 

Miller. Charles D 957 

Miller, Charles R 956 

Miller, Dayton 956 

Miller, Emanuel 1006 

Miller, Dr. E. Calvin 755 

Miller, J. J 530, 535 

Miller, .Tohn M 1006 

Miller, Joseph 755 

Miller, Sloses 956 

Miller, Oliver H 535 

Miller, Oliver J 702 

Miller, Samuel 702 

Miller, Seba H 535 

Miller. William 965 

Minnich, Cassius W 783 

Minnich, .Tohn 783 

Minnich, Peter S44 

Minnich, Thomas B S44 

Milligan. Hon. Melvin L 1029 

Mills. John 836 

Mitchell, .Tames B 583 

Mitchell, Ross .583 

Mitzel. Jacob S69 

Morris. Charles E 524 

Mosher, F. E 66t 

Slower. Jacob Krieder 522 

Muff, Stewart A 1055 

Mumtord, Tunis F 1023 

Mumford, William H 1023 

Murdock. Dr. William 53S 

Nave, Enoch K 671 

Nave. .Jacob, Sr 671 



PAGE 

Nave, Jacob, Jr 671 

Neer, William H S21 

Neer. Nathan S21 

Needham, Dr. William A 537 

Neff. Jacob D 791 

Neff. .Jacob, Sr 792 

Newberry, W. S 530 

Nickelson, Andrew 937 

NickelEon, Charles 937 

Nisley, Charles L 1048 

Norton. Percy 530,535 

Oglevee, J. F 530 

Olinger. C. S S55 

Olingor. George W 976 

Olinger, Joseph C 976 

Olinger, William H 978 

Otstot, Daniel 780 

Otstct. John 1031 

Otstot, John F 987 

Otstot. William 1031 

Otstot, William T 780 

Owen. Di-. Edward 538 

Overholser, Moses 988 

Overhclser, William H 988 

Oxtoby , Henry 1049 

Paden. James 625 

Paden, W. 625 

Paine, Thomas A 984 

Parmenter, J. W 939 

Parrish, Orrin 516 

Parsons, Israel 955 

Parsons, John W 955 

Partington, Charles 1012 

Partington, James 1012 

Patric. Charles E 697 

Patric. Richard F 697 

Patterson. Charles H 842 

Patterson, Malcolm IT 842 

Patton. Dr. William B S61 

Pearson, Joseph 930 

Pearson. William 930 

Pease, Calvin 515 

Pierce, Darwin 920 

Pierce. Edwin 920 

Pemberton. Philip E ' 762 

Penqiiite, James 567 

Penquite, Samuel H 567 

Penqnite, William 567 

Pei-rin. -John M 789 

Petre. Charles H 741 

Petre, Lewis . ., 741 

Phieger. Edward 854 

Phleger. Edward C 848 

Phlegpr. John L S-54 

Phillips. Lewis 764 

Pierce. Charles H 003 



PAGE 

Piles, James S 530 

Plummer, John L 535 

Prince, Benjamin F 1032 

Pringle, Thomas J 531 

Procter, Joseph R 917 

Proctor, William 917 

Prosser, George 950 

Prosser, John S 950 

Rabbitts, Charles 899 

Rabbitts, James H 633 

Rabbitts, William S 747 

Rader, Michael 635 

Rader, Philip 635 

Rankin, James F 589 

Rankin, John 589 

Rankin, Stacy B 589 

Rawlins, George C 532 

Ray, John 1025 

Ray. Lewis 1025 

Redmond, Harry G S2S 

Redmond, Judson 828 

Reynolds, Henry 5S6 

Reynolds, Dr. John H 5S6 

Reynolds, William W 995 

Rice, Claude F 882 

Rice, William 684 

Richards, Edward 782 

Richards, John A 782 

Richardson, George C 529 

Ricks, John T 943 

Ridgely, Charles T 1045 

Ritchie, Charles N 1024 

Ritchie, Edward H 983 

Robbins, Dr. James 538 

Roberts, James H. 669 

Roberts. Reuben M 628 

Roberts, Thomas H 669 

Robinson, Walter E 535 

Roekel, Adam 677 

Rockel. Henry 732 

Roekel, Peter 677 

Rockei, William M 677 

Rockhill, C. B 530 

Rodgers, A. D 525 

Rodgers, Dr John H .543 

Rodgers, Richard H S.57 

Rodgers, Dr. Robert 541 

Rodgers, Robert C 835 

Rogers. William A 517, 525 

Rolfes, Frank H 698 

Rolfes, Frank H., Sr 698 

Roller, Charles E 836 

Roller, Sylvanus 836 

Ruby. Harry W 618 

Runyan, George 553 

Runyan. Hejiry 800 

Runyan, J. Milton 800 



INDEX 



13 



Runyan, Thomas W 551 

Rust, Daniel 1048 

Russell, Hugh 998 

Russell, Hugh, Sr 999 



Scarff, John J 

Scarff, William N. 
Schaefer, Henry L. 
Schaefer. Leonard . 



... 897 
... S97 
... 693 
... 093 

Schaffner. John D 774 

Schaffner, Peter 774 

Sohaus. W. H 854 

Schuster, C. A 919 

Scifers. Reuben 962 

Scott, W. A 530 

Seitz, Amos 617 

Seitz, Andrew 617, 827 

Seitz, Henry 828 

Seys, Dr. H. H 543 

Sharon, Joshua D 529 

Sharp, John 928 

Shellabarger, David E 927 

Shellabarger, Ephraim 927 

Shellabarjrer, George 953 

Shellabarger, Isaac 953 

Shellabarger, Samuel 526 

Sherlo, Garrett 769 

Shouvlin, P. J §79 

Showers, Frank 530 

Shroyer, David 80S 

Sieverling, William H 629 

Silvers, Eli F 817 

Skillings, Eben 748 

Skillings, Lewis 607 

Slaughter, George H 840 

Smith, Adolphus H 991 

Smith, Amos 562 

Smith, Arthur Z 965 

Smith. Charles C 937 

Smith, Christian M 887 

Smith, David J 645 

Smith, Eli 563 

Smith, Howard S 740 

Smith, J. Quincy 645 

Smith, Lewis H 70I 

Smith, Oscar L 701 

Smith, Peter 887 

Smith, Roger V 535 

Smith, Russell 878 

Smith, Seth W 699 

Smith, T. A 878 

Snaufer. Jacob 643 

Snodgrass, Andrew 784 

Snodgrass, Joseph F 783 

Snyder, Christian 858 

Snyder, D. H S43 

Snyder, Eli 797 

Snyder, Felty 797 



Snyder, Fred , 816 

Snyder, Henry 843, 858 

Snyder, John Jacob 816 

Snyder. Samuel 957 

Snyder. Steven D 797 

Snyder, William L 858 

Spence, George A 885 

Spence, George 526 

Spence, Mark 885 

Stackhouse, W. H 988 

Stafford, Finley 680 

Stafford, George 938 

Stafford, Horace W ,... 535 

Stafford, Joseph H 680 

Stafford, Robert F 938 

Steinbarger, George S 1041 

Stevans, Dr. W. G 763 

Stewart, Chase 562 

Stewart, Charles F 922 

Stewart, David W 898 

Stewart, Earl 535 

Stewart Family 561 

Stewart, Frank E 638 

Stewart, James G 535 

Stewart, John T 1009 

Stewart, Oscar N 636 

Stewart, Peri-y 898 

Stewart. Perry H 636 

Stewart, Samuel 562 

Stewart, William C 674 

Stickney, John 875 

Stickuey, Henry 875 

Stickney, William T 875 

Stipp. Abraham 682 

Stipp, Martin L 682 

Stockstill, Dr. J. n'. 538 

Stoner, Adam 894 

Stone, Dr. John C 538 

Stotts, Roseoe G., M. D 841 

Stroup, Jesse 5.54 

Studebaker, Peter 655 

Studebaker, Samuel 655 

Sullivan, John W 1043 

Sultzbach, Howard 1008 

Sultzbach, Joseph 941 

Sun, Gus 888 

Swaidner, John S 694 

Swan, Joseph R 516 

Swartzbaugh, Theodore 934 

Tarbutton, Jesse 802 

Tatman, Joseph 516 

Tateman, Stewart L 73S 

Taylor, Birch R 913 

Taylor, Daniel R 849 

Taylor, John 966 

Taylor, Lewellen 966 

Tehan, George W 535 



PAGE 

Thackery, .Joseph H 779 

Thackery, William 646 

Thomas, A. H 662 

Thomas, Hon. John H 549 

Thomas, Thomas P 860 

Thomas, William 860 

Thomas, Hon. William S 896 

Tindall, Robert A 789 

Tindall, Thomas 789 

Tipple, George J 984 

Titus, Harley 872 

Titus. James P 872 

Todd, James 761 

Todd, Samuel A 761 

Todd, William B 7.58 

Torbert, Hon. James L . . . 516, 523 

Toulmin, Harry A 914 

Troupe, Toppy 657 

Trout, John F 716 

Trout, Joseph D 1002 

Trout, O. B 535 

Trout, Philip 716 

Troxell, William 948 

Turner, Edwin B 779 

Tuttle, Caleb 864 

Tuttle, George 831 

Tuttle, George W 767 

Tuttle, Rev. Harvey H 707 

Tuttle, Isaac 742 

Tuttle, Jacob 770 

Tuttle, James 630 

Tuttle, John 712, 742 

Tuttle, Sylvanus 630, 707 

Tuttle, William E 831 

Tuttle, William H 877 

Tuttle, W. F 633 

TSvichell, Clayton H 642 

Twichell, Smith S 641 

Ulery, Rev. George 740, 834 

Ulery, Isaac 834 

Ulery, Joseph 1036 

Ulery, Jlrs. Mary Ann ..... 716 

Ulery, Samuel 740 

Underwood, J. B 525 

Vale, William S 10.52 

Van Bird, A 811 

Van Bird, Silas 811 

Van Horn. Joseph 726 

Verity, Henry 979 

Verity, Luella 979 

Verity, Sarah E 979 

Vinal, Harvey .525 

Voges, Herman 757, 758 

Volmer, Jacob 1000 

Wade, C. E 725 

Waddle, Joseph M 593 



14 



INDEX 



Waddle. William 593 

Walhay, William 856 

Walhay, Wilson 856 

Walker, Willis S 530 

Wallace. Edward S 531 

Wallace. Ira W 718 

Wallace, Thomas D 1050 

Weaver, Joseph 822 

Weaver. Hon. Walter L 909 

Weisel, Benjamin F 687 

Weltj'. J. .Terome 535 

West, David E 790 

West, Louis 790 

Wheeier, Ebenezer 665 

Wheeler, Elliott D 665 

Wheeler. John 665 

White, Charles R 518 

White. Fletcher 530 

White, William 517, 525 

Wickham, Henry 666 

Wildman, Alvin E 900 

Wildnian, Edward 903 

Wildman, John 900 

Wildman, William 903 

Wilkinson, .John A 799 

Willis. F. W 530 



Willis, W. H 530 

Wilson. H. Blair 525 

Wilson. John H 618 

Wilson, Hugh 826 

Wilson. Michael B 714 

Wilson, Michael 714 

Wilson. William S 826 

Winger, Hon. Amaziah 611 

Winger, .Jacob 612 

Winwood. Dr. Benjamin 542 

Wise, Charles F 1005 

Wise, John H 798 

Wise, Lewis 798 

Witmeyer, W. W 535 

AVood, Albert 725 

Wood. Isaiah 725 

Wood Jam.es J 1050 

Wolf. Amos 530 

Wraight. Henry G 798 

Wray, Edmund 595 

Wray, William 595 

Wren Co.. The Edward 1049 

Wren. James K 1049 

Xanders. Enos W 572 

Xanders, William 572 



PAGE 

Yakey, C. F 530 

Yeazell, Abraham 577 

Yeazell, George 577 

Yeazell, Jacob 564 

Yeazel, John A 564 

Yeazell, Joseph Milton 576 

Yeazell. William M 606 

Yeazell, William 606 

Young. Charles Adam 841 

Young, Charles Addison 945 

Young, Dr. H. H 541 

Young, Jacob 745 

Young, .John 841 

Young. Lemuel L 745 

Young, Luther F 524, 535 

Zeller, John M 907 

Zerkle, Samuel S 1038 

Ziegler, George L 921 

Zimmerman, Albert L 535 

Zimmerman, George 929 

Zimmerman, John L 673 

Zimmerman, Samuel 929 

Zinn, Gold W 616 

Zinn, Peter S 616 



HUuettations 



PAGE 

American Seeding Co 162 

Amphitheatre-Fair Grounds 296 

Ansted & Burli Company's Plant 174 

Arcade Building, Springfield 408 

Black Opera House 192 

Bookwalter Block, Springfield 408 

Bretney Tannery, Springfield 192 

Bridge Across Mad River 98 

Buckingham Block, Springfield 408 

Bushnell Block, Springfield 520 

Bushnell School, Springfield 466 

Center Street M. E. Church, Springfield 488 

Central Engine House, Springfield 528 

Chillicothe Street, So. Charleston 328 

Champion Chemical Company's Plant 184 

Champion Works, International Harvester Co 212 

City Building, Springfield 150 

City Hospital, Springfield 434 

Clark, Gen. George Rogers 66 

Clark County Children's Home 434 

Clark County Court House 150 

Clark County Infirmary 150 

Clark Memorial Home for Aged Women 296 

Clark County Historical Society Building 118 

Country Club, Springfield 296 

County Officers' Building 150 

Crowell Publishing Go's Building, Springfield 408 

Bast Side Main Street, New Carlisle 340 

Elmwood School, Springfield 466 

Factory Street Engine House, Springfield IIS 

Fairbanks Buildings and Lagonda Bank, Springfield 520 

Friends' Meeting House, Selma 328 

First Congregational Church, Springfield 502 

First Baptist Church. Springfield 38, 488 

First Lutheran Church, Springfield 488 

First Presbyterian Church, Springfield 488 

Foos Manufacturing Company's Plant 136 

Foos Gag Engine Co., Springfield 174 

Gen. Whiteman's Old Stone House, Clifton 244 

Gotwald Building, Springfield 520 

Harmer, Gen. Josiah 66 

Harrison, Gen. William H 66 



PAGE 

High School Building, Springfield 520 

High Street M. E. Church, Springfield 118 

High School, So. Charleston 328 

House Built by .John Paul 244 

High School, Plattsburg 350 

Hotel, Catawba 340 

.Jesse Boyd Hotel 98 

Jefferson School. Springfield 466 

Johnson Building (Wren's Store) Springfield 520 

Judge Halsey Property, Springfield 38 

Kelly Plant, Springfield 212 

King Building. Springfield 408 

Knights of Pythias Home 202 

Lagonda Club, Springfield 434 

Masonic Building, New Carlisle 340 

Masonic Home, Springfield 434 

Mast, Foos & Co., Plant, Springfield 192 

Metallic Casket Co 162 

M. E. Church, Catawba 502 

M. P. Church, Catawba 340 

New Sun Theatre, Springfield 192 

New Zimmerman Building, Springfield 520 

Odd Fellows' Home, Springfield 202 

Oesterlen Orphans' Home 118 

Oil Mill on Buck Creek 270 

O. K. House 270 

Old Brick House, W. Main St., Springfield 192 

Old Cartmell Residence, Pleasant Township 244 

Old City Hall, Springfield 38 

Old Court House 38 

Old Episcopal Church 118 

Old Mill at New Carlisle 244 

Old Pennsylvania House, Springfield 270 

Old Saw Mill 270 

Old Schoolhouse-Hopewell School 98 

Peoples' Home, Plattsburg 350 

Post Office, Springfield 528 

P. P. Mast & Go's Office, Springfield 408 

P. P. ilast Plant, Springfield 192 

Presbyterian Church, So. Charleston 328 

Present Station House, Springfield 528 



16 



INDEX 



Residences. 

Battin, Samuel R.. Madison Township IIS 

Bushnell, Mrs. A. S., Springfield 540 

Crowell, J. S., Springfield 540 

Evans, Milton L., German Township 981 

Fogs, William, Springfield 78 

Geron, Peter, Moorefield Township 759 

Haddix, Frank, Mad River Township 952 

Hodge, Asa W., Moorefield Township 720 

Mast, P. P., Springfield 78 

Mitchell, Ross, Springfield 78 

Parmenter, J. W., Springfield 78 

Roller, Charles E., Bethel Township 837 

Thresher, .John, Lagonda, Springfield 244 

St. Bernard's Church, Springfield 502 

St. Charles' (Catholic) Church, So. Charleston ... 502 

St. Clair, Gen. Arthur 66 

St. John's Lutheran Church, Springfield 502 

St. Raphael's (Catholic) Church, Springfield 488 

St. Raphael's School, Springfield 118 

School Building, New Carlisle 340 

Selma Special School, Selma 466 

Soldiers' Jlonument, Springfield 150 

Sinking Creek Church, Springfield Township 244 

Snyder Mill, Springfield Township 270 

Springfield Malleable Iron Co 162 



PAGE 

Springfield in 1832 98 

Stand Pipe, Springfield 38 

Town Hall, Catawba 340 

Town Hall, Cliiton 98 

Thomas Manufacturing Co., Springfield 350 

Travelers' Rest, Springfield Township 270 

United Presbyterian Church, Springfield 488 

View in Fernclifi: Cemetery, Springfield ^6 

View in Snyder Park 206 

View on Little Miami, near Clifton 296 

Warder Public Library, Springfield 434 

Water Works Pump House, Springfield 528 

Wayne, Gen. Anthony 66 

Western School, Springfield 38 

Wickham Piano Plate Co., Springfield 350 

Wittenberg College, Potir Views of 384 

Dormitory 

Hamma Divinity Hall 

Main College Building 

Zimmerman Library 



Y. M. C. A. Building, Springfield 
Y. AV. C. A. Building, Springfield 



502 
434 




_QryMc^ 



Bistorp of Clark Countp. 



CHAPTER I. 



PREHISTORIC MATTER. 

A Tale of the Airly Days — Geological Formation — Limestone Formation — Coal, 
Oil, and Gas — Glacial Drift — Singular Growth of Timber — Prehistoric Man 
— Prehistoric Animals — Mounds and Mound-Builders — The Bechtle Mound. 



A Tale of the Aiely Days. 

Oh ! tell me a tale of the airly days — 

Of the times as they ust to be; 
"Filler of Fi-er" and "Shakespear's 

Plays" 

Is a 'most too deep for me! 
I want plane facts, and I want plane 

words, 

Of the good old-fashioned ways, 
When speech run free as the songs of 

birds 

'Way back in the airly days. 

Tell me a tale of the timber-lands — 

Of the old-time pioneers; 
Somepin a pore man understands 

With his feelin's 's well as ears. 
Tell of the old log house, — about 

The loft, and the puncheon flore — 



The old fi-er jjlace, with the crane 
swung out. 
And the latch-string through the door. 

Tell of the things just as they was — 

They don't need no excuse! 
Don't teach 'em up like the poets does, 

Tel theyr all too fine fer use! — 
Say they was 'leven In the fambily — 

Two beds, and the chist below. 
And the trundle-beds that each helt three, 

And the clock and the old bureau. 

Then blow the horn at the old back-door 

Tel the echoes all halloo, 
And the children gethers home one 't more, 

Jest as they ust to do : 
Blow -fer Pap tel he hears and comes. 

With Tomps and Elias, too, 
A-marchin' home, with the fife and drums . 

And the old Eed, White and Blue! 



20 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Blow and blow tel the sound di-aps low 

As the moan of the whipperwill, 
And wake up Mother, and Ruth and Jo, 

All sleepin' at Bethel Hill: 
Blow and call tel the faces all 

Shine out in the back-log's blaze, 
And the shadders dance in the old hewed 

wall 

As they did in the airly days. 

Riley. 

Geological Formation. 

In a work of this character only a cur- 
sory vie.w of the geological formation of 
the county could properly be given. 

According to the geological map of 
Ohio, the dividing course of the lower and 
upper Silurian rock are within the boimds 
of this county, the entire bed rock of 
Ohio being Trenton limestone, which is 
the first in formation in the lower Silu- 
rian period. This rock takes its name 
from a picturesque and well-lmown local- 
ity in Trenton Township, Oneida County, 
New York. It has generally been re- 
corded in Ohio as being found at a depth 
of from one to two thousand feet. 

The Utiea Shales are the second in for- 
mation after the Trenton limestone and 
Professor Orton says, "In the wells of 
Springfield, Urbana, and Piqua it is found 
in undiminished thickness, but in some 
more calcareous in composition." 

As to what may properly constitute 
the geological scale applicable to Ohio, 
the following is taken from a work of 
Prof. Orton: 

"A brief review of the scale and struc- 
ture of the State will here be given, but 
before it is entered upon, a few funda- 
mental facts pertaining to the siibject will 
be stated. 



"1. So far as its exposed rock series 
is concerned, Ohio is built throughout its 
whole extent of stratified deposits or, in 
other words, of beds of clay, sand and 
limestone, in all their various gradations, 
that were deposited or that grew in water, 
There are in the Ohio series no igneous 
nor metamorphic rocks whatever; that i&, 
no rocks that have assumed their present 
form and condition from a molten state 
or that, subsequent to their original for- 
mation, have been transformed by heat. 
The only qualification which this state- 
ment needs pertains to the beds of drift 
by which a large portion of the State is 
covered. These drift beds contain boul- 
ders in large amount, derived from the 
igneous and metamorphic rocks that are 
found around the shores of Lake Supe- 
rior and Huron, but these boulders are 
recognized by all, even by the least ob- 
servant, as foreign to the Ohio scale. 
They are familiarly known as 'lost rocks' 
or 'erratics.' 

"If we should descend deep enough be- 
low the surface we should exhaust these 
stratified deposits and come to the granite 
foundations of the continent which con- 
stitute the surface rocks in parts of Can- 
ada, New England and the West, but the 
drill has never yet hewed its way down to 
these firm and massive beds within our 
boundaries. 

"The rocks that constitute the present 
surface in Ohio were all formed in water, 
and none of them have been modified and 
masked by the action of high tempera- 
tures. They remain in substantially the 
same condition as that in which they were 
formed. 

"2. With the exception of the coal 
seams and a few beds associated with 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



21 



them, aud of the drift deposits, all the 
formations of Ohio grew in the sea. 
There are no lake or river deposits among 
them, but by countless and infallible signs 
they testify to a marine origin. The 
remnants of life which they contain, often 
in the greatest abundance, are decisive 
as to this point. 

"3. The sea in which or around which 
they grew was the former extension of 
the Gulf of Mexico. When the rocks of 
Ohio were in process of formation, the 
warm waters and genial climate of the 
Gulf extended without interruption to the 
borders of the great lakes. All of these 
rocks had their origin under such con- 
ditions. 

"4. The rocks of Ohio constitute an 
orderly series. They occur in widespread 
sheets, the lowermost of which are co- 
extensive with the limits of the State. As 
we ascend in the scale the strata con- 
stantly occupy smaller areas, but the last 
series of deposits, viz., those of the Car- 
boniferous period, are still found to cover 
at least one-fourth of the entire area of 
the State. Some of these formations can 
be followed into and across adjacent 
States, in apparently unbroken continu- 
ity.' 

"The edges of the successive deposits 
in the Ohio series are exposed in innumer- 
able natural sections, so that their true 
order can generally be determined with 
certainty and ease. 

"For the accumulation and growth of 
this great series of deposits vast periods 
of time were required. Many millions of 
years must be reckoned in any rational 
explanation of their origin and history. 
All of the stages of this history have 
practically unlimited amounts of past 



time upon which to draw. They have all 
gone forward on so large a scale, so far 
as time is concerned, that the few thou- 
sand years of human history would not 
make an appreciable factor in any of 
them. In other words, five thousand years 
or ten thousand years make too small a 
period to be counted in the formation of 
coal, for example, or in the accumulation 
of petroleum, or in the shaping of the 
surface of the state through the agencies 
or erosion." 

Limestone Formation. 

The limestone cropping out around the 
City of Springfield and west along Mad 
River, and in some other places of the 
county is what is known as Niagara shale, 
and constitutes some of the finest build- 
ing stone and lime to be found anywhere, 
and in the geological survey of Ohio it 
is spoken of as follows: 

"We come next to what has been de- 
nominated the Springfield Stone, viz. : the 
building-stone courses which form so con- 
stant an element in the Niagara rocks of 
Ohio at this horizon. It is separated from 
the West Union limestone by a distinct 
boundary. As this portion of the series 
is so well developed and exhibited in the 
Springfield quarries, it seems appropriate 
to designate it as the Springfield lime- 
stone, and this name has accordingly been 
attached to this division in all portions 
of Southwestern Ohio in which it is 
shown. It is a prominent member of the 
Highland County series, as will be seen 
in the report of the geol ogy of that county, 
subserving there the same purpose as a 
building stone that it does here. 

"The Springfield limestone is a mag- 



22 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



nesiau carbonate, containing generally 
about fifty per cent of carbonate of lime, 
and forty per cent of carbonate of mag- 
nesia. Some of the remaining substances 
--a small percentage of silica, and also 
of alumina — stand in the way of its be- 
ing burned into an approved lime. There 
is, however, no uniformity in its composi- 
tion. 

"The prevailing color of this rock in 
Clark County is a light drab, though, sev- 
eral blue courses occur. To the south- 
ward, the. rock is mainly blue. The desir- 
ability of the light-colored stone for fine 
work is sometimes lessened by faint red- 
dish streaks through its substance. 

' ' The thickness of this division is never 
more than twenty feet, and seldom ex- 
ceeds fifteen feet in this portion of the 
state. At Holcomb's, it is thirteen feet. 
Like the other members of the series, it 
expands to the southward, reaching at 
Hillsboro its maximum in Ohio of forty- 
five feet. 

"Beginning in the Springfield quarries 
at the bottom of the series, we find sev- 
eral heavy courses, from ten to eig'liteen 
inches thick, overlying the West Union 
cliff.' These lowest courses are blue in 
color, and, despite their massive appear- 
ance, are generally treacherous as build- 
ing-stones. "Where exposed to the 
weather, they lose, in a few years, their 
dressed surfaces, their seams continually 
widen, and, in a word, they show them- 
selves to be undergoing a state of certain, 
though slow, disintegration. 

' ' The blue courses generally, even when 
found above the lowest beds, show the 
same tendency, and should at least be 
carefully tested before being used in 
structures where they can be attacked by 



atmospheric agencies. The drab courses 
are almost all durable building stones in 
all ordinary situations. Making up as 
they do the bulk of this division, they fur- 
nish an invaluable supply of building- 
stone to Springfield and the adjacent 
country. ' ' 

Coal, Oil .\nd (Jas. 

The Carboniferous and SuVcarbonifer- 
ous formations in Ohio occupy the greater 
portion of the eastei'n and southeastern 
part of the state. Although numerous 
attempts have been made, no gas or oil 
has been found in this county in paying 
quantities. 

In 1865 gas was discovered in Pike 
Township but not in paying quantities. 
After oil and gas had been discovered 
in the Lima district in 1884, the matter 
was again discussed and brought up in 
our county and Judge Mower and others 
became interested, and a well in the vicin- 
ity of the former one in Pike Township 
was again sunk, but only what is known 
as a "pocket" was discovered. This 
was in 1890. 

In 1887, a well was sunk in the old 
Frey stone quarry immediately north of 
Buck Creek and east of Fountain avenue, 
and a "pocket" of gas was discovered, 
probably producing more gas than any 
other well that had been sunk in the coun- 
ty, for some time afterward it was allowed 
to burn and go to waste, when finally it 
was piped into Mr. Frey's house and was 
for some time used by him for domestic 
purposes. 

In 1892, P. P. Mast sunk a well in the 
western part of Springfield, and in 1888, 
William N. Whitely also sunk one near 
what is now the Foos Gas Engine Works, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



23 



a few squares east of the C. C. C. & St. 
L. depot. 

Wells have also been sunk near the 
village of New Carlisle, south of Vienna 
and west of Brighton, the latter two to 
the depth of 1,650 feet, but without pay- 
ing results. When the Mast well was be- 
ing dug, Dr. Lisle, a chemist of this town, 
made observations which were the subject 
of an article in the press at that time 
from which the following extract is made : 

"Dr. Lisle has closely followed the well, 
and has analyzed the drillings as they 
have been brought up. He has 225 pack- 
ages of them all completely labeled. No 
small amount of labor is represented in 
the collecting, and when the tube is filled 
it will make a valuable study of 'the earth 
beneath.' " 

The first three feet is drift, or ordinary 
soil, which is followed by 150 feet of 
Niagara, including about 30 feet of lime- 
stone, cap rock, chalk, etc. 

The third division is 15 feet of bluish 
clay. Next' is 20 feet of Medina shale of 
fine reddish structure which rests on Clin- 
ton rock. Through this the drill steadily 
worked its way 175 feet down; then came 
a deep bed of shales, a fine grained, slaty 
deposit, and the casing was lowered 769 
feet before another solid stratum, the well- 
known Trenton, was reached. This, on 
thorough ]3enetration, was found to be 
633 feet thick and here, properly, the 
search should have ended. The State 
Greologist says, after long observation, 
that if Trenton rock does not contain a 
substance called dolomite, which is com- 
posed of calcium carbonate and magne- 
sium carbonate in equal proportions, 
there is no gas there. An analysis of the 
Trenton rock bored through in the Mast 



well -showed that it was composed of 80.84 
per cent calcium carbonate, 9.11 magne- 
sium carbonate and the rest insoluble mat- 
ter. The proportion was convincing as 
to the absence of gas, but the syndicate 
was induced to probe further toward the 
nether regions by the fact that gas was 
found in the ^Vliiteley gas well, which was 
sunk about four years ago until St. 
Peter's rock was reached. Still no gas. 
After prodding this solid formation 36 
feet further the job was given up. 

The salt water was struck at a depth of 
1,815 feet. It is decidedly saline. A 
quantity of white sulphur and drift was 
precipitated from the sample, and the test 
naturally showed the presence of sulph- 
ureted hydrogen. 

At 326 feet an odorless gas was met 
with, which burned five feet above the 
casing. At 580 feet another pocket was 
penetrated. 

The temperature at 1,953 feet was 93 
2/10 Fahrenheit, which accords with the 
theoretical rate of increase below the 
earth's surface. 

As was noted above, gas was struck at 
a depth of 2,000 feet in the Wliiteley well. 
The flow was continuous, but too light 
for material use, and the well has been 
plugged up. A depth of 2,533 feet was 
reached before the drill rested. Gas was 
first struck at 550 feet in blue shale. 

It is curious to note the thicknesses of 
the strata. In the Whiteley well the drift 
was 125 feet deep. West of the city Clin- 
ton rock comes to the surface. 

The Pettigrew well, which is located in 
the quarry at the foot of Plum street, 
was drilled four years ago (1887). It 
is 1,200 feet in depth, and also yields a 



24 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



light flow which has been found insuffi- 
cient for use. 

The Frey well drilled in Frey's quarry, 
shortly after the Pettigrew, is perhaps 
the most important. 

A depth of 1,700 feet was reached and 
salt water encountered. It yields a steady 
flow, and recent examination shows the 
pressure to be 185 pounds. Mr. Frey 
uses it in his residence. 

From these observations made by Dr. 
Lisle, Prof. I). H. Suavely has prepared 
the following scale of geological forma- 
tion which by his kind permission is in- 
serted. 



subject has been one of speculation 
to geologists. Prof. Geiger says there is 
gas in Clark County's ai*ea and he can 
locate it on geological principles. He re- 
cently proposed to Mr. Mast that he 
(Prof. Geiger) should select a location, 
giving satisfactory reasons for doing so. 
If Mr. Mast should find gas there he 
should properly remunerate the professor, 
and if not, the obligation should be an- 
nulled. Mr. Mast may yet decide to act 
upon the proposition. Hitherto the loca- 
tions of the wells have not been made 
scientifically and the proceeding outlined 
above would be watched with interest. 



3 ft. 

150 ft. 

15 ft. 

20 " 

175 ft. : 
769 ft. 



633 ft. 

70 ft. 
36 ft. 



t^ 


00 


N 


00 


00 


0^ 


00 








'-' 


•^ 


Q 


, 


. 


< 






^ 












00 












<u 






u 






3 












a. 






p. 






<a 













•a 






d 


^ 


: 





n 


^ 







t> 


t^ 




CO 




c^ 



















>, 





>> 


.^ 


-M 




J3 


nj 


u 


^ 


IS 



Drifts 

Limestone 
Niagara 
Bluish Clay 
Medina Shale 

Clinton Rock 



Shales 



Trenton Rock 

Shales Limestone 

St. Peters Rock 1S71 ft. 



All of which indicates that there must 
be gas somewhere in this region. The 



GLACI.4L, Drift. 

Clark County is in the line of the 
glaciers descending from the north in the 
glacial drift period, and to this fact owes 
the richness of its soil. The rock founda- 
tion being -limestone, this valuable in- 
gredient became thoroughly mixed in the 
surface. Upon this question Professor 
Orton says : 

"The other great division of the soils 
of Ohio, viz., the drift soils, are by far 
the most important, alike from their 
greater area and their intrinsic excellence. 
Formed by the commingling of the glacial 
waste of all the formations to the north 
of them, over which the ice has passed, 
they always possess considerable variety 
of composition, but still in many cases 
they are strongly colored by the forma- 
tion underneath them. Whenever a 
stratum of uniform' composition has a 
broad outcrop across the line of glacial 
advance, the drift beds that cover its 
southern portions will be found to have 
been derived in large part from the for- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



mation itself, and will thus resemble na- 
tive and sedentary soils. Western Ohio 
is underlaid with Silurian limestones and 
the drift is consequently limestone drift. 
The soil is so thoroughly that of lime- 
stone land that tobacco, a crop which 
rarely leaves native limestone soils, at 
least in the Mississippi Valley, is grown 
successfully in several counties of West- 
ern Ohio, 100 miles or more north of the 
terminal moraine." 

Scattered granite bowlders are found 
in almost every part of the county, in- 
creasing in number toward the noi-th- 
western part of the county. However, in 
no place are they found in such great 
quantity as to seriously impede agricult- 
ure. North, in Champaign County, the 
surface is more thickly covered with them, 
in some places making a serious impedi- 
ment in the way of the agricultural use 
of the soil. There is much to suggest in 
the formation of the Mad River Valley 
that between the hills upon the sides of 
this valley there flowed a mighty stream 
from the north, merging into a raging, 
roaring torrent from rock to rock south 
of the Masonic Plome, west of the city. 
There is no evidence of any volconic ac- 
tion in the formation of the soil of this 
county. 

This drift has been found to vary wide- 
ly in the depth of its formation in places 
not far apart, near St. Paris, Champaign 
County, Ohio. It has its maximum depth 
of 530 feet, while in the digging of the 
Mast well not more than 20 miles away, 
it was found to be only three feet. At 
the White! ey well within less than a mile 
from the Mast well, the drift was l'^5 
feet. 



SI^TGULAR Growth of Timber. 

Undoubtedly the soil formation has 
much to do with the kinds of timber that 
has grown thereon, and a rather sing-ular 
matter in reference to the growth of tim- 
ber has been observed along the borders 
of the Mad River Valley, more especially 
that part of it which is north of the City 
of Springfield. On the hills and uplands 
west of the valley the timber is beach, 
poplai', sugar, oak, hickory and walnut. 
While on the east side of the valley there 
is not a beach or ]3oplar tree to be found 
and only occasionally a sugar, the pre- 
vailing timber being oak and hickory. 
From this fact the lands east of the river 
have received the designation as the 
"oaks" or the "oak hills" while the land 
west including German and Pike Town- 
ship has been designated as the "beech." 

Prehistoric Man. 

While remains presumed to belong to 
another race may have been discovered 
in this county, there is no particular evi- 
dence of the existence of the prehistoric 
man, and upon this matter it may be In- 
teresting to quote Prof. Wright's opinion. 
It is the opinion now of scientists that 
man did exist in the glacial period. Prof. 
Wright says : 

"In my original 'report upon the 
Glacial Boundary of Ohio, Indiana and 
Kentucky,' I remarked that since man 
was in New Jersey before the close of the 
glacial period, it is also probable that he 
was on the banks of the Ohio at the same 
early period; and -I asked that the ex- 
tensive gravel terraces in the southern 
part of the State be carefully scanned bv 



26 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



archaeologists, adding that when ob- 
servers became familiar with the forms 
of these rude implements they would 
doubtless tintl them in abundance. As to 
the abundance, this prophecy has not been 
altogether fulfilled. But enough has been 
already discovei'ed in Ohio to show that 
man was here at that early time when 
the ice of the glacial period lingered on 
the south side of the water partings be- 
tween the lake and the Ohio River. Both 
at Loveland, and at Madisonville, in the 
valley of the Little Miami, Dr. C. L. Metz, 
of the latter place, has found this ancient 
type of implements several feet below the 
surface of the glacial terraces bordering 
that stream. The one at Madisonville was 
found about eight feet below the surface, 
where the soil had not been disturbed, 
and it was in shape and appearance al- 
most exactly like one of those found by 
Dr. Abbott in Trenton, N. J. These are 
enough to establish the fact that men, 
whose habits of life were much like those 
of the Eskimos, already followed up the 
retreating ice of the great glacial period 
when its front was in the latitude of Tren- 
ton and Cincinnati, as they now do when 
it has retreated to Greenland. Very like- 
ly the Eskimos are the descendants of 
that early race in Ohio. 

Prehistoric Animals. 

There is no doubt that prehistoric ani- 
mals, if T may use the term in that way, 
those that existed in the mammalian 
period or age, wandered over mucb of 
the territory occupied by this county, the 
remains of mastodons having been found 
in the lands west of the Urbana Pike, near 
the Franklin School House, and in the 



valley of Buck Creek, not far. from Ca- 
tawba Station, and near the Columbus 
Road, on a farm of William E. Yeazell, 
in the southeastern part of Pleasant 
Township, and also near Brooks Station. 
Some of these remains are in a fair state 
of preservation and I believe are now in 
possession of Wittenberg College. 

Mound and Mound-Builders. 

That there was a race of people in- 
habiting this county prior to the red men, 
is abundantly testified to by the mounds 
that are scattered over this coimty. I 
think they number not far from forty. 
Who or what these people were, or what 
object they had in view in making these 
various works can only be conjectured. 
The largest of these mounds is the one- 
situated near Enon, this county. 

It is frequently referred to as "Knob 
Prairie Mound," and is on the line of 
march of General Clark on his way to the 
battle of Piqua. His officers ascended its 
summit to reconnoiter the surrounding 
county. This mound is several hundred 
feet in circumference with a height of 
forty-five or fifty feet and is located in a 
level field and shows forth quite promi- 
nently. Some years ago the mound was 
dug into and one of the investigators gives 
the following as a description of what 
they found. 

"We found top soil all the way for 
thirty feet, when we came to a cave of 
curious construction; it was the shape of 
a bake-oven, and high enough for a man 
to stand upright in the center. It tapered 
down on the sides. On one side there was 
a door, that had evidently led from a 
ground entrance into the cave. In the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



27 



middle of. the cave was a pile of dirt and 
stone resembling an altar; on these were 
bones, charcoal and some pieces of de- 
cayed wood, and one piece of partly 
charred wood in a good state of preserva- 
tion. This wood was preserved, but the 
bones would not stand moving. After 
the party had satisfied their curiosity, 
they cut their names and the date on the 
altar, filled up the excavation and left." 

One of these mounds was situated in 
the City of Springfield and is well de- 
scribed by Hon. 0. T. Martin as follows : 

"A few rods east of the intersection of 
Spring and Washington Streets, there was 
a mound of earth about fifty yards in size 
across its base and of conical shape. 
About this period (1818), several white 
oak trees and clusters of bushes stood up- 
on its side, and a number of large stumps 
indicated that other trees had grown 
nearer its .apex." 

During the work upon the Dayton & 
Sandusky Railroad in 1847, this mound 
was entirely removed for the earth it 
contained. As the delvers in it penetrated 
its interior, they found it had been the 
burial place for a former generation of 
people. It was a huge sepulcher full of 
human bones. As the bones had by this 
period of time to a great extent be- 
come intermingled with the earth, the 
entire mass was carted to the railroad 
and formed part of the road bed. While 
the work was in progress, there was 
picked up what seemed to have been a 
section of the lower jaw bone of a wild 
animal containing a stout, crooked tusk 
or tooth. The bone had been ground away 
so as to be firmly grasped by a human 
hand. It had no doubt been used as an 
instrument of warfare. A few days after 



it had been taken from the ground, it 
crumbled into dust by action of the air 
upon it. 

There are several of these mounds in 
Spring-field. One being what is now used 
as the Soldier's Mound in the cemetery, 
and is described as follows by Prof. 
Snavely in giving an account of some in- 
vestigations made there. 

"After sinking the shaft four or five 
feet from the top a hard shell of baked 
clay was struck, and a hole made therein, 
which revealed an oven-shaped chamber, 
or vault, in which appeared large quanti- 
ties of bones, ashes, charcoal, etc. The 
bones, when taken in the hand, crumbled 
to dust, and could be blown away with a 
breath. Among the skeletons were found 
a wooden chain — apparently black locust 
— about seven inches long, of perhaps five 
or six links, and a fine bone of about 
three by • one and a half ' inches in size. 
The size of the vault can be estimated 
from the statement that one could turn 
a ten-foot rail around endwise on the in- 
side quite readily. The hole was left open 
for some, years afterward and finally 
closed of its own accord, as it appeared 
when the ground was sold for cemetery 
purposes. What became of the relics is 
forgotten, as are also the names of the 
students who made the investigation." 

Another eye witness of a later date and 
excavation says: "In digging the graves 
for the burial of soldiers, burnt clay, ashes 
and charcoal were found, and also wood 
that had thoroughly decayed almost be- 
yond recognition was discovered and 
seems to have served the, purpose of pro- 
tecting the burnt clay, which may have 
been used for burial purposes, but no 
hollow place or any evidence of one were 



28 



HISTOKY OF CLARK COUNTY 



noticed. Still, as the first row of graves, 
where these relics were found, begins at 
twenty-two feet from the center of the 
new monud, and as the center of the old 
mound is sixteen feet south and three feet 
west of it there may be a possibility that 
the burnt clay, which was found in dig- 
ging the graves, is at the limit of the 
vault and the rotten wood was the rem- 
nant of the protection afforded during the. 
construction of the old mound. 

"In forming the new mound no in- 
vestigation was made of the interior of 
the old mound, but a record was made of 
the exact location. 

"It is 410 yards north from the margin 
of the creek at an elevation of 100 feet, 
or, in exact figures, from engineer's sur- 
vey, height of level surface base above 
creek level. 102 feet; height of top of 
mound, 107.5 feet, which made the Indian 
mound at the time of survey, 1863, 5.5 
feet high and had a probable diameter of 
30 or 32 feet." 

The present mound is 200 feet in diam- 
eter and the center is 16 feet north and 
3 feet east of the center of the Indian 
mound : and in height 7 feet, and sur- 
mounted by an iron flag-staff, 112 feet 
high, and 8 feet in the ground. 

The same person gives the following 
contribution as to Bechtle Mound situate 
near the park. 

The Bechtle Mound, 

is located about four-fifths of a mile 
(4,200 feet) from the cemetery mound, 
nearly southwest. It is about the same 
distance from the highest point of Gray's 
Hill, nearly south of the mound (from 



which we may now look), and also the 
same distance to the Indian burying 
ground (gravel pit), in Snyder's prairie, 
north of M^est. 

It is about one and one-tenth miles 
(5,775) feet to the mouth of the Lagonda 
(Buck) Creek, southwest; the same dis- 
tance to the mouth of Mill Run, east, and 
to the hill on which Wittenberg College 
stands. 

It is about one and three-fifths miles 
(8,450 feet) to the mouth of Mill Creek, 
southwest ; to the Indian burying ground 
on Snyder's hill, northwest; and to the 
hill on which the public library stands, 
southeast; near which site stood another 
mound some forty years ago. 

Other distances and directions can be 
compared, with equal or greater inter- 
est and satisfaction. These mounds were 
not placed here at random by an ignorant 
people, any more than the great pyramid 
of Egypt was placed in its situation by 
ignorance and superstition. 

The mound is situated on the south side 
of the creek, distant 750 feet: its sum- 
mit is 70 feet above the level of the water. 
It crowns the east end of a clayey ridge, 
which is some 500 feet in length and 
about 28 feet above the adjoining level 
surface. This level surface extends south 
to Main and High Streets, and from 
Factory Street to near the Hydi-aulic, on 
the west; an area of about half a square 
mile, chiefly red clay. 

Possibly the beds of clay which were so 
extensively used in the manufacture of 
modern brick, were also utilized by the 
prehistoric people in their manufacture 
of pottery, and in the burial of their dead. 

The mound has an elevation of 12 feet 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



29 



above the surface of the ridge on which 
it rests. Its north and south diameter is 
69.8 feet at base. And its east and west 
diameter is 63.8 feet. The circumference 
is 210 feet; and its contents approximate- 
ly are 1,750 cubic yards. 

In shape it is nearly a cone ; the south 
side is somewhat irregular. The top is 
depressed in the center, caused possibly 
by the interior sinking, as no knowledge 
of any extended excavation exists. 

Large trees still surround it and have 
a growth of several hundred years; but 
that does not indicate any age of these 
earth works; for all accepted authority 
places the Mound Builders' era too far in 
the remote past to make timber growth a 
factor of much importance. The latest 
authority places the era at 800 years ago 
A. D. 1092. 

According to the classification, this is a 
sepulchral mound, but the theory is ad- 
vanced that the site was a king's throne 
and dwelling place, a signal station, and. 
at his death, the mound was erected over 
the remains. So, it may also be classed 
as a memorial or monumental mound. 

One of the most noteworthy features 
is the fact that, as an observation station, 
it affords a tine view of the river valley 
nearly to Westville, with Tremont, Eagle 
City, the bridge over Mad Eiver and 
farms between; also of the creek and its 
valley, for several miles ; the city and pub- 
lic buildings; and the fine residences on 
the ridge along West High Street; part 
of the Millcreek Valley, and hills beyond ; 
the river valley for miles towards Dayton ;' 
and the vicinity of Enon, Snyder's and 
Cold Springs, near Tecumseh's birth- 
place. 



THE MOUNDS NEAR ENON AND IN HARMONY 
TOWNSHIP. 

The mound near Enon, the railroad 
cut at the south boundary of the Masonic 
Home grounds ; this mound and the ceme- 
tery mound are all in a nearly direct line 
southwest and northeast, so that smoke 
or light can be easily seen at either place, 
day or night, if such signals were made. 
The springs near this mound, with 
those along the creek to Market Street 
and beyond, one or more near every street 
that terminates or crosses at the creek, 
their relation to the construction of these 
earthworks, and their value in the serv- 
ice of a dense population in their vicinity, 
could be interestingly reviewed in support 
of the opinion that Springfield and the 
vicinity was a favorite and endearing 
locality to the Mound Builders, as well as 
to its present inhabitants. 

And concerning a mound on the New- 
love farm in Harmony Township, Prof. 
Suavely gives the following description: 
"To describe one of the most interest- 
ing of these hunting grounds is the object 
of this paper. Between the old London 
road, three miles east of Harmony and 
the national road, eight miles east of 
Springfield, on the Newlove farm, is what 
people now generally call an 'Old Indian 
fort.' A half-mile northeast, just beyond 
the eight-mile stone, the national road vvas 
cut through a large Indian mound, part 
of which still remains. Nearly a half 
mile south of this mound and about tiie 
same distance east of the 'old fort,' are 
several artificial depressions, or large pit- 
holes and near these was once an Indian 
trail whose direction was from northwest 
to southeast. 



30 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



"To the south of the 'old fort,' about 
a half mile among the hills, stands the 
Newlove residence, built many years ago, 
and here is the key to the whole situation. 
This valley is about three-fourths of a 
mile long nearly due nortli and south, and 
is nearly closed at the north end by the 
eastern elevation curving abruptly to the 
west, and bj' boggy land between it and 
the western elevation. 

" It is at this end of this valley, and on 
the west side, that the earthworks are 
situated. It may also be stated here that 
the boggy land extends for a long dis- 
tance east and west from this point, and 
borders Beaver Creek, which flows west 
between here and the national road and 
joins the Lagonda (Buck) creek six miles 
below. 

"The abrupt curve of the eastern eleva- 
tion of the valley also slopes gradually 
toward the creek, and makes the only na- 
tui'al fordable place for several miles up 
or down the stream. This ford was used 
often, not only by the Indians, but by the 
early settlers, and, no doubt, by the buf- 
falo, deer and other wild auimals as well. 

"The 'old fort' or rather enclosures, 
consist of two elliptical embankments, and 
resemble somewhat, on a large scale, the 
tracks of a horse's front feet, made while 
standing or in a leap against the side of 
the hill. Both are of the same area, but 
the bank and ditch of the one north are 
not so high or deep as the one south, and 
it is on more level ground. The western 
half of the one north is under cultivation. 
The remainder of both is covered with 
heavy timber, as are both sides or borders 
of the valley. Both 'toe' to the south 
of west, or rather the longest diameters 
are in that direction. The openings or 



entrances face toward the east — a little 
'north of east — and can be seen plainly 
from the top of the mound a half mile 
northeast, and from the crest of the hill 
range between. 

"The construction of these earthworks 
is the most remarkable because it has a 
striking miniature resemblance to the con- 
struction of that part of the earthworks 
at Newark — the southern elliptical en- 
closure in which the fair grounds are now 
located. The area contained by that is 
over twenty-five acres, while one of these 
contains over one acre. 

"The southern enclosure consists of an 
ellliptical ditch twenty feet wide and 
from five to seven feet deep, the excava- 
tions having apparently thrown upon the 
outside, making an embankment from four 
to six feet high, and at present from twen- 
ty to twenty-five feet wide. The distance 
■ from the bottom of the ditch to the top 
of the embankment, therefore, is from 
nine to thirteen feet. The ends of the 
ditch do not meet at the east by some 
thirty or forty feet, nor do the ends of 
the embankments by twenty-five or thirty 
feet, making a wide entrance to the island- 
like inside, which gradually slopes or as- 
cends to the opposite end, upon which is 
a small mound. 

"The outside circumference is 1,020 
feet. The long diameter is 325 feet and 
the short diameter 234 feet. A rectangle 
of three or four acres would likely con- 
tain both enclosures, as the one north is a 
duplicate of the one south, but shallower. 
The distance of each enclosure bank (at 
their nearest approach to each other) is 
but twenty or twenty-five feet. 

"Those who, for the first time, view 
this 'old Indian fort' as a means of de- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



31 



fense against an outside enemy, are 
disappointed, because the most ignorant 
combatant would hesitate to go or remain 
inside, if an enemy were upon the out- 
side. It has too much the appearance of 
a trap. In fact it is a trap. The wliole 
surrounding landscape of nearly two 
square miles, is a huge trap, or typical 
ambush, the culmination of the Indian 
hunting grounds, and at the same time the 



West Point of most of his military train- 
ing; for whether game or enemies were 
decoyed or driven into similar localities 
and enclosures, in the succeeding contest 
and almost certain slaughter, the native 
Indian was at home in all the detail of 
conquest and capture. ' ' 

These descriptions of Prof. Snavley's 
appeared in the newspapers several years 
ago and are used by his kind permission. 



CHAPTER II. 



TOPOGRAPHY. 



Character of the Surface — Elevation abovo Lake Erie- — Mad River — Tributaries 
of Mad River — Little Miami and Other Streams — Character and Fertlity of 
the Soil — Timber — Comparative Table of Crops. 



Character of Surface. 

The surface of Clark County is what 
might be termed undulating. The risings 
from the valleys attending Mad River, the 
Little Miami, and their tributaries, are 
hardly suflficient to be properly designated 
as hills, although it may be used to des- 
ignate the broken surface of this county 
in comparison with that of the valley. 
This rough or broken land is, with but 
few exceptions, found on the edges of the 
valleys. After the heights of these 
broken lands or ridges have been reached, 
a plateau or stretch of level land is found 
which extends to the beginning of the 
next valley. The hills, if I may term 
them such, valleys, and plateaus, are not 
confined to any particular part of the 
county. 

Immediately west of the city of Spring- 
field, in what is now called Aberfelda 
Park, the roughness of the surface is such 
as to make as fine natural scenery as can 
he found anywhere in central Ohio. The 
stream called Eock Run extends up 



through it and is fed by several very fine 
springs, and affords some very beautiful 
miniature water falls. 

The ridge of rocks and rising land along 
the west side of the valley of Mad River, 
passing the birthplace of Tecumseh be- 
tween Aberfelda and Medway, with its 
varied forms of timber and vegetable 
growth, especially in the autumn of the 
year when the leaves assume a variegated 
hue, present a view beyond the criticism 
of nature's most fastidious lovers. 

Here it should not be forgotten that the 
entrance to Ferncliif Cemetery in the 
City of Springfield has been pronounced 
by extensive travelers not to be excelled 
anywhere. In other parts of the coun- 
ty from the elevated lands, magnificent 
views of the valleys of Mad River and 
Buck Creek can be obtained, sometimes 
extending for miles and miles. 

There is some broken land south of 
Enon and along the north fork of the 
Little Miami, north of Selma. A consid- 
erable stretch, also, will be foimd east 
of Vienna, and smaller portions east and 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 33 

north of Lawrenceville ; along Cliapmans Mad River is the principal stream with- 

and Bonne! s Creek and in various other in the county. The origin of the name 

parts. Perhaps the largest extent of has never been satisfactorily explained, 

what might be termed hill land is found In Gist's journal, 1749, it is referred to 

in the northern and western parts of as Made Creek, it probably receiving its 

Pleasant Township around the village of name from the fact that while it is gen- 

Catawba. Very seldom, however, is any erally a placid and harmless stream,''yet 

of this broken land of such a character as frequently after long and unusual rains 

to unfit it for agricultural purposes ; much it becomes a stream of considerable 

of it, being of the limestone formation, is mag-nitude, a ruinous, raging torrent 

quite fertile. of water, "mad" in the true sense of the 

The entire county casts its surface term. In the Shawnese language it was 

water into the great Mississippi water- called Athe, ne, sepe, meaning a flat or 

shed, being drained directly by the big smooth stone river. It enters the county 

and little Miami Rivers and their trib- in the northeastern corner of German 

utaries into the Ohio. Township from Champaign County, 

Elevations Above Lake Ekie ?""'" south through German Township, 

tor a short distance, forming the bound- 
Erie Railroad at Bowlusville 393 feet, ary line between it and Moorefield Town- 
Springfield Sta- ship, then through its western part of 

^^°" 335 " Springfield Township, then forming the 

Pan Handle Railroad at Enon. .451 " boundary line between Bethel and Mad 

■'' " Hen- River Township, to the Greene County 

^^^^(iy's 458 " line a short distance east of the Mout- 

Pan Handle Railroad at Selma.510 " gomery County line. 

South The following as to its characteristics 

Charleston 553 " is a quotation from Beers' history: 

Pan Handle Railroad at Spring- "The valley of Mad River is the most 

field Station 418 " topographical feature of the county. 

BigFour Railroad at Moorefield. 448 " Rising in the island of Huron Shale 

Lake Erie above sea level, 573 feet. (black slate) just east of Bellefontaine, 

Ohio River at Cincinnati, 134 feet be- its source has an altitude of 1,438 feet 

low Lake PJrie. above the tide water, which is as great as 

Mad River. *^^^* ^^ ^"^ °^^^^^^ P°^°* ^^ ^^^^ State. The 

. ' stream then passes over the edge of the 

'The rivers how they run Carboniferous limestone, over a eonsid- 

Through woods and meads in shade and erable outcrop of Helderberg limestone, in 

■'^T Champai^gn County, and finds its way to 

Sometimes swift, sometimes slow, Clark Countv over a flat tract of country 

Wave succeeding wave, they go which is underlaid bv the Niagara lime- 

A various journey to the deep stone, but at such depth that it is nowhere 

Like human life in endless sleep." exposed in the bed of the stream. Swampy 



34 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



borders of considerable extent are found 
along its course in Champaign and the 
northern part of Clark Counties, which 
help to bestow upon the stream its com- 
paratively permanent character. These 
borders, locally called 'cat-head prairies,' 
consist largely of vegetable accumula- 
tions, and are peculiarly retentive of 
moisture. Ditches draw the water but for 
a very short distance on either side, and 
therefore it is almost impossible to drain 
these tracts. 

"The tributaries of Mad River share 
in the peculiarities that it possesses, in 
the districts through which they flow. 
Those that enter the river near Spring- 
field have wrought out picturesque and 
beautiful valleys in the Cliff limestone, 
as, for instance, Buck Creek and Mil] 
Creek, which crosses the Dayton Pike two 
miles below the city. The configuration 
of the valley at the .junction of Mill Creek 
a;id Mad River indicates a long-continued 
history, in which the streams have oc- 
cupied very different geographical rela- 
tions from those now to be observed. A 
solitary remnant of their denuding action 
is found in a little island of Cliff rock, of 
three-fourths of an acre in area, that rises 
thirty feet above the general level in the 
angle between the two streams. 

"Almost all the streams of the county, 
great and small, have their springs, and 
earlier courses in drift deposits. They 
flow for awhile, many of them, indeed, 
through their whole extent, in broad and 
very shallow valleys that they have 
wrought in the surface accumulations of 
clay and gravel. In such cases, the width 
of the valleys is greatly disproportioned 
to their depth. On the eastern side of the 
county, the descent of a few feet — not 



more than twenty-five feet below the gen- 
eral level — brings us to a broad, flat plain, 
one-half of a mile in width, perhaps. A 
stream of insignificant proportions 
meanders through the valley, but seems 
lost in the expanse. Indeed, the single- 
spanned bridge in the midst of a level 
tract is often our only intimation that we 
are crossing a valley. The several forks 
of the little Miami in Green and Madison 
Townships furnish good examples of this 
sort. It may be noted, in passing, that 
these broad and shallow valleys constitute 
some of the finest agricultural districts of 
the county. 

' ' The present topography of the county 
is to be mainly attributed to erosive 
agencies, which are still in progress. All 
that is wanting to complete the horizontal 
plain of rock which originally filled the 
area of the county has been carried away 
by running water. The surface of the 
county has been worn and chiseled by 
these agencies to a degree quite beyond a 
ready recognition, for these channels have 
been silted up by the drift deposits so as 
to be greatly reduced in dimensions, or 
even wholly concealed from view, vmless 
some accidental section exposes them. 
The present surface of the county is ir- 
regular, through a considerable portion 
of it, the gravels and clays having been 
left in hills and hollows ; but it is certain 
that the rocky floor has a far more un- 
even surface. 

"The lowest land in the county is found 
in the valley of Mad River, in the south- 
western corner of Mad River Township. 
It is about 325 feet above low water mark 
of the Ohio River at Cincinnati. From 
this lowest level, taken as a floor, the 
whole county is built up to the extent of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



35 



100 feet, with the upper-most beds of the 
Blue Limestone or Cincinnati group. 
The average thickness of the Clinton lime- 
stone, the next story of the county, does 
not exceed twenty-five feet, and the heav- 
iest single section of the Niagara group 
gives seventy-five feet in addition to these 
measurements. The deposits of the drift 
formation are built up in many instances 
from 75 feet to 100 feet above the rocky 
floor. 

"The highest land of the covmty, then, 
is 'from 600 to 625 feet above low water 
mark at Cincinnati, or from 1,025 feet to 
1,050 feet above tide water. Some isolated 
points may exceed even this elevation by 
a few feet. The summits of Pleasant 
Township have probably as great an ele- 
vation as any land in the county. 

"The sand and gravel are left over the 
surface of the coimtry in picturesque 
knolls and ridges, which add greatly to 
natural beauty, and which, in the ad- 
vantages they offer for building sites and 
road materials, form no mean element in 
its desirability for human habitation. 
These knolls and ridges are not the rem- 
nants of more extensive beds that covered 
the whole face of the country originally, 
as might be thought at the first inspec- 
tion, but they were deposited where we 
find them, and in the same form that they 
now possess. 

"This is dearly proved by the lines 
of deposition that their sections fur- 
nish. The ridges often inclose basin- 
shaped depressions of small extent, which 
can be accounted for in no other way than 
as the results of the original deposition 
of the surrounding masses. These de- 
pressions are particularly noticeable in 



the northeastern corner of the county, 
near Catawba." 

In pioneer and subsequent days the 
water of this stream was utilized in va- 
rious places for mill power, most of which 
have now been abandoned. 

From Springfield south, the soil in the 
valley is underlaid with gravel, and does 
not need artificial drainage to fit it for 
agriculture. From the city north artifi- 
cial drainage is needed in many places to 
bring the soil in a condition for a high 
state of cultivation. However, the river 
having an average fall of eight feet to the 
mile this is not difficult of accomplish- 
ment. 

Mad River is not what is known as a 
navigable stream, although it is stated 
that David Lowry early in the last cen- 
tury took a boat from presumably this 
side of Medway down to Cincinnati. In 
1825, however, it is known that John Jack- 
son, who married Nellie Lowry, built a 
flat boat on the north bank of Donnel's 
Creek and in high water he launched it, 
taking three or four of his children, and 
floated down the Mad Eiver, thence to the 
Miami, and then to the Ohio and Miss- 
issippi, settling in Tennessee. 

Tetbutakies of Mad Kiver. 

From its central and important posi- 
tion in the topography of the county, Mad 
Kiver has a considerable number of tribu- 
taries entering into it in this county vary- 
ing in size and importance. The first that 
enters the river as we come up the stream 
is Muddy Run. This stream has its origin 
in the west part of Grreen Township, not 
far north of Hustead, and flows in a 
southwesterly direction in Mad River 



36 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Township, entering into the river a short 
distance above the Montgomery line. The 
valley is narrow and its borders some- 
what hilly. 

Mud Creek is a stream on the west side 
of the river and enters into the river in 
Miami County, and extends north through 
the western part of Bethel Township. 
The lands are tolerably level and the 
stream somewhat sluggish. 

Jackson Creek empties into the river 
about a mile and a half above Medway 
and extends north through Bethel and 
Pike Township almost paralleling Don- 
nel's Creek. It is hardly anything more 
than a wet weather stream. 

Donnel's Creek enters into Mad River 
about a mile up the stream from Jackson 
Creek. It receives its name from Don- 
nel, an early settler along its banks. It 
extends north through Donnelsville, pass- 
ing North Hampton, and some of its 
branches extend as far as Dialton in Pike 
Township. It is larger than Jackson 
Creek, but not generally fed by springs 
and sometimes becomes almost dry in 
periods of drought. 

Rock Rim is the name of the next creek 
that enters Mad River. Like the two 
previous ones it has its entrance from 
the north or west side and enters the river 
about three-quarters of a mile above 
Durbin, and extends up through Gei'man 
Township. Its principal branch is known 
as ]\Iiller Creek, it is fed by springs and 
by reason of its very great fall atforcled 
in earlier times a considerable number 
of mill sites. 

Thus far we have but one stream to 
enter the liver on the south or east side. 
The next one, however, comes from that 
direction and is designated Mill Creek. 



This empties into the river about three- 
quarters of a mile south of the National 
Road. It has several branches and re- 
ceives considerable of its flow from 
springs and afPords excellent water for 
grazing purposes. Formerly there were 
some mills upon it. 

About half a mile above where Mill 
Creek enters the river, and a short dis- 
tance south of the National Road, west 
of Springfield, Buck Creek, its principal 
tributary, enters into Mad River. The 
Indian name of this stream is Lagonda. 
In size it is about half that of the river. 
It extends northeasterly through the city 
and township of Springfield and through 
the township of Moorefield near the vil- 
lage of New Moorefield, having its source 
near Mechanicsburg in Champaign Coun- 
ty. It is a spring-fed stream and always 
furnishes a considerable water-flow. 

Almost in the center of Springfield, 
Buck Creek has a tributary called Mill 
Run. It has now, in the main part of the 
city, been covered over and is used jsrin- 
cipally for sewer purposes. It has its 
source east of the city, south of the Big 
Four railroad. In former times it was 
considered of sufficient importance to af- 
ford mill privileges. 

A short distance above the city of 
Spring-field, not far from the present 
water works, there enters into Buck 
Creek, Beaver Creek. This creek is 
almost as large as that into which 
it enters. Like Buck Creek it re- 
ceives considerable of its waters from 
springs. The main source of Beaver 
Creek is not far from Brighton in the 
eastern part of the county. Within a few 
miles of where Beaver Creek entei's into 
Buck Creek it receives Sinking Creek, its 






^^toOSBBW 





,1 


w 


' 


Cu 


u 


o 


- 


£3 




>.w 




t-'E 




Cfl^j 




^^ 




AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



39 



principal tributary. This Creek has its 
source in the southern part of Pleasant 
Township. 

A short distance above New Moorefield 
another branch is received by Buck 
Creek. This branch extends easterly 
around south and east of Catawba. The 
valley of Buck Creek is not very wide but 
in many places is very fertile. About 
half or three-quarters of a mile south of 
the bridge across Mad River, on the St. 
Paris Pike, Pondy Creek enters from the 
west into Mad River. It has its source 
a mile or so north of Lawrenceville. For 
a shoi't distance from its source it flows to 
the northeast, coming within less than a 
mile of Chapman's Creek, south of Tre- 
.mont City; thence south parallel to the 
River, It has a tiirbulent little branch en- 
tering it about two miles from its mouth 
called Dry Run. Both of these streams are 
what may be called dry-water streams. 
About half a mile north of the Eagle City 
mill, Mad River divides, one part flowing 
around to the east for about two miles 
until it again enters the river. This is 
called the prong, the main part of the 
river being taken south past the mills at 
Eagle City. Into this prong, perhaps 
half a mile north of the Eagle City Road, 
enters a stream which, as now composed, 
includes the waters of Moore's Run and 
Kenton Creek, originally Kenton Creek 
only. This stream is a fresh-water stream 
having its source north of Villa in Moore- 
field Township. It receives its name from 
the fact that Simon Kenton at one time 
lived in that immediate vicinity. Its orig- 
inal name was Jarbo's creek, named from 
Phillip Jarbo, who was Kenton's brother- 
in-law. 

Originally Moore's Run entered into 



Mad River about a quarter of a mile south 
of the Tremont Road, and extended in a 
northeasterly direction up into Cham- 
paign Coimty. Recently, however, it has 
become diverted from its original channel 
and now joins with Kenton Creek. Its 
waters are almost entirely of spring form- 
ation, and consequently its flow of water 
is very regular, and it affords an excel- 
lent stream for stock watering purposes. 

Immediately south of the Tremont 
Road, Chapman's Creek enters into the 
river. It has its source in Champaign 
County, within a few miles of St. Paris. 
It received its name from Chapman, an 
early resident. It is a stream of consider- 
able fall and of some size during rainy 
weather. It is not of spring formation 
and therefore not very reliable for mill- 
ing purposes. 

Not far south of the county line, 
Storms Creek enters the river, and it ex- 
tends through a small portion of this 
county. It receives its name from Mr. 
Storms, an old resident. 

On the east side of the river not far 
from the county line enters Cedar Creek. 
This creek has its formation a few miles 
north of Champaign County. Storms 
Creek is much similar to Chapman's 
Creek in the source of its water supply, 
while Cedar Creek is much similar to 
Moore's Run and affords a constant sup- 
ply of pure spring water. 

The Little Miami and Other Steeams. 

The Little Miami River has its source 
in branches having their beginning in 
Springfield, Harmony and Madison Town- 
ships and leaves the county a few miles 
east of the village of Clifton. Along this 



40 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



stream between Clifton and Yellow 
Springs the river flows through a gorge 
thirty or forty feet deep and in some 
places less than twenty feet in width and 
affords the finest piece of natural scenery 
around this part of the state. The north 
fork of this stream has its source not far 
from the village of Plattsburg, and enters 
the main channel not far from the county 
line, being about twenty miles in length. 

The Lisbon fork has its source near the 
east comity line not far from where the 
C. C. C. & St. L. Railroad Company en- 
ters, and unites with the south fork a few 
miles west of South Charleston forming 
the river proper, the south fork flowing 
around south of South Charleston and 
having its source a few miles east of 
South Charleston near the C. C. C. & St. 
L. Railway. 

There is a little stream called Massie's 
Creek which flows in a southwesterly , 
direction in Madison Township and en- 
ters the Little Miami River in Greene 
County. Honey Creek is a branch of the 
Big Miami, having its source in several 
branches which have their beginnings in 
the northern part of Pike Township. It 
passes through the village of New Carlisle 
and leaves the county west of that place. 
It has a considerable flow of water, much 
of which is of spring formation. Its val- 
ley forms some of the richest soil to be 
found in the Miami Valley. 

Chakacter and Quality of the Soil. 

The fertility of the soil of the Miami 
Valley has long been recognized as being 
of a high grade, as the following quota- 
tion from Howe bears evidence: 

"Long before any permanent settle- 
ment was made in the Miami Valley, its 



beauty and fertility were known to the 
inhabitants of Kentucky and the people 
beyond the Alleghanies, and repeated ef- 
forts were made to get possession of it. 
These efforts led to retaliation on the part 
of the Indians, who resented the attempt 
to dispossess them of their lands, and the 
continuous raids back and forth across 
the Ohio River to gain or keep control of 
this beautiful valley, caused it to be called, 
until the close of the eighteenth century, 
the "Miami Slaughter-house." The re- 
port of the French Major, Celoron de 
Bienville, who, in August, 1749, ascended 
the La Roche or Big Miami River in 
bateaux, to visit the Twightwee villages 
at Piqua, has been observed, but Gist, the 
agent of the Virginians, who formed the 
Ohio Land Company, was probably the 
first person who wrote a description in 
English of the region surrounding Day- 
ton. Gist visited the Twightwee or Miami 
villages in 1751. He was delighted with 
the fertile and well -watered land, with its 
large oak, walnut, ash, wild cherry and 
other trees. 'The country,' he says, 
'abounded with turkey, deer, elk, and most 
sorts of game, particularly buffaloes, 
thirty or forty of which are frequently 
seen feeding in one meadow; in short, it 
wants nothing but cultivation to make it 
a most delightful country. The land upon 
the Great Miami River is very rich, level 
and well timbered, some of the finest 
meadows that can be. The grass here 
grows to a great height on the clear fields, 
of which there are a great number, and 
the bottoms are full of white clover, wild 
rye and blue grass.' It is stated by 
pioneer writers that the buffalo and elk 
disappeared from Ohio about the year 
1795. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



41 



"The development of the Miami Valley 
has shown that the glowing accounts of 
the early explorers as to the fertility of 
the soil were not too highly colored. The 
'Mad River Country,' as this region was 
called by the first pioneers, was the syn- 
onym for all that was desirable in farm- 
ing lands. 

The soil in every part of the county 
is more or less mixed with limestone 
di'ift. In the valleys it is of a red, dark 
color, and adapted to the raising of corn. 
In the southern part of the county around 
Medway, considerable tobacco is grown. 
In Pike and German townships, while 
good crops of corn and wheat can be 
grown, the soil is particularly adapted to 
the growing of oats. In many parts of 
Mad River Valley the soil is of that rich 
loamy character that gives a profitable 
growth to potatoes. The county being 
ramified in every dii'ection with streams, 
as the description heretofore given will 
show, makes it exceedingly well adapted 
for pastu.rage puiposes, and while the 
land has become almost too valuable to be 
used for stock-raising purposes, yet a 
growing city makes a considerable de- 
mand for products of dairy, and that in- 
dustry is growing rapidly. 

Timber. 

In reference to the kind of timber that 
would naturally grow upon the soil in 
Clark County, the following from Prof. 
Orton can be read with profit : 

"The native forests of the drift regions 
were, without exception, hard-wood for- 
ests, the leading species being oaks, 
maples, hickories, the walnut, beech and 
elm. The walnut, sugar maple and white 



hickory and, to quite an extent, the burr 
oak, are limited to warm, well-drained 
land, and largely to limestone land. The 
upland clays have one characteristic and 
all-important forest tree, viz., the white 
oak. It occupies vastly larger areas than 
any other single species. It stands for 
good land, though not the quickest or 
most generous, but intelligent farming can 
always be made successful on white oak 
land. Under-draining is almost always 
in order, if not necessary, on this division 
of our soils. The regions of sluggish 
drainage, already referred to, are oc- 
cupied in their native state by the red 
maple, the elm, and by several varieties of 
oaks, among which the swamp Spanish 
oak is prominent. This noble forest 
growth of Ohio is rapidly disappearing. 
The vandal -like waste of earlier days is 
being cheeked to some degree, but there 
is still a large amoimt of timber, in the 
growth of which centuries have been con- 
sumed, annually lost. 

"The character of the land when its 
occupation by civilization was begun in 
the last centui-y was easily read by the 
character of its forest growths. The 
judgments of the first explorers in regard 
to the several districts were right in every 
respect but one. They could not do full 
justice to the swampy regions of that 
early day, but their first and second-class 
lands fall into the same classifications at 
the present time. In the interesting and 
instructing narrative of Col. James 
Smith's captivity among the Indians, we 
find excellent examples of this discrimi- 
nating judgment in regard to the soils of 
Ohio as -they appeared in 1755. The 
'first-class land' of that narrative was the 
land occupied by the sugar tree and wal- 



42 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



nut, and it holds exactly the same place 
today. The 'second-class land' was the 
white oak forests of our high-lying drift- 
covered districts. The 'third-class' land 
were the elm and red maple swamps that 
occupied the divides between different 
river systems. By proper drainage, many 
of these last named tracts have recently 
been turned into the garden soils of Ohio, 
but, for such a result, it was necessary to 
wait until a century of civilized occupation 
of the country had passed. These facts 
show in clear light that the character of 
the soil depends upon the geological and 
geographical conditions under which it 
exists and from which it has been de- 
rived. ' ' 

To particularize, in this county it may 
be said that the oak predominates, the 
white oak being the principal variety, al- 
though there was a considerable amount 
of red, black, pigeon, swamp and other 
classes of this variety. 

In the fine red soil along the valleys 
there are very fine specimens of black 
walnut, there being also found a scatter- 
ing of butternut or white walnut. The 
oak forests were generally interspersed 
with hickory of the shell bark and other 
varieties. In the lands west of Mad River 
were found some sugar groves, but they 
were not plentiful enough to make the 
maple syrup industry a profitable one. 
Scattered sugar trees are found in almost 
all parts of the county. The beech and 
poplar variety are almost exclusively con- 
fined to the uplands of Pike and German 
Townships. Along Mad River there are 
some magnificent specimens of sycamore 
from five to six feet in diameter. The 
buckeye is also occasionally found. 

In the low bottom land, gray and swamp 



ash and the elm of white variety pre- 
vailed. The gray or harder ash is also 
found scattered in the uplands, it being 
the same particularly with the growth of 
oak. Elm is also found in the uplands. 

The sassafras and dog-wood likewise 
are usually found in what is known as oak 
land. The cottonwood, willow and quak- 
ing asp are generally confined to the low 
lands. The wild cherry is found scat- 
tered in many parts of the county. 

Occasionally trees of gTim, ironwood, 
mulberry, hackberry and persimmon will 
be found in the various parts of the coun- 
ty, while pawpaw bushes were mostly 
found in the forests of the beech and 
poplar, and the hazelbush in the oak grove. 

Some fine specimen of linn are also 
found, principally where the poplar and 
sugar grow. The wild crab-apple, black 
and red haw are, or rather were, found 
scattered here and there over the county. 
The blackberry bushes grow to profusion 
in many places. 

At one time no doubt at least four- 
fifths of the 200,000 acres of this county 
was covered with timber. Now, possibly 
less than one-tenth can be found to be in 
that condition and very little ia the con- 
dition that nature left it. 

Timber of the variety not indigenous to 
this county has been transplanted in va- 
rious places with success notably the 
South Carolina poplar and the catalpa. 

COMPAKATIVE TaBLE OF CrOPS. 



Acres. 


Bushels. 


Weight. 


ISSO 


1905 


1880 


1905 


1880 


1905 


Wheat 33,889 


2fi,05fi 


741, .813 


464.266 






Rye 21.'-i 


I.SIS 


3,672 


24,368 






Oats 4.295 


15,229 


144,035 


498,913 






Buck- 












•n-Seat 2S 


20 


375 


209 






Corn 43.821 


40,217 


1,458,50,1 


1,930,147 






Mea- 








tons 


tons 


dow 10.605 


12,040 






12,382 
tons 


20,243 
tons 


Clover 9.724 


14,707 


6,377 




6,858 


19,804 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



43 











lbs. 




Cultivatpcl 




npoe 










Innrt 108.100 


Flax 1,720 


reported 


14,437 




132,600 




PiiPtiiro 


Pota- 












land 40,279 


toes l.lliT 


824 


81,025 


76,352 


lbs. 


lbs. 


Wooci- 

lanrt .■54,861 


Tobacco 42 


194 






76.458 
lbs. 


121.622 

lbs. 


Waste 

land 3,237 


Butter 








469,461 
lbs. 


520,853 
lbs. 


Total 192,780 


Cheese 








680 


1,800 


Wool 



203,700 116,091 



CHAPTER IIL 



INDIAN OCCUPATION. 



In a Condition of Nature — Erie Indians — Iroquois — Twightwees — Shatvnees 
Indian Villages— Battle of Piqua — Tecumseh — Indian Character — Indian 
Fighting — Indian Incidents, etc. 



In a Con"dition of Nature. 

Mui'at Ha] stead lias given a beautiful 
description of the natural condition of 
Ohio, which is particularly applicable to 
the part in which Clark Covmty is lo- 
cated, when he says "The French were 
truthful, as well as tasteful, when they 
named the Ohio, 'The Beautiful River.' " 
In the grand old days of the wilderness, 
the "game" crossed the famous stream, 
finding fords in the absence of floods. The 
buffaloes that roamed through the shady 
paradise, between the great river and the 
lake, knew well the wide water that 
divided and united the valley; and their 
mighty feet made roads for the herds to 
seek, wading or swimming to the salty 
waters they loved, and the blue grass that 
was agreeable in its nutritious assimila- 
tion. The daiiity families of the Virgin- 
ian deer were pleased to sport in the 
bright streams. The southern squirrels 
gathered in armies and invaded the north, 
and, in frisky array, their noses and tails 
telling that they held steadily on their ap- 



pointed course. Their tails were • very 
helpful sails — for squirrel squadrons. 
There were "bear wallows" on the clay 
hills, where the vigorous animal made bath 
tubs for his personal use. The bear was 
the predecessor of the hog. In the deep 
woods there were showered an ample sup- 
ply of acorns and beech nuts, hickory 
nuts and walnuts, and haws, red and blue ; 
vines loaded with the grapes named for 
their fond lovers the fox and the crow. 
There were wild crab apples that only the 
frost could mellow, and pawpaws, the 
temperate zone banana of the color of 
golden butter; and the surveyors of the 
new lands of promise, reported (and the 
story grew as it spread) that the legs 
of their riding horses were crimsoned 
with the blood of raspberries that stood 
on the slopes among the sugar trees. 
Some of the berries were red and some 
were yellow, and all had a delightful 
flavor. The May apples blossomed white 
over the brown fallen leaves, that each 
year added to tlie fruitfulness of the land. 
There were two tall and delicate trees, 



xiND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



45 



held in high, favor and having an ahnost 
oriental repiitation, as it seemed they 
should have been the pride and luxury of 
the tropics. The mulberiy and persim- 
inon are witnesses testifying in Ohio that 
there is no monopoly of sweetness in the 
forests of the torrid zone. One ought not 
to forget that the Ohio woods, before 
they were despoiled, held groves of the 
slippery elm tree, which, however, was 
more than matched by the fragrance of 
the sassafras and the blazing tints of the 
red buds, seeming luminous growth of the 
American beauty roses, that lit up the hill 
sides with a springtime glory srtrpass- 
ing the exquisite fires the frost kindles 
in October. Beside the red bud, whose 
name is most inadequate (for it is worthy 
the gardens of Persia the poets paint) 
stood the dogwood, a gnarled and sturdy 
undergrowth, blossoming in the sunshine 
of spring as if the trees were of wands 
bursting into enchanting bloom, when the 
tires of summer poured white light to 
illumine saplings bending under fairy 
snow drifts, gathered on the boughs 
burdened with beauty.'-' 

Erie IifroiANS. 

In all probability the Erie Indians were 
the immediate successors of the mound 
builders. Much of history in reference to 
this fact rests in tradition but this seems 
to be now accepted as the nearest solu- 
tion to the truth that can be obtained. 
Some historical data exists that about 
1640, the Eries ranged over Ohio. 
Whether the mound builders were ex- 
terminated or removed to the south, or 
degenerated in the savages of prehistoric 
times, is a question that still remains un- 
solved. 



The first authentic account of the Ohio 
wilderness is from the French explorers. 
The Eries held the country to the south 
of Lake Erie, how far is not known. They 
were a powerful and numerous people 
living in fortified villages, and tradition 
credits them with being the most enlight- 
ened of all the Indian tribes of North 
America, excepting only the Aztecs of 
Mexico. 

Teoquois. 

The Iroquois, frequently designated as 
the Five Nations, as including the Mo- 
hawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Senecas and 
Cayugas, were the foes of the Eries.* 
About 1660 the Iroquois surprised the, 
Erie warriors, stormed their fortifica- 
tions and after the custom of the victors, 
carried away and adopted the women and 
children of their vanquished foes. This 
tribe of Indians claimed all the land north 
of the Ohio River, and as such tribe at 
one time ceded their interest in these lands 
to that part of the. United States which 
was then included in the state of New 
York, a controversy arose as to whether 
Ohio really belonged to Virginia by rea- 
son of the conquest and explorations made 
by Clark and others, or whether it be- 
longed to New York by virtue of the treaty 
made with the Iroquois. There is consid- 
erable controversy over the fact as to 
whether they really ever occupied much, 
if any, of the State of Ohio, but if so 
l>Tohably very little of the territory now 
within Clark County. 

History shows that whatever the 
Iroquois may have done, or claimed, as 



*Abont 17,12 the Tuscaroras, who had been driven 
from North Carolina by the British, joined the confed- 
eracy, which thereafter was commonly known as the 
Six Nations. 



46 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



to the conquest of this section, the tribes 
that were afterwards found in central 
Ohio — the Wyandottes, Delawares, Shaw- 
nees, Miamis and others did not concur 
therein. 

While the Iroquois were a powerful con- 
federation, it is said that they were at 
no time a numerous people. At the time 
of their greatest affluence they are said 
not to have numbered more than 25,000 
and at the time of our revolution prob- 
ably less than 15,000, and after their con- 
flict with the western tribes they slowly 
drew back, claiming the title but really 
relinquishing it. 

TwiGTWEES. (Miamis.) 

This tribe or nation of Indians were oc- 
cupants of the Miami Valley as early as 
1749, as the following quotation from 
Gist's Journal will show: 

"The Great Miami river was tirst 
known as Rock River, called by the French 
Riviere de la Roche, from its rocky bed. 
When the Miami nation emigrated to it 
from the Wabash, it took their name. Its 
head approached near that of the Maumee, 
which empties into Lake Erie, and was 
the original Miami, but changed by the 
whites to avoid confusion. The two rivers 
with a portage between their waters, 
formed one of the principal canoe routes 
between the Ohio and the Lake. It was 
that by which Celeron (see next chapter) 
went from Ohio to Detroit. The Twigt- 
wees were Miamis, of which nation the 
Piekwayliness and Pyankeshees, later 
mentioned, were also tribes. They were 
once a very powerful nation, and claimed 
to have held the land between the Scioto 
and the Wabash, from the Ohio to the 



lakes, beyond the memory of man. They 
were the only Northern Indians who had 
not at some time been subdued by the Six 
Nations, and had so harassed them when 
they had extended their conquest of other 
nations to the Mississippi that they had 
to relinquish their hold there and restrict 
themselves to their former limits. They 
had been faithful allies of the French 
from their first appearance on the lakes, 
and equally persistent enemies of the 
English, until a few years prior to this 
time, when they had changed their al- 
legiance, moved from the Wabash to the 
Miami, and became friendly to the Eng- 
lish. For this and in retaliation for their 
treaty with Groghand and Fist, the 
French waged a destructive war against 
them, taking their fort and burning their 
villages in 1752." 

It is probable that the Miami Indians 
to a certain extent occupied at one time 
parts of Clark County. 

Shawnees. 

But whatever we may say about Indian 
occupation of Clark County, we know 
that the Shawnees were the immediate 
predecessors of the white man, that it was 
with this tribe that the historic battle of 
Piqua was fought in 1780 by General 
Clark, and some historians say that this 
tribe or nation of Indians were the im- 
mediate followers of the mound builders, 
but this rests only on tradition. 

The centennial of this battle of Piqua, 
Avhich was held in 1880, brought forth a 
great many historical matters in reference 
to the Shawnee Indians, and a letter of 
particular importance which is found in 
Beer's history, from Prof. Royce of the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



47 



Smithsonian Institute, gives moi'e facts 
about this tribe than can be found else- 
where. He says, "the Shawnees were the 
Bedouins, and I may almost say the 
Ishmaelites of the North American Tribes. 
As wanderers they were without rival 
among their race, and as fomenters of dis- 
cord and war between themselves, and 
iheir neighbors their genius was marked. 
Their original home is not, with any great 
measure of certainty, known. It is alto- 
gether improbable that it ever will be." 

Of them Gen. Keifer in his welcome 
address at the centennial said : 

' ' On these grounds, 100 years ago, were 
the then principal villages of the Shawnee 
Indian tribe. This tribe had occupied dif- 
ferent portions of the now territory of 
the United States during nearly three 
hundred years of preceding history, and 
it was the most warlike of all the Indian 
tribes. It had rarely been at peace with 
the other tribes until it went to war with 
the whites. Their chiefs possessed more 
sagacity and more of the true spirit of 
warriors than the chiefs of other tribes. 
Their traditions were of war, extending 
back to a time when they, in search of con- 
quest, 'crossed a sea' to this continent. 
In this tribe alone did the latter tradition 
prevail. Here the head chiefs made their 
home. On account of the abundance of 
game, the richness of soil, the pure water 
from the numberless perennial springs, 
the large quantities of fish which then 
aboimded in the limpid waters of Mad 
Eiver and its tributary streams, the facil- 
ity for engaging in favorite sports upon 
the river and the then open prairies, these 
aboriginal people had become more than 
ordinarily attached to this place as a 
home. The acquisition of these lands may 



have been at the cost of many of their 
chiefs and braves. Here were the graves 
of their ancestors and those dear to them. 
They followed the natural instincts of 
mankind in defending this country against 
the aggressions of the white race." 

There were probably several branches 
of the Shawnee tribe or nation. At the 
time that the white occupation of Ohio 
began they were no doubt in possession of 
Central Ohio, as a number of villages bear 
names evidencing that fact. From the time 
of 1780 we find them engaged more or 
less in wars between the Indians and the 
whites and as parties to treaties with the 
white people. In 1790 they suffered from 
the expedition of Gen. Harmar, but after- 
wards had a share with the Miamis in his 
final defeat. In 1791 they rejoiced over 
the defeat of St. Clair, and in 1794 they 
were made to feel the effect of General 
WajTie's victory. They were parties to a 
treaty of peace that was made in 1786 at 
the mouth of the Great Miami and in 1795, 
by the treaty of Greenville, they sur- 
rendered much of their territory, com- 
prising about two-thirds of Ohio and a 
portion of Indiana. In 1805 they were 
ag'ain parties to a treaty wherein they 
ceded to the United States a large tract 
of country lying north and west of the 
Greenville treaty line, and east of the 
north and south of a line twenty miles 
west of the Pennsylvania, and in 1805 they 
with their tribes granted a right of way 
for two roads, one running from Meigs 
on the Maumee on the western reserve 
and one from Fremont south to the Green- 
ville treaty line. With their chief, Tecum- 
seh, they were defeated in the battle of 
Tippecanoe in 1811. 

In 1817 they were parties to a treaty 



48 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and lost the entire Indian Territor)" with- 
in the present limits of Ohio. In return 
for what they gave they were granted cer- 
tain resei*vations, one of which was a tract 
ten miles square near Wapakoneta, a tract 
adjoining of twenty-five miles on Hog 
Creek, as well as a tract of forty-eight 
square miles surrounding Lewistown. 
(There was an earlier Wapakoneta, which 
was located on Mad River near where a 
small stream enters, about two and one- 
half miles south of West Liberty.) 

In the war with the Mingos and Shaw- 
nees, in 1818 there was added a tract, 
twenty miles square, to the reserve at 
Wapakoneta, and fourteen miles to the 
one at Lewistown. By the treaty of 1831, 
the Lewistown reserve was ceded to the 
United States, as well as those at Wapa- 
koneta and Hog Creek, and this was the 
last of the lands over which the Shawnees 
claimed any title in Ohio, they agreeing 
to move west. For this purpose a tract of 
60,000 acres of land was granted to the 
Lewistown band of Shawnees in the north- 
east corner of Indian Territory, which 
has been their most recent place of resi- 
dence. 

Such has been the fate of the Shaw- 
nees, who once occupied this valley. 
When first known to the whites, they were 
a numerous and warlike people of 
Greorgia and South Carolina. They aban- 
doned or were driven from that locality, 
and located in Pennsylvania and took part 
in the tragic scenes of the Wyoming Val- 
ley. 

They fought on Braddock's field, at 
Point Pleasant, and along the whole line 
of the Western Frontier, and lastly, we 
find them on the Wabash at Tippecanoe. 
Their traditions, if carefully preserved, 



would have embraced a hundred battle- 
fields in as many separate districts, which 
now embrace eight or nine sovereign 
states, with a population of from eight to 
ten millions of people. The last Indians 
removed from Ohio in 1841. 

Indian Viliages. 

The Indians in selecting a site for vil- 
lages, usually gave preference to fertile 
lands bordering upon streams of water. 
The location of only two Indian villages 
is known to have been in Clark County. 
In Beer's history it is said that on a 
farm of the Smiths perhaps one-half of 
a mile west of the village of New Carlisle 
there stood the village of Chinchima. 
This village was located on Honey Creek. 
It might have been a Miami village, as 
the Miami s seem to have been in occu- 
pancy of the lands along the Miami River. 
The other village in Clark County was 
that of Piqua which was the scene of the 
historic battle of General Clark, which 
will be subsequently narrated herein. The 
location of this village is well described 
in the history given of that battle. The 
result of the battle was that the Indians 
practically abandoned the territory now 
comprised in this county. Afterwards 
they established another village which 
they likewise called Piqua, and this was 
at the place where the city of Piqua in 
Miami County is now located. They also 
had another town of the same name with- 
in the boundary of what is now Pickaway 
Coimty. The fact that the Indians gave 
these same names to villages in different 
localities has caused considerable confu- 
sion in reading Indian history, it some- 
times being hard to distinguish which one 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



of the different places is meant. There 
were quite a number of villages leading- 
north on Mad River; about two and a 
half miles south of West Liberty was 
Wapakoneta, next was the town of Mac- 
a-cheek, then three miles northwest from 
Mac-a- cheek, on the west side of the river, 
was Pigeon Town; Wapatomica near 
Zanesfield was nest. Blue Jacket was 
where Bellefontaine now is. Three miles 
above was Buckingahelas, and nine miles 
Solomon's Town. 

They also had a town or village three 
miles north of Xenia, which was called 
Chillicothe, and another town of the same 
name where the city of Chillicothe is now 
located in Ross County. Historians have 
disting-uished these two by calling the one 
near Xenia "Old Chillicothe." This lat- 
ter place was destroyed by an expedition 
from Kentucky, a year previous to the 
battle of Piqua. As the battle of Piqua 
IS the first and only battle that has ever 
occurred so far as we know upon Clark 
County ground a description of the same 
cannot be otherwise than interesting. 

During the Sha^vnee Centennial of 1880 
the Hon. Thomas F. McGrew prepared a 
paper on the subject, and from the fact 
that he was not only long a resident of 
this place, but was also learned and cau- 
tious in a matter of this kind, I think it 
may be considered the most reliable that 
can be found anjTvhere and I insert it 
herewith. 

Battle of Piqua. 

_ "The old Indian town of Piqua was 
situated about five miles west of the pres- 
ent site of the city of Springfield, Ohio, 
on the north bank of Mad River. In e-o- 



49 

ing there from the city named, you pass 
down Mad River until you reach a point ' 
where the stream runs in a westerly direc- 
tion out into a large basin or prairie, 
which gives some evidence of having one 
time been the bottom of a small lake. 

"At the time the Indians occupied the 
place, the prairie was about three miles 
long and one mile wide. It is now fenced 
off into farms under the highest state of 
cultivation. At the upper end of this 
beautiful open landscape, the river grace- 
fully bends round and silently flows to the 
south; then again toward the west, con- 
tinuing in the latter direction until it 
reaches the lower end of the prairie, 
where it sweeps around to the northwest' 
and is soon lost to sight in the forest be- 
low. 

"At the time referred to, on the south 
side of the river was another prairie, 
bordered by the low hills in the distance! 
Over this prairie ran the road from the 
old Indian town of Chillicothe, about 
twelve miles south of Piqua, and reached 
the river on the south bank, nearly op- 
posite the latter town. 

"About two-thirds of the distance down 
the prairie, on the north side of the river, 
further progress was obstructed by what 
might be called a willow swamp, stretch- 
ing across the prairie from the southwest 
to the northeast, and stopping about one 
or two hundred yards short of a limestone 
cliff, rising out of the north border of the 
basin or prairie. 

"Behind the willow swamp was located 
the town of Piqua, and behind the town 
was a round-topped hill, rising up 100 
feet from the level of the plain. From the 
crown of this hill the country might be 
overlooked for as much as five miles up 



50 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and down the river. The general ap- 
pearance of the locality, in its almost 
primitive wildness, must have been of 
unsurpassed loveliness. 

"The rocks on the north side of the 
prairie rose up out of the same like a 
stone wall, twenty-five or thirty feet high, 
running down in the direction of the 
round-topped hill back of Piqua, before 
reaching which it was suddently cut off, 
leaving an open space between the hills 
and rocks. This was covered with a 
growth of forest trees of a low and bushy 
growth. It was impossible to pass up over 
this wall of rocks in large companies, ex- 
cept in one or two places, where they in- 
clined to drop to the level of the prairie. 

"At one point, there was an opening 
cut down from the point of the cliffs, and 
quite through them to the lowlands, by 
some natural force, and was so narrowed 
that not more than one person, certainly 
not more than two, could pass up or down 
through the cut at the same moment of 
time. This place was concealed from ob- 
servation by a heav}^ undergrowth of 
timber, and could be easily obstructed, and 
could check the advance of a victorious 
army. 

"The approach to the lower part of the 
town was defended by a stockade fort, 
not common with Indians as a means of 
defense. It included a space of about two 
acres. The hill, the wall of rocks, the 
open plain, carpeted with wild flowers of 
all color; the silver line of the river, the 
hills far off in the distance, crowned with 
forest trees, and the long line of Indian 
wigwams, marking their locations by 
curling wreaths of smoke, as it rose up 
from the fires, with here and there a 
cornfield, indicated that the Indians had 



selected this place not only for its natural 
strength, but as well for its fertility and 
beauty. 

' ' The Indian children of the town could 
play before the cabin doors in the low- 
lands, free from the apprehension of 
danger, while the warrior on the hill-top 
might sweep the whole country on the 
lookout for an approaching enemy, and, 
by an agreed signal, warn the whole tribe 
in a moment. 

"In August, A. D. 1780, Piqua was quite 
populous. In addition to the Shawnees, 
300 Mingoes were there as allies to aid in 
the defense of the place. Piqua is said to 
have contained, at one period, nearly four 
thousand Shawnees. 

"The town was built after the manner 
of French villages. The houses extended 
along the river more than three miles, and 
were in many jolaces more than twenty 
poles apart. 

"The celebrated, hardened villain, 
Simon Girty, was the leader of the Mingo 
braves, as allies of the Shawnees. He 
had been educated in, and had adopted 
with savage delight, all the cruelties prac- 
ticed by the Indians, and stood near, two 
years later, in the presence of his old 
friend Colonel Crawford, and derived 
fiendish enjoyment from witnessing his 
agonies while burning at the stake. Per- 
haps he remembered, even in the presence 
of this awful event, that the hand of one 
of the daughters of Crawford had been 
denied to him before he deserted to the 
Indians. This would be dreadful revenge, 
but Grirty was a dreadful savage. A pris- 
oner among the Indians, who met with the 
scoundrel, described him as a man with 
dark, shaggy hair, low forehead, ' con- 
tracted brows, meeting above Ms short, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



51 



flat nose, gray, sunken eyes, and tliin, com- 
pressed lips, with a wicked expression of 
countenance that made him seem the 
picture of a villain. C. W. Butterfield 
writes that, 'all the vices of civilization 
seemed to center in him, and by him were 
ingrafted upon those of the savage state, 
without the usual redeeming qualities of 
either. ' He moved about through the In- 
dian country during the war of the Revo- 
lution and the Indian war which followed, 
a dark whirlwind of fury, desperation and 
barbarity. 

"In the refinements of torture inflicted 
upon helpless prisoners, as compared with 
the Indians', theirs seemed to be merci- 
ful. In treachery, he stood unrivaled. 
The prisoner who became his captive must 
abandon all hope of pity, and yield him- 
self to the club, the scalping-knife and the 
indescribable agonies of the stake. No 
Indian, drunk, was a match for him. He 
swore horrid oaths. He appeared like a 
host of evil spirits. He was called a beast, 
and a villainous, untrustworthy cur dog. 
This savage, compounded of all the 
meaner qualities that could or might dis- 
figure the life of a human being, it has 
been affirmed, had in some rare moments 
better emotions. He met with his former 
acquaintance, Simon Kenton, while the 
latter was a prisoner of the Indians, under 
sentence of death, and called him his dear 
friend, and interfered and saved his life. 
He looked the scoundrel with a gloomy 
stare, while 'o'er his eyebrows hung his 
matted hair.' 

' ' The celebrated chief of the Shawnees, 
Catahecassa, or the Black Hoof, was born 
in Florida and had bathed and fished in 
salt water before he settled on Mad River. 
He was present at the defeat of Braddock, 



near Pittsburg, in 1755, and was engaged 
in all the wars in Ohio from that time 
until the treatji^ of Greenville, in 1795. He 
was a man of sagacity and experience, and 
of fierce and desperate bravery, and well 
informed in the traditions of his people. 
He occupied the highest position in his 
nation, and was opposed to polygamy and 
the practice of burning prisoners. He 
was a man of good health and was five 
feet eight inches in height. He died in 
Wapakoneta at the age of one hundred 
and ten years, A. I). 1831. Without be- 
ing able to find it so stated, after some 
investigation, in so many words, I believe 
that this Indian was the chief leader in 
the defense of Piqua when the place was 
invested by Gen. Clark. To prevent, if 
such a thing could be possible, almost con- 
tinual depredations of the Indians upon 
the border population, an expedition was 
organized to mai'cli against their towns 
on Mad River. This army rendezvoused 
at the place where Covington, in the State 
of Kentucky, now stands. It ascended the 
Ohio River from Louisville in transport 
boats, whicli also brought provisions and 
stores. 

"On the opposite side of the river they 
built a block-house, in which to store' pro- 
visions and form a base of supplies. This 
house was the first one built on the site 
where the city of Cincinnati, now stands. 

"On the 2nd of August, A. D. 1780, 
Gen. George Rogers Clark moved with 
an army of 1,000 men from the point 
named to the Indian towns on Mad River, 
located in and near to the terirtory which 
is now included in Clark County, Ohio. 
The distance to be marched was about 
eighty miles, through an untracked for- 
est, over which, with great labor, the 



52 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



soldiers cut and bridged, when found nec- 
essary, a road for the passage of horses 
and pack-mules, and one six-pound can- 
non. 

''The soldiers marched without tents, 
beds or personal baggage. Their rations 
for a thirty-days campaign were six 
quarts of corn, one gill of salt, with what 
green corn and wild game they might pick 
up on the march. Any meat they ob- 
tained w^as cooked on sticks set up be- 
fore the fire. Sometimes green plums and 
nettles were cooked and eaten by the men. 

"The impression obtained, not only in 
the settlement, but with the soldiers, that 
if the army was defeated none of the men 
w^ould escape, and that in such events the 
Indians would fall on the defenseless 
women and children of Kentucky and 
massacre them, burn their towns and their 
villages, and lay waste their country. It 
seemed to be a choice either that the 
white settlers or the Indians must be de- 
stroyed, and both parties regarded it in 
the same light, and acted with the calm- 
ness and bravery usual to forlorn hopes, 
formed of soldiers commanded to en- 
counter some desperate exigency. Daniel 
Boone, the pioneer Indian tighter, acted 
as a spy for the expedition.* The skill 
and vigilance which entered into the cam- 
paign will be demonstrated by a presenta- 
tion of the manner, form, and conduct of 
the army while on the march. 

"It was separated into two divisions. 
General Clark commanded the first and 
Colonel Logan the second. Between thest^ 
two columns marched the pack mules and 
the artillery. The men in each division 
were ordered to march in four lines, about 



*Thif: statement is doubted as Boone was then sup- 
posed to have been in the east. Ed. 



forty yards apart, with a line of flankers 
on each side, about the same distance 
from the riglit and left lines. In the event 
of an attack from the enemy in the front, 
it was to halt, and the two right lines 
■would "nheel to the xight, and two left 
lines wheel to the left, and the artillery 
would advance to the front, the whole 
forming a complete line of battle. The 
second division would form in the same 
manner, and advance or act as a reserv^e. 
By calling in the right and left flanking 
parties, the whole force would present a 
line of battle in the form of a square, with 
the pack mules and the baggage in the 
center. In case of an attack on either 
flank, or the rear^ the same maneuver 
Avould put the army in the most favorable 
position for defense or assault. 

"On the 6th day of August, A. D. 1780, 
the army arrived at the Indian town of 
old Chillicothe, only to find it burned and 
the inhabitants gone. On the 7th, some 
days sooner than the Indians had ex- 
pected, it drew up in front of Old 
Piqua. A soldier had deserted to the In- 
dians before the army arrived at the 
mouth of the Licking, and gave notice of 
the approaching expedition. The attack 
commenced about 2 o'clock p. m. on the 
8th day of August, and lasted until 5 in 
the evening. The assaulting forces were 
divided into three separate commands. 
One, imder the command of Colonel Lynn, 
was ordered to cross the river' and encom- 
pass the town on the west side. To pre- 
vent this move from being successful, the 
Indians made a powerful effort to turn 
the left wing of the assaulting party, 
which Colonel I;ynn successfully defeated 
by extending his force a mile to the west 
of the town. Colonel Logan, with 400 men 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



under his command, was ordered to march 
up the south side of the river, concealing, 
if possible, the move from the observation 
of the Indians, and cross over the stream 
at the upper end of the prairie, and pre- 
vent their escape in that direction. Gen- 
eral Clark remained in command of the 
center, including one six-pounder cannon. 
He #as to assault the town in front. 

"This disposition of the forces, with a 
simultaneous assault made by the separ- 
ate commands, promised, if well executed, 
the capture of the town and a complete 
rout of the Indians, with the death of a 
great number. According to the custom 
of the times, no prisoners were made. All 
that were captured were put to death. 

"The Indians, according to their plan 
of defense, could not safely retreat, if de- 
feated, over the round-topped hill, for the 
elevation would bring them within sight 
and range of the American rifle, and the 
cannon with the command of Gen. Clark, 
which, in appearance and sound, created 
more fear than it did harm. 

"Neither could they escape out of the 
upper end of the prairie, for Colonel 
Logan and his 400 men had been sent to 
intercept them there ; nor to the north, for 
this route was too much obstructed by the 
rocks ; nor to the west or lower part of the 
town, the location of the stockade fort, for 
at this point the battle raged with the 
greatest fierceness, under the command of 
Colonel Lynn. The constant crack of the 
rifle in its deadly work, the shouts of the 
white soldiers, the yells of the Indians, 
the screams of the wounded and dying, 
the distant roar of the cannon, disclosed 
this to be the point where defeat was to 
be accepted or victory won. 

"Simon Girty, who never was a con- 

3 



stant friend to any party, 'gnashing his 
teeth in impotent rage,' ordered his 300 
Mingo Indians to withdraw from what 
may have appeared to him an unequal 
fight.* 

"This moment of time, near the same 
hour of the day one hundred years ago, 
was a dark and doubtful crisis in the 
history of that part of our country which 
is now regarded as the most beautiful, 
fertile and thickly populated part of Ohio. 

"If Clark's army had been defeated, we 
cannot doubt that every white soldier 
would have been put to death, and the 
State of Kentucky invaded by the Indians, 
and what would have followed on the 
border can only be conjectured by what 
we have heen told in the history of In- 
dian wars. 

"The Shawnees, disheartened by the 
withdrawal of their allies, and pressed by 
the fierce, rather desperate fighting of 
the whites, which they denominated 'mad- 
ness,' or fate, so reckless were the sol- 
diers in exposing their lives (and against 
such 'madness' the Indians never con- 
tend), gave up the fight and slowly fell 
back up the prairies, partly concealed by 
the tall grass, the wigwams, and the trees 
in the willow swamp. They fought as they 
retreated, not for victory, but for their 
lives, until they reached the rocks, be- 
neath which they had concealed their 
women and children. 

"Their situation was now worse than 
it had been at the commencement of the 
conflict, for they had passed all the low 
ground, making a retreat to the north 
practical, with the exception of the open- 



♦ButterfieM. in his history of thp Girtvs. savs that 
there were no Mingoes in Piqua at the time it was at- 
tacked by Clark and Simon Girtv was not there nn 
122. 40G. Ed. ■ *^ 



54 



HISTOEY OF CLABK COUNTY 



ing cut down from the top of the cliff 
already described, and up through this, 
tradition claims, they marched out into 
the hills. If Colonel Logan had executed 
his part of the plan with greater rapidity, 
the Indians would have been cut off from 
this place of retreat, and a great number 
of tliem put to death. Some persons as- 
sert that Colonel Logan marched to a 
13oint where Mad Eiver meets with the 
waters of Buck Creek before he crossed 
the river, and then marched down the 
east side thereof to execute his part of 
the general plan. He marched about three 
miles, accgrding to all the authorities, and 
this is the distance from the site of the 
Old Piqua to the 7Uouth of Buck Creek. 

"It follows that, if he did go so high 
up the river as the point named, that he 
would have travelled six miles before he 
could bring his men into action. 

"This view of the maneuvering, after 
looking over the location of the battlefield, 
seems so unmilitary that I cannot accept 
it. I presume that he made a detour from 
the river, that his force might not be ob- 
served, as secrecy was one of the condi- 
tions of success. To accomplish his part 
of the general plan, he may have marched 
three miles, but certainly not six. Let 
this point be settled as it may, there is 
no dispute about the fact that when he 
got his men into position, the battle had 
been fought and won, and the Indians 
gone. The loss was about equal — twenty 
men on each side. 

"On the 9th of August, the stockade 
fort, the shot-battered cabins, and the 
corn fields, were destroyed. On the 10th, 
General Clark, with his army, left for 
Kentucky. This campaign left the Indians 
without shelter or food. They had to hunt 



for their supi^ort and that of their fam- 
ilies, leaving them no time for war, and 
the border settlements lived in peace and 
without fear. 

"This once powerful nation of the 
Shawnees had resided near Winchester, 
Va., then in Kentucky and in South 
Carolina, after that on the Susquehanna, 
in the State of Pennsylvania. From this 
last-named point they emigrated to the 
banks of the Mad Eiver, and remained 
until driven from Piqua by General 
Clark. 

"The Shawnees are now no more. The 
nation which gave birth to the great 
chiefs so intimately connected with the 
early history of Ohio, such as Blue Jacket, 
Black Hoof, Cornstalk, Captain Logan, 
Tecumseh, and the latter 's vagabond 
brother, the Prophet, has gone out of his- 
tory." 

Tecumseh. 

Tecumseh was no doubt the most 
noted man that ever sprimg from the 
Shawnee tribe of Indians, of whom 
E. O. Eandall, who is most excellent 
authority, said, "With the exception 
of Grant and Sherman, he was, in 
my opinion, the greatest warrior born 
within the borders of Ohio. He was more 
than a mere fighter; he was a diplomatist, 
orator and a natural leader of men; he 
watched what he knew was a hopeless con- 
test, but fought bravely to the last; he 
was idolized by his followers and re- 
spected by his foes." 

There is no question but that he was 
born at this old Shawnee town of Piqua, 
he himself having pointed out that site as 
his birthplace, during his lifetime. On 
the centennial dav of this memorable bat- 



AND EEPRESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



55 



tie, and I know of no one who could speak 
more authoritatively, for he himself was 
born in that immediate locality, General 
Keifer said: 

"Who were there on that memorable 
day? There were here (at their birth- 
place) the three ten-year-old brothers — 
triplets — with their Creek mother, two of 
whom became famed in the bloody history 
of the West. The names of those boys 
were Tecumseh (a cougar crouching for 
his prey), Ellskwatawa (an open door), 
afterward named and recognized as the 
Prophet, and Eumskaka." 

Elsewhere in history I found it said : 

"His father, Puckeshinwa, was a mem- 
ber of the Kisopok tribe of the Swanoese 
nation, and his mother, Methontaske, was 
a member of the Turtle tribe of the same 
people. They moved from Florida about 
the middle of the last century to the birth- 
place of Tecumseh. In 1774, his father, 
who had risen to be chief, was slain at the 
battle of Point Pleasant, and not long 
after, Tecumseh, by his bravery, became 
the leader of his tribe. In 1795 he was 
declared chief and then lived at Deer 
Creek,' near the site of the present City of 
Urbana. He remained here about one 
year, when he returned to Piqua, and in 
1798, he went to White River, Indiana." 

James, a British historian, in his ac- 
count of the battle of the Thames, de- 
scribes him as follows: 

"A Shawnee, five feet ten inches high, 
and with more than the usual stoutness. 
He possessed all the agility and persever- 
ance of the Indian character. His carriage 
was dignitied; his eye penetrating; his 
countenance, even in death, betrayed in- 
dications of a lofty spirit, rather of the 
sterner cast." This writer was describ- 



ing an oflScer of the English army. His 
national pride would incline him to a 
favorable estimate of an Indian chief who 
served in the English army, and in that 
light we must regard his portraiture of 
Tecumseh. "I have met," says Thomas 
F. McGrew, "and conversed with an early 
settler in Clark County who remembered 
his personal appearance, and described 
him as nothing above that of an ordinary 
Indian . ' ' 

Tecumseh was born about 1768 and was 
killed at the battle of the Thames, Octo- 
ber 5, 1813, being then forty-iive years 
of age. His first prominent appearance 
was in the attack on Fort Recovery (near 
Greenville, Ohio) in 1794. 

About 1805 his brother, Ellskwatawa 
set himself up as a prophet, denouncing 
the use of liquor, and all food and man- 
ners introduced by the whites. He and 
Tecumseh then attempted to imite all the 
western tribes into one nation to resist 
the whites, extending from the lakes to 
the Gulf of Mexico, and soon had 10,000 
Indians gathered at Greenville. 

General Harrison required them to 
move, as it was beyond the Indian limit 
fixed by treaty. 

In 1811 he was in the south getting the 
Creeks and Seminoles to rise and, by 
promise of English aid, to overthrow the 
United States authority. 

The battle of the Thames was fought 
October 6, 181.3. In this battle Tecumseh 
held the title of Brigadier General from 
the British, and he is buried not far from 
that battlefield. He seems to have had a 
presentiment that he would not survive 
this battle, for it is said that laying aside 
his sword and uniform in the conviction 
that he might fall he put on his hunting 



56 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



suit and was soon killed. Col. K. M. 
Johnson is said to have shot him, but it 
was not known for some days by the 
Americans. All historians do not agree 
as to Tecumseh's ability or his general 
character. Tliat he was an Indian pos- 
sessed of the peculiarities of that race is 
no doubt true ; that he was at times cruel 
and vacillating is beyond dispute, but gen- 
erally I think it may be accorded to him, 
that if not classed in the high rank that 
Eandall puts him, yet he was beyond ques- 
tion the most distinguished Indian that 
ever had his birth within the borders of 
this county. 

Indian' Chaeacter. 

Greneral Anderson in his address at the 
Ohio Centennial thus speaks of the gen- 
eral character of the red man. 

"Let us now try to fonn some estimate 
of the party of the second part, of the 
noble red man. He is a survival of the 
stone age, and probably belongs to the old- 
est race of man. He is brave, patient, en- 
during, loyal to his tribe, and fairly 
honest, imtil demoralized by evil associa- 
tion. On the other hand, he was cruel, 
revengeful, lazy, and unreliable. The 
curse of Reuben is upon him. 'Unstable 
as water, he cannot excel.' Naturally 
the Indian has a warlike and not peace- 
ful characteristic. "We used to hear 
stories of a handful of white men stand- 
ing off hordes of howling savages. The 
fact is, that under the conditions of 
frontier warfare, the Indians are, man 
for man, equal to the white men. Suc- 
cess in war does not depend on the half- 
hour's fighting, but on weeks or months 
of hard campaigning. Trained in war- 



fare from his boyhood, a master in wood- 
craft, and a past master in stratagems, 
the Indian is a better campaigner than 
any, except the best trained soldier." 

Indian Fighting. 

And of his fighting, the authority last 
quoted from says : ' ' The character of the 
Indian fighting in the heavily wooded 
country of Oregon and AYashington was 
very similar in character to the Indian 
warfare in Ohio in its pioneer days. 
Colonel Shaw, an experienced Indian 
fighter in that part of the country, gave 
the writer this statement of his ex- 
perience. 'The Indians,' he said, 'fight like 
wolves or other wild animals which hunt 
and fight in droves. As the wolves attack 
with great fierceness wounded animals, so 
the Indian, by some instinct of fight at- 
tacks the weakest part of your line, and 
if they have made any impression crowd 
on that point.' 'This,' he said, 'they do 
without orders.' While this is true, their 
chiefs have been known in battle to give 
orders by flashes from old mirrors." 

Indian Incidents. 

It will be interesting to know of a few 
of the incidents that occurred between the 
earlier settlers and the Indian inhabit- 
ants. 

In Mr. McKinnon's letter read at the 
Shawnee Centennial, I find the following: 

' ' One day, soon after we settled on Buck 
Creek, and father and the older boys were 
away from home, four Indians — ^two 
young men and two older ones — came to 
our house and called for their dinners. 
Mothdr provided a dinner for them, and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



57 



while they were eating she asked one of 
the young men if they were at the burn- 
ing of Colonel Crawford. He said that 
the two of the old ones were. She then 
told him that Colonel Crawford was her 
grandfather. When he notified the other 
ones of this fact they all immediately 
stopped eating and appeared somewhat 
alarmed ; but she told them to go on with 
their eating and not be uneasy. She then 
asked them if they could tell her about 
the death of Major Harrison. They told 
her that he had been squibbed to death 
with powder at Wapatomica, near Xanes- 
field, liOgan County. She then told them 
that Harrison was her father." This re- 
port fully corroborated one given by a 
man named Trover, I think, who was a 
prisoner at the same time with Major Har- 
rison. He said he had seen Harrison's 
body black and powder-burned. 

Another Indian trouble was in the time 
of Governor Tiffin. He was advised of 
the coming trouble and he sent word to 
Tecumseh at Wapakoneta to meet him in 
council at Springfield, with eighty war- 
riors, the picked men of the Shawnee 
tribe. I remember one of them in par- 
ticular, a man by name of Goodhunter, 
who had formerly camped near our house, 
when on a hunting expedition. He was 
as tine a specimen of perfect physical man- 
hood as I ever saw. The council was held 
and the pipe of peace was smoked. The 
following incident occurred in connection 
with the smoking. A Dr. Hunt had a clay 
pipe and Governor Tiffin used it for the 
occasion. When he had filled the' pipe 
and started it, he passed it to Tecumseh 
who looked at it a moment and then 
throwing it away he brought forth his 
tomahawk-pipe, and after starting it 



handed it to Governor Tiffin. I heard 
Tecumseh 's speech as he made it through 
an interpreter, and I never heard a finer 
orator than he appeared to be. 

Another incident is given by Mr. Baker 
in his historj^ of Mad River Township. 

"About 1805, a friendly Indian, en- 
camped on the headwaters of Mill Creek, 
near the present site of Emery Church, 
was visited by three men from this town- 
ship. The visit was made in the guise 
of friendship; they were kindly received 
and entertained ; they engaged the Indian 
in shooting at target, and taking advant- 
age of him when his gun was empty, shot 
him down without any other provocation 
than the fact that he belonged to the 
hated Indian tribe." 

The following is given by the late John 
Eoss, of German Township, as alluding to 
Tecumseh and the state of affairs when 
he was in his glory. 

"In those days, Indians were very num- 
erous and quite hostile, so that the set- 
tlers lived in constant dread of them, 
many times being compelled to collect to- 
gether for mutual protection. In 1806, 
during one of their outbreaks, all the 
whites for miles around collected at a 
place a few miles southwest of Spring- 
field, since known as Boston, where they 
built a blockhouse. Colonel Ward, Simon 
Kenton, and a few other of the prominent 
men of the party, went out and made a 
treaty with the Indians, which was kept 
about two years, or until 1808, when this 
treaty was renewed at the then village of 
Springfield. The militia and many other 
of the settlers met about sixty Indians, 
among whom were five or six chiefs, prin- 
cipal among whom was old Tecumseh. 
Mr. Eoss remembered him as tall, lithe 



58 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



figure, of good form, and fine, command- 
ing appearance. He made a speech at the 
treaty, which, for an Indian, was remem- 
bered as being full of oratory, and re- 
markable for ease and grace of delivery. 
A white man had been murdered, for 
which the murderer was demanded, or the 
whole tribe would be held accountable. 
'Can you,' asked Tecumseh, 'hold your 
whole people accountable for a murder 
committed by one of your bad men! No, 
then you cannot hold us accountable.' " 

Mr. McG-rew gives an incident not so 
much to the credit of Tecumseh 's bravery. 

"As an illustration of his morals and 
honor, in his early life, I give the follow- 
ing incident: It was communicated to 
me by a friend, who obtained the same in- 
formation from an early settler in Clark 
County, that Tecumseh traded with a 
white man a much-worn saddle for one 
that appeared better. The white man re- 
paired the saddle which he obtained in the 
trade, and by the use of his own skill 
and materials, made it look the better one 
of the two. When Tecumseh next met 
this white man with the repaired saddle, 
he treacherously claimed it as his own. 
The white man invited him to settle the 
right of ownership by a personal conflict, 
which the Indian very cowardly declined." 

In Mr. Martin's history of Springfield, 
a description is given of the trial of three 
Indians who killed a white man about the 
year 1807, a few miles west of Urbana. 
This trial was held opposite the old Foos 
Tavern. Tecumseh was present. After 
a full and patient inquiry into the facts 
of the case, it appeared that the murder 
of Myers was the act of a single Indian, 
and not chargeable to either band of the 
Indians. Several speeches were made by 



the chiefs, the most prominent of which 
was that by Tecumseh. He gave a satis- 
factorj^ explanation of the action of him- 
self and the Prophet in calling around 
them a band of Indians; disavowed all 
hostile intentions toward the United 
States, and denied that either he or those 
under his control had committed any de- 
predations upon the whites. His manner 
of speaking was animated, fluent and 
rapid, and, when understood, very forci- 
ble. 

The council then terminated. During 
its session, the two tribes of Indians be- 
came reconciled to each other, and peace 
and quiet was gradually restored to them- 
selves in various feats of activity and 
strength, such as jumping, running and 
wrestling, in which Tecumseh generally 
excelled. At this time, Tecumseh was in 
the thirty-eighth year of his age, five feet 
ten inches high, with erect body, well de- 
veloped and of remarkable muscular 
strength. His weight was about one hun- 
dred and seventy pounds. There was 
something noble and commanding in all 
his actions. Tecumseh was a Shawnese; 
the native pronunciation of the name was 
Teeumtha, signifying "The Shooting 
Star." He was brave, generous and 
humane in all his actions. 

Among others who were present at this 
council were Jonali Baldwin, John Hum- 
phreys, Simon Kenton, Walter Small - 
wood, John Daugherty and Grriffith Foos. 

We give here an incident which will 
illustrate their dislike to manual labor. 
A company of Indians were fishing near 
the residence of Gen. Benjamin White- 
man near Clifton, when one of them be- 
came engaged in a wrestling match with 
a mulatto in the General's employ. The 



AND EEPRESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



59 



Indian proved to be the better man, giv- 
ing the mulatto a heavy fall, after which 
he was unable to get up. The Indian be- 
came anxious as to the etfect of the acci- 
dent, and asked of the G-eneral, "What 
you do with me if me kill Ned?" The 
General replied, "You must work in his 
l^lace. " The Indian looking at Ned, and 
thinking the matter over, replied, "Me 
would rather you would kill me, General." 

North American Indians. 

As descriptive of the life of this race, 
which is now fast passing away, the fol- 
lowing beautiful passage from the writ- 
ings of Charles Sprague will not be with- 
out interest. 

"Not many generations ago, where you 
now sit, encircled with all that exalts and 
embellishes civilized life, the rank thistle 
nodded in the wind, and the wild fox dug 
his hole unscared. Here lived and loved 
another race of beings. Beneath the same 
sun that rolls over your head, the Indian 
hunter pursued the panting deer; gazing 
on the same moon that smiles for you, the 
Indian lover wooed his dusky mate. Here 
the wigwam beamed on the tender and 
helpless; the council-fire glared on the 
wise and the daring. 

"Now they dipped their noble limbs in 
your sedgy lakes and now they paddled 
their light canoe along your rock shores. 
Here they warred ; the echoing whoop, the 
bloody grapple, the defying death song, 
all were here; and when the tiger-strife 
was over, here curled the smoke of peace. 
Here, too, they worshipped; and from 
many a dark bosom went up a pure prayer 
to the Great Spirit. He had not written 
his laws for them on tables of stone, but 



he had traced them on the table of their 
hearts. 

"The poor child of Nature knew not 
the God of revelation, but the God of the 
universe he acknowledged in everything 
around. He beheld him in the star that 
sank in beauty beliiud his lonelj^ dwell- 
ing; in the sacred orb that flamed on him 
from his raid-day throne; in the flower 
that snapped in tlie morning breeze; in 
the lofty pine that had defied a thousand 
whirlwinds; in the timid warbler that 
never left his native grove; in the fear- 
less eagle whose untired pinion was wet 
in clouds; in the worm that crawled at 
his feet; and in his own matchless form, 
glowing with a spark of that light to 
whose mysterious source he bent in hum- 
ble though blind adoration. 

"And all this has passed away. Across 
the ocean camea pilgrim bark, bearing 
the seeds of life and death. The former 
were sown for you; the latter sprang up 
in the path of the simple native. Two 
hundred years have changed the character 
of a great continent, and blotted forever 
from its face a whole peculiar people. 
Art has usurped the bowers of Nature, 
and the anointed children of education 
have been too powerful for the tribes of 
the ignorant. Here and there a stricken 
few remain; but how unlike their bold, 
untamed, untamable progenitors. The 
Indian of falcon-glance, and lion-bearing, 
the theme of the touching ballad, the hero 
of the i^athetic tale, is gone; and his de- 
graded offspring crawl upon the soil 
where he walked in majesty, to remind 
us how miserable is man when the foot of 
the conqueror is on his neck. 

"As a race they have withered from the 
land. Their arrows are broken. Their 



60 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



springs are dried up, their cabins are in 
the dust. Their council-fire has long since 
gone out on the shore, and their wai'-cry 
is fast dying away to the untrodden West. 
Slowly and sadly they climb the distant 
mountains and read their doom in the set- 
ting sun. They are shrinking before the 
mighty tide that is pressing them away; 
they must soon hear the roar of the last 
wave which will settle over them for- 



ever. Ages hence, the inquisitive white 
man, as he stands by some growing city, 
will ponder on the structure of their dis- 
turbed remains, and wonder to what man- 
ner of persons they belonged. They will 
live only in songs and chronicles of their 
exterminators. Let these be faithful to 
their rude virtues as men, and pay due 
tribute to their unhappy fate as a 
people." 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE OLD NORTHWEST. 



"he Old Northivest — Settlement by the French — French Settlement in Ohio — 
French Dominion — English Dominion — Important Part in the Revolution — 
United States' Control — Ordinance of 1787 — Arthur St. Clair. 



The Old Northwest. 

That part of the United States located 
between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers 
includes that part of our great common- 
wealth which historians now designate as 
the "Old North West." It comprises 
265,878 square miles and was subsequent- 
ly divided into Ohio with 39,964 square 
miles, Indiana with 33,809 square miles, 
Illinois with 55,414 square miles, Michigan 
56,451 square miles, Wisconsin 53,924 
square miles, and that part of Minnesota 
lying east of the Mississippi estimated to 
contain 26,000 square miles, making a 
grand total of 170.161,867 acres. It is 
really and truly the heart of our country. 

Its admission into the Union if I may 
so use the term is the beginning of a new 
era in the life of our commonwealth. All 
the original states were named after per- 
sons or objects in the old country — the 
new states were strictly American, their 
names being commemorative of the Amer- 
ican race that preceded the white man in 
the occupation of the lands. 



Within its boundaries are found the 
great cities of Chicago, Cleveland, Cin- 
cinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Min- 
neapolis and St. Paul, and many others 
of considerable consequence. Through 
its boundaries a constant stream of com- 
merce is carried on between the states of 
the colonies and the great west, beyond 
the Mississippi. Without any disparage- 
ment to either that part of the country 
which lies to the east or the west, it may 
be said with respect to all the great events 
that have happened since this great 
Northwest became a part of this govern- 
ment she has furnished a large propor- 
tion of the means and men by which and 
whom they were accomplished. Especially 
is that true in regard to all matters occur- 
ring within the last half century. Six 
presidents have come from the states 
within the old Northwest, namely: Wm. 
H. Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Ruther- 
ford B. Hayes, James A. Grarfield, Ben- 
jamin Harrison, and William McKinley. 

This territory was beautiful in nature 
as well as important in civilization. Two 



62 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



hundred years ago, save a few Jesuit 
priests and French explorers, it was, in 
the sole possession of the red man. The 
bison roamed over the prairies of Illinois, 
the deer fed in the valleys of Ohio, the 
bear climbed unmolested the hills of Mich- 
igan and Minnesota and the howl of the 
wolf re-echoed in the untrodden wood- 
land. Fish abounded in the many fresh 
waters and the beaver and other animals 
were plentiful. With the priest and the 
explorer there came the pioneer trader 
and hnntei-, a man of intrepid fearless- 
ness, but not as a general thing of very 
lofty ideals of justice or morality. 

Settlement by the Feench. 

In the growth of civilization it has been 
observed, without the ability to give any 
very good reason therefor, that it has 
always had a tendency to push to the 
westward. The French having settled in 
Quebec and around Lake Champlain, fol- 
lowing this rule or law, if such it may be 
termed, were soon pushing on further in 
the unknown west. 

Sault St. Marie, still a point in our 
time as a place to behold a wonderful pas- 
sage for ship tonnage from our northern 
lakes, was established in 1765 by Mar- 
quette. Tins is the oldest village in the 
northwest, fourteen years older than 
Philadelphia, and established 120 years 
before a settlement was made at Marietta, 
Ohio. 

This was an age in which the chevalier 
sought to show his fealty to his king and 
honor to his people by the countries he 
might discover and "by the right of dis- 
covery," attach them to the crown of his 



royal master. No danger was so great 
or task too hard to stifle or retard this 
then existing passion. 

In 1666 La Salle came to Canada, and 
going across from Lake Erie went down 
the Kankakee and along the river of the 
Mississippi to St. Louis, which he reached 
in 1674, and later came up the Ohio at 
least as far as Louisville. It is import- 
ant not to forget that the Mississippi Val- 
ley was laid open to the knowledge of the 
world by a voyager who plowed from the 
Atlantic to the Gulf. On April 9, 1682, 
La Salle and his little party stood on the 
Mississippi not far from its mouth, be- 
side a column bearing the arms of France, 
and with appropriate ceremony took 
formal possession for his royal master 
Louis X, of the coimtry of Louisiana, 
"from the mouth of the Ohio River along 
the Mississippi and the rivers that flowed 
into it from its source beyond the country 
of the Sioux to its mouth at the sea." 
This territory was particularly known as 
Illinois, of which Old Kaskaskia was the 
capital. In 1721 it was the seat of a 
college and a monastery. This town at 
its best was claimed to have had from 
two to three thousand inhabitants. 

The French are not good colonizers, 
and for this reason this country did not 
proceed as rapidly in civilization as the 
English colonies along the Atlantic coast. 
The industries of this western settlement 
were furs, peltries and agriculture. 

In 1705, 20,000 hides were said to have 
been shipped from the Wabash. In 1746 
the Wabash country shipped 600 barrels 
of flour to New Orleans. These events 
occurred almost 100 years before Ohio 
was admitted into the Union as a state. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



63 



Feench SettI/Ement in Ohio. 

Ohio was hardly in the track of either 
the French pi'iest, trader, or explorer, yet 
at an early date a settlement was made 
on Lake Erie. In 1749 Celeron De Bien- 
ville, a French explorer, acting under the 
order of the governor-in-chief of New 
France to drive back intruders, made an 
exploration into the central part of this 
state. He had under him a chaplain, 
about 30 soldiers, as many Indians, and 
about ]00 Canadians. This expedition 
crossed over from Canada and embarked 
on the muddy waters of the Ohio, and 
down to the mouth of the Great Miami, 
thence making his way up that stream as 
far as Piqua. He burned his canoes, and 
crossed over on ponies to the other side 
of the water, and thence returned to 
Montreal. He planted several plates of 
lead at the mouth of various rivers, among 
others the Kanawa, Muskingum and 
Great Miami, signifying a renewal of pos- 
session of the country One of these 
plates was found at Marietta in 1798 by 
some boys on the west bank of the Mus- 
kingum and one at Kanawa in 1846, by a 
boy playing on the margin of the river. 

The following is a translation of the 
inscription on the plate: "In the year 
1749, reign of Louis XV, King of France, . 
we, Celeron, commandant of a detachment 
by Monseiur the Marquis of Gallisoniere, 
commander-in-chief of New France to 
establish tranquility in certain Indian vil- 
lages of these cantons, have buried this 
plate at the confluence of the Toradakoin, 
this twenty-ninth of July, near the river 
Ohio, otherwise Beautiful River, as a 
monument of renewal of possession which 
we have taken of the said river, and all 



its tributaries; inasmuch as the preced- 
ing Kings of France have enjoyed it, and 
maintained it by their arms and treaties ; 
especiallj^ by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, 
and Aix La Chapelle. " 

This explorer visited the town which 
was cabled Pickawillany, which was sit- 
uated in the northern part of Miami coun- 
ty about nine miles southwest of Sidney. 
This place was considered as the first 
trading post of English occupation in 
Ohio. It was destroyed by the French 
and Indians in 1752. Just when the town 
or trading post of Pickawillany was estab- 
lished, is not definitely known, but it was 
sometime prior to the first French ex- 
pedition. It is said that at one time it 
contained 400 Indian families, and was 
the residence of the principal chief of the 
Miami confederacy. 

About seventeen years after the de- 
struction of Pickawillany, a French trader 
by the name of Loramie established a 
store about fifteen miles north of the site 
of Pickawillany. and this place became a 
prominent spot in history, and a promi- 
nent point in the boundaries of the Green- 
ville treaty, and also in giving the boun- 
daries of early counties. 

AVhether or not there was ever a French 
settlement in this county rests only in 
tradition, but tradition has it, and has 
some probabilities to support its truthful- 
ness, that not far from the ancient Indian 
village of Piqua in this county there was 
a French trading post. 

French Dominion. 

These acts of La Salle and De Bien- 
ville by methods acknowledged by the 
civilized world at that time, gave France 



64 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



a lawful dominion over this great north- 
west. The inhabitants of the colonies, 
however, were not unmindful of the fertil- 
ity and value of this country. The trad- 
ing territory offered by the fur bearing 
animals that inhabited southern Michigan 
had not escaped the notice of the Dutch 
trader. With characteristic determina- 
tion push he was constantly widening his 
territorial claims in the direction of this 
French dominion. 

The Iroquois Indians, while perhaps 
never in actual possession of much of the 
territory of Ohio and the Northwest, yet 
claimed title to all that country. . This 
tribe of Indians had in 1684 at Albany 
placed themselves under the protection of 
King Charles, and in 1726 they conveyed 
all their lands in trust to England to be 
in'otected by that government. This gave 
a ground of contention between the Eng- 
lish and the French settler. Beginning 
at the trading post of Pickawillany, it wa?. 
continued with French success in the 
memorable defeat of General Braddock 
at Ft. Pitt in 1753, and was crowned with 
English triumph on the heights of 
Abraham in the battle of Quebec, Septem- 
ber 13, 1759, between the English general 
Wolfe and the French General Montcalm. 
By the treaty of 1763 the king of France 
renounced all pretension which he had to 
such territory and ceded all his rights 
thereto to the British crown. 

ExGLisH Dominion. 

The English were now the undisputed 
masters of this great northwest. What 
real benefit it was to them is a serious 
question, for we find that in the short 
space of twentj' years they were com- 
pelled to surrender it to the government 



formed by the thirteen colonies. How- 
ever, this English domain was of very 
great importance regarded in the light of 
its development by people from the Eng- 
lish colonies. While considerable ill will 
might still be found among the French 
settlers, the English colonists, ingratiat- 
ing themselves into the good will of some 
of the Indians, by making accusations 
against the French of wronging them and 
with their characteristic pusli, were suc- 
cessful in many of their dealings with the 
savages and enabled to make rapid head- 
way in the settlement of various places. 
The fact seems to be, however, that the 
French as a general rule, were kindlier 
in their dealings with the Indians than 
were the English colonists. 

Had it not been for these settlements 
made by persons from the English col- 
onies, and had it not been that this ter- 
ritory was under dominion of the English 
when the treaty was made, acknowledg- 
ing the United States as an independent 
government, this great northwest would 
not have been included, and it did remain 
for sometime afterward a cjuestion, just 
how far north the English Government 
did surrender her dominion to the United 
States. It was a mater of considerable 
controversy and was not finally settled 
until the war of 1812. 

Important Paet in the Revolution. 

The taking or keeping of this northwest 
territory upon the part of revolutionary 
forces, has been frequently recognized as 
one of the most important events in Amer- 
ican history. 

Mr. E. 0. Randall gives it very great 
importance when he says : 

"The Northwest Territorv was the 




GEN. ARTHUR ST. CLAIR. 



GEN. JOSIAH HAMAR. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



67 



great background of the Revolution. The 
fiendish proposal of the British ministry 
to secure the scalping knife and the toma- 
hawk in aid of the mother country against 
her rebellious child, called forth from the 
elder Pitt another of his immortal bursts 
of eloquence. But the British power 
would not abandon its brutal plans. The 
military posts of the British, on the lakes 
and the rivers of the Illinois countrj^, were 
rallying centers for the western savages, 
who were provisioned, armed and infu- 
riated against the Americans, and sent 
forth on expeditions of massacre and 
rapine. Deeds of bravery and patriotism 
were enacted in the Ohio Valley more 
romantic than the often rehearsed events 
in the Atlantic colonies. The soil of Ohio 
was the scene of a large share of the 
struggle for existence of the new-born 
republic. The career of the colonists 
from Lexington and Concord was chiefly 
a series of victories during the years 1775 
and 1776 to the autumn of 1777, when the 
clouds grew heavy and the storm gathered 
in the South. The northern army of 
Gates had disbanded after the surrender 
of Burgoyne (October 7). Howe occupied 
Philadelphia and comfortably quartered 
his army therein. With his soldiers the 
winter of 1777-78 was a period of exultant 
gaiety. He only awaited the milder 
weather of spring that he might dispatch 
a few regiments to Valley Forge and dis- 
perse or destroy the remnant forces- of 
"Washington that were well nigh ex- 
hausted by the hunger and cold of that 
terrible winter. The cause of human 
liberty seemed doomed to inevitable de- 
feat. General Howe held the Americans 
at bay east of the Alleghanies. The 
British cause was being strengthened in 



the northwest. General Hamilton, in his 
headquarters at Detroit, proposed to an- 
nihilate any assurance of success the 
Americans might hope for beyond the Al- 
leghanies. But there was a Washington 
in the West as well as in the East. He 
was George Rogers Clark, a huntsman of 
the trackless forest interior of Kentucky, 
who with the soul of a patriot, the bravery 
of an American soldier and the mind of 
a statesman, hastened on foot, through six 
hundred miles of wilderness, to Williams- 
burg, the capital of Virginia. There he 
obtained audience with Patrick Henry, 
then governor of Virginia. Clark pro- 
posed to strike the vast power of Great 
Britain in the northwest and save that 
magnificent territory to American in- 
dependence. His plans were appreciated 
and approved, but troops could not be 
spared him from the Continental army; 
they were needed to a man in the East. 
Clark gathered two hundred Virginia and 
Pennsylvania backwoodsmen, and while 
the sun of spring was melting the snows 
of Valley Forge and hope and courage 
were again animating the heart of Wash- 
ington, Clark set out on that famous ex- 
pedition for the capture of the interior 
northwest posts of Great Britain. It was 
the campaign of the "rough riders" of 
the Revolution. It was the dash of 
Sheridan in the Shenandoah. It was 
Sherman's "march to the sea," through 
the interior of the enemy's country. This 
campaign of Clark broke the backbone of 
British strength in the west. The British 
posts of Illinois and Indiana were all 
taken save Detroit. The Northwest was 
secured and preserved to the United 
States." 
However much or little these victories 



68^ 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of General Clark and other meil had in 
procuring an acknowledgment of inde- 
pendence, one thing remains sure, and that 
is that the great northwest became a part 
of the United States acknowledged by the 
Treaty of 1783. ■ 

United States Contbol. 

Much of the old northwest remained in 
ignorance of the consequences of the polit- 
ical events that were then enacting at the 
time that the treaty of Paris was made, 
and neither the United States nor Great 
Britain fully understood the extent or the 
true location of the boundaries that were 
assigned in the treaty acknowledging the 
independence of this country. There was 
consequently more or less friction be- 
tween this and the mother country in ref- 
erence to some of these boundaries which 
were not finally overcome until the termi- 
nation of the War of 1812. The English 
were jealous of the growing power of this 
country, and for some time, no doubt, felt 
little disposed to assist us in settling 
questions relating to the territory of this 
great northwest. This feeling was man- 
ifested more about Detroit and the Lakes 
than elsewhere, and probably had its 
share of influence in bringing on the War 
of 1812, which finally setled all contro- 
versies. However, long before the Treaty 
of 1785 and continuing up until the adop- 
tion of the Ordinance of 1787, there was 
considerable contention between the col- 
onies as to the ownership of various parts 
of this northwest. Virginia claimed it 
by right of conquest, which had been 
made through means furnished by her 
and her patriotic Governor, Patrick 
Henry, to General George Rogers 



Clark. New Y^ork made a claim based 
largely upon the treaty made with the 
Iroquois Indians, who claimed all this 
northwestern country, they ceding to 
her therein all their right and title to that 
country. Massachusetts and Connecticut 
made clainis resting upon royal grants 
made to them, in which grants the terri- 
tory was made to run east and west be- 
tween certain degrees of latitude without 
any particular termination of their west- 
ern boundary. All these contentions be- 
tween the colonies were compromised in 
concessions, or reservations of lands for 
certain purposes when the Ordinance of 
1797, organizing the great northwest into 
a territory, was passed by the United 
States Congress, or rather by Congress of 
the colonies, for the United States Gov- 
ernment in its present form had not yet 
come into existence. 

Ordinai^ce of 1787. 

The Ordinance of 1787 establishing this 
northwest territory has been credited as 
being one of the greatest state papers. 

Lord Chatham, in the British Parlia- 
ment said that "for solidity of reason, 
force of sagacity and wisdom of conclu- 
sion under a complication of difficult cir- 
cumstances, no nation or body of men 
stand in preference to the general Con- 
gress of Philadelphia." 

Daniel Webster said: "We are ac- 
customed to praise the law givers of antiq- 
uity, we hope to perpetuate the fame of 
Solon and Lycurgus, but I doubt whether 
one single law of any law giver, ancient 
or modern, has produced effects of more 
distinct, marked and lasting character 
than the Ordinance of 1787. We see its 



AND REPEESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



69 



consequences at this moment and we 
shall never cease to see them, perhaps, 
while the Ohio shall flow." This ordi- 
nance provided that the territory north- 
west of the Ohio River was to be divided 
into not less than three nor more than 
five states. While making ample provi- 
sion for securing to .the inhabitants the 
right to worship according to the dictates 
of their conscience, and preserve to them 
the liberty of person guaranteed by the 
writ of habeas corpus, and the right of 
property and person determined by trial 
by .jury, and recognizing the necessity of 
schools and education, the most import- 
ant provision was that in relation to 
slavery. The part that the United States 
played in the final eradication of that in- 
iquitous institution can hardly be de- 
termined. This provision was in Article 
Six of the ordinance and was as follows : 
"There was to be neither slavery nor in- 
voluntary servitude in the said territory, 
otherwise than for the punishment of 
crimes whereof the party shall have been 
duly convicted." It was further provid- 
ed — probably as a balm to soothe the in- 
jured feelings of some slave holder — 
' ' That any person escaping from the same 
from whom labor or service is lawfully 
claimed in any one of the original states, 
such fugitive shall be lawfully reclaimed 
and be brought back to the person claim- 
ing his or her labor as aforesaid." 

To whom credit should be given for this 
provision upon the great question of 
slavery the following from Bancroft may 
be read with interest: 

"Thomas Jefferson first summoned 
Congress to prohibit slavery in all the ter- 
ritory of the United States : Rufus King 
lifted up the measure when it lay almost 



lifeless on the ground, and suggested the 
immediate instead of the prospective pro- 
hibition: a Congress composed of five 
Southern States to one from New Eng- 
land and two from the Middle States, 
headed by William Grayson, supported 
by Richard Heniy Lee, and using Nathan 
Dane as scribe, carried the measure to 
the goal in the amended form in which 
King had caused it to be referred to a 
committee; and as Jefferson had pro- 
posed, placed it under the sanction of an 
irrevocable compact." 

If the slave holder had realized the full 
consequences of this prohibition of slavery 
clause in the Ordinance of 1787, the op- 
position would have been more strenuous 
than it was, but he did not realize then 
what a great power the northwest would 
exercise in the future history of our coun- 
try. Having the guarantees of property 
and person secured by this great ordi- 
nance, the settlement of the northwest be- 
gan in earnest and continued with 
rapidity. 

ARTfirR St. Claik. 

Shortly after the adoption of the or- 
dinance Congress elected as the first 
governor of this great territory a young 
military officer who had shown both 
patriotism and military talent. 

The following beautiful and pathetic 
statement in reference to that distin- 
guished man is taken from Governor 
Nash's address at the Ohio Centennial. 

"Fellow-citizens, I have a story that 
I desire to tell you. It is a storj^ of 
patriotic effort and yet it seems to me 
that it furnished the best example of the 
ingratitude of republics of any that has 
come within mv knowledge. 



70 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



"In 1758 there was a young Scotchman 
about to leave his home. He was a gradu- 
ate of the Universitj' of Edinburgh. He 
was thoroughly educated, he was tall, 
handsome and twenty-three years of age. 
He enlisted in the army of the king of 
Great Britain and became an ensign in 
one of his regiments. He left his home 
in Scotland and came to America under 
Amherst. In the French-English War he 
served faithfully and bravely before the 
walls of Louisburg. For gallantly in that 
action he was promoted to the position 
of second lieutenant in his company. 
Then a few years later he was joined to 
the command of the great and gallant 
Wolfe in the final struggle between the 
French and English, for the possession of 
Canada. Upon the Plains of Abraham, 
in the attack upon Quebec, he was one of 
the brave soldiers who followed the gal- 
lant Wolfe, who fell upon that bloody 
field. One of the color bearers fell, bear- 
ing down with him the colors of his regi- 
ment. This lieutenant seized those colors 
covered with blood and carried them 
bravely until the end of that conflict, 
which has been told in history and sung 
in song for nearly one hundred and fifty 
years. 

' * That brave Scotchman was Arthur St. 
Clair the first governor of the North- 
west Territory. He resigned from the 
English army; he became the husband of 
a loved wife; he was endowed with ample 
fortune, and in 1766 he went to western 
Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg, and set- 
tled among her beautiful hills and became 
one of the leading pioneers of this west- 
ern countrJ^ 

* ' Time went by ; the Revolution for our 
freedom commenced and St. Clair was 



called upon by John Hancock in 1775 to 
raise a regiment to engage in our great 
struggle for liberty. He responded as a 
patriotic man always resjoonds. At this 
time he wrote to an intimate friend: 'I 
hold that no man has a right to withhold 
his services when his country needs them. 
Be the sacrifice ever so great, it must be 
yielded upon the altar of patriotism.' 

"He raised a regiment of Pennsyl- 
vanians. He joined in the expedition of 
Arnold against Montreal for the capture 
of Canada. He was there barely in time 
to save the army of Arnold from utter 
rout. Then he was called by Washington 
to New Jersey. He was then made a ma- 
jor-general in the Revolutionary army. He 
engaged with Washington in the battles 
of Trenton and Princeton. There he gave 
advice to our gallant chief which was es- 
teemed most highly. After those victories 
he returned to the northern territory and 
with his command sought to stay the in- 
vasion of Burgojme. He was through all 
those conflicts which finally resulted in 
the surrender of Burgoyne and his army. 
Then he joined Washington, again be- 
came his faithful adviser, was a favorite 
of Alexander Hamilton, was a friend of 
LaFayette, the brave Frenchman who 
came to our rescue. By them all he was 
esteemed and honored. At Valley Forge, 
Washington called upon this brave gen- 
eral, with his fortune to come to the 
rescue of his army. With his own money 
he assisted in feeding Washington's sol- 
diers; with his own money he partially 
clothed them; by his patriotism he im- 
poverished himself. 

"Later, when the war was over, he be- 
came president of the Continental Con- 
gress. He was its president when the Or- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



71 



dinance of 1787 was framed. In the mak- 
ing of its provisions he took an active 
part. That ordinance became the law of 
this territory. Then the Continental Con- 
gress saw fit to elect Arthur St. Clair as 
the governor of the territory, whose or- 
dinance he helped to frame. For four- 
teen years he remained here as the gover- 
nor of the Northwest Territory. His 
labors were very irksome. The value of 
what he did for our pioneers can never 
be over-estimated. At length there came 
the time in 1802 when he must retire from 
office. He went back to his beloved Penn- 
sylvania hills. 

"He was an old man, yet he sought to 
recuperate the fortune which he had lost. 
He pleaded with Congress to restore the 
money to him which he had expended up- 
on the army that gave us our liberties; 
but that Congress, poor and impoverished, 
too, made the lame excuse that St. Clair's 



claims were outlawed, and they were not 
paid. 

"He went back to his home in Pennsj^l- 
vania and lived in a hovel with his 
widowed daughter. At last one day, with 
some truck that might give him the 
sustenance of life, he started with his 
pony and cart to a nearby town and on 
the way a wheel fell into a rut. The aged 
general was thrown from the cart upon 
the stony ground and severely injured. 
There he lay nearly a day before he was 
discovered and rescued. In a few days 
he died. He was by his Masonic brothers 
buried in a little country graveyard at 
Greensburg. They erected a plain, brown 
sandstone monument over his tomb and 
inscribed upon it these words : 

"Thp earthly remains of General Arthur St. Clair 
are deposited beneath this humble monument ; which is 
erected to supply the place of a nobler one, due from 
Ins covintry. 

"It is too late to do justice to St. Clair, but we can 
honor his memory by erecting over that lonely grave 
the monument which is due from his country." 



CHAPTER V. 



STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 



Ohio — Admission of titate — County and Township Organization — Organization of 
Counties — Rormation of Clark County — Systems of Survey — The U. S. Rec- 
tangular Survey — Miami Rivers Survey — Pre-emption Lots — Table of 
Measurements — Name of Boundary- -Selection of County Seat — New Boston 
— Georqe Roaers Clark. 



Ohio. 

The sun never shone on a country more 

fair, 
Than beautiful, peerless Ohio, 
There's life in a kiss of her rarified air, 

Ohio, prolific Ohio. 
Her sons are valiant and noble and bright, 
Her beautiful daugliters are just about 

right, 
And her babies, God bless them, are clear 

out of sight — 
That crop never fails in Ohio! 

Our homes are alight with the halo of 
love, 
Ohio, contended Ohio: 
We bask in the smiles of the heavens 
above — 
No clouds ever darken Ohio. 
Our grain waves its billows of gold in 

the Sim, 
The fruits of our orchards are equalled by 
none, 



And our pumpkins, some of them, weigh 
most a ton — 
We challenge the world in Ohio! 

Our girls are sweet models of maidenly 
grace. 
In this modern Eden, Ohio, 
They are pei'fect in figure and lovely in 
face. 
That's just what they are in Ohio. 
Their smiles are bewitching and winning 

and sweet, 
Their dresses are stylish, yet modest and 

neat, 
A Trilby would envy their cute little feet. 
In beautiful, peerless Ohio. 

When the burdens of life I am called to 
lay down, 
I hope I may die in Ohio. 
I never could ask a more glorious crown 

Thau one of the sod of Ohio. 
Aiid when the last trump wakes the land 
and the sea 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



73 



And the tombs of the earth set their pris- 
oners free, 
You may all go aloft if you choose, but 
for me, 
1 think I'll just stay in Ohio. 

LuciEN Seymour. 

Admission of State. 

While no one will doubt the integrity 
and patriotism of General St. Clair, yet 
in the light that we now have, most of us 
will agree that some of his ideas upon 
fundamental principles were hardly in ac- 
cord with those underlying a free govern- 
ment, but to that reason all his difficulties 
with the Territorial Assembly cannot be 
attributed. Ho was a Federalist, they 
were Republicans, and to that reason, per- 
haps, as much as anything else, may be 
attributed his unpopularity with the Leg- 
islative Assembly. 

Prior to 1800 all the northwest consti- 
tuted a territory by that name. In this 
year was organized the territory of In- 
diana with Gen. William H. Harrison as 
governor, leaving practically in the old 
territory that part which was later 
formed into the State of Ohio. There 
never was a territory by the name of 
"Ohio." The official name was "The 
Eastern Division of the territory of the 
United States northwest of the River 
Ohio." At the time Indian Territory was 
created, that which was left within the 
bounds of the present state of Ohio had 
sufficient population to become a state. 
Those in opposition to Governor St. Clair 
conceived that it would be easier to get rid 
of him by having Ohio admitted as a state, 
than to have him removed as governor of 
the territory. It would perhaps be un- 



just to say that this was the sole motive. 
The territory was rapidly filling up and 
naturally the people desired to assume the 
dignity given to statehood. By an Act 
of Congress thirty-five members repre- 
senting the counties of Trumbull, Jeffer- 
son, Belmont, Washington, Fairfield, 
Ross, Adams, Clermont and Hamilton, on 
the basis of one member for each twelve 
hundred inhabitants were called together 
in Chillicothe in November, 1802, and 
formed a constitution on that day for the 
state of Ohio! On this basis at the time 
these thirty-five delegates were selected, 
the state then had a population of 10,500. 
The exact date of the admission of the 
state is a matter of some confusion, but 
March 1, 1803, is generally considered to 
be the true date when Ohio became a state 
and the territory ceased its political ex- 
istence. 

County and Township Organization. 

In the older states there were two kinds 
of local organization, one which prevailed 
in New England, which was known as the 
town system, and the other prevailing in 
Virginia, known as the county system, 
which have been very well described by 
Hinsdale. 

"The mingling of elements from all 
parts of the Atlantic slope in the new pop- 
ulation, and particularly the appointment 
of New England and Middle State men 
in about equal numbers to Territorial of- 
fices, decided the character of the local 
institutions now found in Ohio. Two rad- 
ically different types of local government 
are fonnd in the old States — the town sys- 
tem and the county system. As the names 
indicate, the first assigns the major part 



74 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of iDolitical power to town or townshii") 
officers, the second to county officers. 
Tliese systems are traceable to England. 
The founders of New England came from 
towns and cities, and they naturally set 
up municipal institutions ; the founders of 
Virginia came from the English counties, 
and as naturally set up county institu- 
tions. That the one would be more con- 
genial to a civic democracy, the other to 
a landed gentry, goes without the saying. 
As is well known, Mr. Jefferson strove to 
introduce the New England system into 
Virginia, and made it the subject of fre- 
quent eulogy. 'These wards, called town- 
ships in New England,' he said, in 1816,. 
'are the vital principle of their govern- 
ments, and have proved themselves the 
wisest invention ever devised by the wit 
of man for the perfect exercise of self- 
government and for its preservation.' 
Again, in 1810, he speaks of 'the large, 
lubberly divisions into counties,' of the 
Middle, Southern and Western States, 
'which can never be assembled.' Local 
government in the Middle States is a com- 
promise of the town and county systems ; 
the county is more than in New England, 
and the town more than in the South. 
Governor St. Clair was from Pennsyl- 
vania, Judge Symmes from New Jersey, 
General Putnam from Massachusetts ; and 
the three established in the Territory lo- 
cal institutions that are a sort of cross on 
the compromise and town systems. 

Okgakizattox of Counties. 

"Before the state was admitted into 
the union counties were formed by proc- 
lamation of the governor. In this man- 
ner there were ten counties organized, to- 
wit, Washington in 1788, Hamilton 1790, 



Wayne 1796, Adams and Jefferson in 
1797, Ross 1798, Trumbull, Clermont and 
Fairfield 1800, and Belmont 1801. Which 
one of these ten counties included our 
county remains somewhat of a question, 
resulting chiefly from the fact that the 
old boundary lines have in time passed 
away. It is interesting to know that the 
county of Washington originally included 
almost all of eastern Ohio. It began on 
the bank of the Ohio Eiver, where the 
western boundary line of Pennsylvania 
crosses it, and running with that line to 
Lake Erie; thence along the southern 
shore of said lake to the mouth of Cuya- 
hoga River; thence up said river to the 
portage between it and the Tuscarawas 
brancli of the Muskingum; thence down 
that branch to the forks at the crossing 
jilace above Ft. Lawrence; thence with a 
line to be drawn westerly to the portage 
on that branch of the Big Miami on which 
the fort stood that was taken by the 
French in 1752, until it meets the road 
from the lower Sha^vnees town to San- 
dusky; thence south to the Scioto Eiver; 
thence with that river to the mouth; 
thence up the Ohio River to the place of 
beginning." 

The Ft. Lawrence referred to above was 
a fort built near the north line of what is 
now Tuscarawas County and not far from . 
the village of Bolivar. It was an import- 
ant point in Lord Dunmare's war. The 
correct spelling of the name of this fort 
is "Laurens," as it was named after Gen- 
eral Henry Laurens, who was then, in 
1778, president of Congress: 

The "fort that was taken from the 
French in 1752," referred to in the de- 
scription of Washington County, was at 
the village of Pickawillany ; and the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



"Lower Sliawnees town" no doubt re- 
ferred to the towns of the Shawnees on 
the Scioto River, in centra-distinction to 
those on the Miamis and Mad River, and 
this would then make the Scioto River the 
western boundary line of Washington 
County and therefore would not include 
Clark County. 

A¥hen Hamilton County was organized 
it was described as "beginning on tlie 
bank of the Ohio River at the confluence 
of the Little Miami and down said Ohio 
River to the mouth of the Big Miami, and 
up said Miami to the standing stone forks 
or branch of said river, and thence with 
a line to be drawn due east to the Little 
Miami and down said Little Miami to the 
place of beginning. ' ' 

Where this "standing stone forks" was 
upon the Big Miami I am unable to say, 
from the fact, however, that the Little Mi- 
ami hardly assumed the dignity of a river 
within the present boundaries of Clark 
County. It is not likely that the original 
boundaries of Hamilton County included 
much of this county. However, when 
Wayne County was organized it followed 
the lines of Washington County up to the 
point where it turned south to meet and 
follow the Scioto River, to-wit, where the 
line drawn from Ft. Laurens to Picka- 
willany crossed the road to Sandusky-, 
and this point is referred to in the estab- 
lishment of Wayne County as the eastern 
boundary of Hamilton, so it seems that, 
if not by proclamation, yet by a general 
assumption, that Hamilton County was 
made to include all west of the western 
boundary of Washington County and 
south of the southern boundary of WajTie 
County, thus including Clark County, and 
that the entire state of Ohio was at that 



75 

time, to-wit, 1796, covered by the three 
counties, Washington, Hamilton and 
Wayne. 

In 1798 Ross County was formed, and 
took its territory from the counties of 
Washington and Hamilton. It had its 
western boundary in a line drawn due 
north from the mouth of Elk River or 
Eagle Creek; there was a ford there 
across the Ohio River. This creek or riv- 
er empties into the Ohio in Brown Coun- 
ty, and if a line be drawn due north you 
will find it included the half or more of 
Clark County in the formation of Greene 
County. 

When Greene County was formed, in 
1803, it was taken from Hamilton and 
Ross. The territory now in Greene Coun- 
ty was described as follows : "Beginning 
at the southeast corner of the county of 
Montgomery, running thence east to the 
Ross County line, in the same course con- 
tinued eight miles into the said county of 
Ross: thence north to the State line 
(State line here referred to, I presume 
means the south boundary line of the 
Greenville Treaty) : thence westernly with 
the same to the east line of Montgomery 
County: thence with the said boundary 
line of Montgomery to the beginning." 

The upper part of this territory was in 
turn taken to form Champaign County, 
which took all of Greene County now in- 
cluded in Clark County, together with a 
strip six miles on the east off Madison, 
Franklin County having been originally 
taken from Ross, and Madison from 
Franklin. 

FORMATTOK OF ClaRK CoUNTY. 

AVhen Champaign County was organ- 
ized in 1805, the tem]wrary seat of justice 



76 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



was fixed at the town of Springfield at the 
house of George Fithian until the perma- 
nent place could be fixed by law. Urbana 
was laid out in the same year that the 
County of Champaign was formed, and 
being perhaps nearer to the center of the 
territory, and augmented largely by the 
self-interest of the persons who had plat- 
ted the town,, the county seat was removed 
to that place. Urbana had assumed to be 
a place of considerable importance in the 
war of 1812 ; it was a government military 
post and the army of General Hull, from 
Dayton, and that of General McArthur, 
from Chillieothe, met there on their way 
to Detroit, but Springfield was also grow- 
ing, and, the rivalry of the two towns be- 
came rather sharply developed, and it was 
not long until the agitation for the forma- 
tion of a new county began to be felt. 

December 24th, 1814, Mr. McBeth of 
the House of Representatives presented 
petitions from the inhabitants of Cham- 
paign, Madison, Miami, and Greene Coun- 
ties, praying for a new county. Mr. New- 
el presented remonstrances from the in- 
habitants of Champaign. Afterwards the 
matter was referred to committees and 
passing over the usual matters occurring 
in legislation of that kind, on Monday, 
December 15, 1817, the bill admitting the 
county was read for a third time; it re- 
ceived upon its passage in the Senate sev- 
enteen ayes and ten nays. On December 
23rd it was passed in the House and on 
December 25, Christmas Day, 1817, the 
County of Clark received its existence. 
The fight had been long and not free from 
acrimony, almost all of the distinguished 
men of the time were arraigned on one 
side or the other. Naturally the citizens 
of Springfield were very much elated over 



the passage of the act and held a celebra- 
tion in a tavern kept by Cooper Ludlow on 
the northwest corner of Main and Factory 
Streets. 

SYSTEMS OF SURVEY. 

The U. S. Rectangular Survey. 

"The struggle for independence of the 
thirteen American colonies with Great 
Britain, although a successful one, left 
the colonies with a heavy burden of debt 
to ])ay. The fact, however, that several 
of the colonies (now states had an inter- 
est in what) was tlien known as the North- 
west Territory, proved one of the most 
powerful influences which kept the new 
born nation from dropping to pieces, and 
a fruitful means to assist in clearing oflp 
the burden of debt. 

Tlie four states, Massachusetts, Con- 
necticut, New York and Virginia, which 
claimed all the land north of the Ohio Riv- 
er, west to the Mississippi, agreed to give 
it to the United States, to be disposed of 
for the common good, and in 1787 Con- 
gress passed an ordinance for the govern- 
ment of this territory, and also for estab- 
lishing a definite method for the survey 
and sale of these lands, which were now 
designated as "Public Lands." 

The plan arranged by James Mans- 
field, surveyor general of the Northwest 
Territory, adopted by Congress in 1802, 
and called the United States Rectangular 
Survey, may be briefly described as fol- 
lows : 

First, a north and south line is run 
through the tract determined upon to be 
surveyed. This line begins at some prom- 
inent or easily distinguished point, and is 






^^ 


•^"jf^'ifc*:^. ■'-' 


^^^^^ffif 




igjl^^ ^O^ffiLtov. f , 


i 


^Ki'iKct^. 


jSp^^'^p^i 


1 




/" 




1 


ra|^:> : 


^ 


r"^' ..:v<^. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



79 



designated as a "principal meridian." 
Then a line running east and west, at 
right angles with the first line, is run 
through the tract, called the "base line." 

The first principal meridian west of 
Washington is the west boundary of Ohio, 
which was run north from the mouth of 
the Great Miami river. It is 80° 51' longi- 
tude west from Greenwich. 

Lines are then run north and south par- 
allel to the principal meridian, and six 
miles apart, which divide the territory 
into long north and south strips, called 
ranges, which are numbered in their 
order, 1, 2, etc., east of the meridian, also 
the same west of it. Across these are run 
lines six miles apart, parallel to the base 
line, cutting the territory into long east 
and west strips called Towns, and these 
are numbered north and south from the 
Base Line. 

By this "cross-lining" the territory is 
divided into squares, six miles on a side. 
Each of these squares is a congressional 
township. Such "townships" sometimes, 
but often do not, correspond to the civil 
townships, which are known by popular 
names. The only designation of congres- 
sional townships is their range and town 
numbers. 

After the tract is thus surveyed into 
townships six miles square, the townships 
are divided into thirty-six tracts, called 
"sections," each containing one square 
mile, more or less. 

The sections are rim off very much as 
were the townships, using each town- 
ship's east range line and south town line 
as bases. Commencing one mile west of 
the southeast corner of the township, 
the surveyor runs north a mile, then east 
a mile to the east range line and corrects 



back to the northwest corner of the sec- 
tion. He sets a quarter post (or half mile 
post) on the west line of the section at 
forty chains north of the starting point, 
and sets the quarter post on the north line 
of each section half way between the 
northwest and northeast section corners. 
The surveyor proceeds to run off the re- 
maining sections on the east tier, up to 
the north line of the township, placing 
the last section corner where his north 
and south line intersects that north town 
line, whether this point is east or west 
of the section corner previously estab- 
lished in the township survey. The dis- 
tance between the two corners, if any, is 
called the "jog," and is recorded. 

The government sub-divisions of the 
section (although they are not actually 
surveyed by the government surveyor) by 
which the lands are sold, are "quarter" 
sections or 160 acres, "half-quarter" sec- 
tions or 80 acres, and "quarter-quarter" 
sections or 40 acres. The section is di- 
vided into quarters by running a straight 
line north and south, and one east and 
west between the quarter posts on the 
sides of the section. The quarter sec- 
tions are "halved" by running a straight 
line north and south or east and west 
(whichever way it is wished to divide it) 
from points midway by measurement of 
opposite sides. The quarter sections are 
quartered by running lines north and 
south and east and west between points 
at the center of each side of the quarter 
section. Other smaller sub-division can 
be made on the same principle. 

It will be seen from this that if a sec- 
tion is perfectly square and contains the 
exact number of acres, that this method 
would sub-divide it into tracts of equal 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



areas, but it hardly ever occilrs that a sec- 
tion is exactly square or contains the 
exact number of acres. Consequently it 
almost always occurs that the sub-divi- 
sions "will differ more or less in quantity. 





N.!'2.N.E.>-4 
80A. 


160 A. 








syz.nzM 

80 A 


40 A. 
N.Wi'4 
S.W. -'a 


40A. 
N.E.'/4. 

S.W.'/4- 


S.E.s-4 
80A 


E'/2 

S.E.i'4 
80 A 






40A 
S.W. !^ 
S.W. '/4. 


40A. 
S.E H 

S.W.V4 







Yet the government has established this 
as the only method by which the sub-divi- 
sions shall be made, and making the eight 
corners established on the exterior lines 
of each section "the corners," however 
incorrect they may be. 

The sub-divisions of the section in the 
preceding diagram, as it is divided into 
the ' ' Government Descriptions, ' ' are each 
described in brief on the diagram. 

Miami Rivers Suevey. 

The above title describes the more elab- 
orate system of survey in northern parts 
of Ohio and thence west to the Pacific. 
The survey of that part of Clark County 
which is sectionized illustrates a step in 
the development of that system. The land 
between the jSIiami rivers, north of 



Symmes' purchase, was surveyed (1802 
and prior) as government land, by Col. 
Israel Ludlow, who platted Cincinnati 
and Dayton. This survey was in six 
mile townships, which Colonel Ludlow 
divided into squares of two miles, and 
which were afterward sub-divided in- 
to sections one mile square, "more or 
less." Ludlow used "towns" and 
"ranges" in reverse order to the plan 
above described. In this countj^ the towns 
are the north-south tiers, numbered east- 
ward from the Great Miami, and the 
ranges are the east- west rows, numbered 
northward. The sections are numbered 
from the southeast corner of the town- 
ship, north, and the successive westward 
tiers in the same order. Many sections 
are divided, instead of into regular sub- 
divisions, into preemption tracts, land 
taken up at the time of the survey. Some 
of these preemption lines still figure in 
descriptions. Complete descriptions of 
regular sub-divisions in the sectionized 
pai-t of Clark Coimty are the same as 
above described, except that instead of 
range east (or west) town north (or 

south), the statement is "range , 

town, Miami Rivers survey." 

The sections of ,this survey are ir- 
regular, and generally contain more or 
less than 640 acres, according to the orig- 
inal plats. Those assumed to contain 640 
acres generally overrun in modern sur- 
veys, as do the section lines. The mode 
of survey, though quite primitive, was a 
wonderful improvement on the 

ViRGiNT.A. Military Survey. 

Beyond the Little Miami and Ludlow's 
Line, the lands were taken up on warrants 
issued by Virginia to her soldiery. An 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



81 



irregular tract, estimated to contain the 
number of acres called for, was laid out 
by the surveyor where the claimant de- 
sired, the only rule being to keep off a 
previous survey. Even this rule could 
hardly be maintained, and the tracts often 
overlap. Each tract was numbered, but 
not the same as the land warrant. Some- 
times a tract bears two or more numbers. 
^ The surveys of these tracts are on record, 
but the recorded length of lines cannot be 
depended upon. 

The Ludlow Line, which forms part of 
the boundary of the Military Lands, and 
the lands between the Miami Eivers, was 
run north from the headwaters of the Lit- 
tle Miami River, in a course at that time 
20 west. Another line was run for the 
same purpose by Roberts, but afterward 
discarded. The beginning of this line is 
in Madison Township, and was supposed 
to run from the head waters of the Little 
Miami River to the head waters of the 
Scioto. However, now it only extends to 
a point where it intersects what is known 
as the Greenville treaty line, a few miles 
above Bellefontaine. 

"Preemption" Lots. 

"Preemr)tion" lots are small parcels 
of land scattered here and there through 
the entire tract known as the Symmes' 
Purchase. The history of these lots seem 
to be this : During the time the surveyors 
were running out the public lands, if any 
member of the party, for himself or his 
principal, desired to select and secure a 
choice lot of land, he did so, and the lines 
and corners, were immediately established 
by the surveyors in the tield, and the 
•'field notes" of these special surveyors 



were incorporated with the notes of I'h.e 
general survey, thus enabling the wouM- 
be owner to locate and describe his chosen 
tract at the Government Land office 
Nearly all of the old preemption lines anc' 
corners have disappeared, and are known 
only to the professional surveyor, who 
prizes them as monuments and reference 
data. 

The surveyed townships are not iden- 
tical with the civil townships; for in- 
stance, the civil township of Springfield 
is composed of thirty-six sections (one 
entire township) known as "Town 5, 
Range 9," and fourteen whole and three 
fractional sections in Town 4, Range 9. 

Name and Boundary. 

Just who suggested the name that 
should be given to this territory is a 
problem that remains hidden in the mys- 
teries of the past. It was certainly ap- 
propriate that some county in Ohio should 
bear down to posterity the name of that 
distinguished general who had done so- 
much upon Ohio Territory in assisting 
the cause of the Revolution. And if any 
territory should be so named, what would 
be more appropriate than that that county 
which had within its borders the location 
of one of his most famous battles should 
be the favored one. The Act granting 
this county described the boundaries as 
follows : 

"That so much of the counties of 
Champaign, Madison and Green as comes 
within the following boundaries, be and 
the same is hereby erected into a separate 
county, which shall be known by the name 
of Clark, to-wit: beginning on the line be- 
tween the counties of Miami and" Cham- 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



paign, on the north boundary of the fifth 
tier of sections in the tenth range be- 
tween sections thirty-five and thirty-six, 
thence east with the sectional line between 
the fifth and sixth tier of sections in said 
range, to the line between the United 
States land and the Virginia Military 
Land, thence eastwardly to the line of 
Madison Connty; thence southwardly to 
the line of Madison County to a point on 
said line six miles north of the southeast 
corner of Champaign County; thence 
diagonally so as to intersect the south 
line of Champaign County two miles west 
of the southeast corner of said county; 
thence west with the line of Champaign 
County one mile; thence south five and a 
half miles into Madison County; thence 
west to the line of Greene County; thence 
to continue west five miles in said county 
of Greene; thence north one-half mile; 
thence west to the line between township 
four and five in the eighth range; thence 
north with said township line to the line 
between sections three and four; thence 
west with said sectional line to the line 
of the third township; thence north with 
said line to the sectional line between the 
fourth and fifth tier of sections in said 
range; thence westwardly with said line 
to the east Ime of Montgomery County; 
thence north with the line between the 
counties of Miami and Champaig-n to the 
IDlace of beginning." 

The boundaries were afterwards 
changed in a slight manner near Clifton, 
so as to place the residence of General 
Whiteman in Greene County, he not de- 
siring to be cut off from that old county. 
This old residence is still standing a 
short distance east of Clifton. It will be 
observed in this description of Clark 



County that it is taken from Greene, 
Champaign and Madison. An interesting 
question then will be, "What part of the 
present count}" was taken from these 
three?" 

The township line between Springfield 
Township and Green Township, extend- 
ed east and west, will foi'm the dividing 
line of that which was taken from Cham- 
paign and that which was taken from 
Greene, that north having belonged to 
Champaign, and that south to Greene 
County. 

"When Champaign County was formed, 
a distance of six miles was added to it on 
the east from Franklin County, out of 
which latter county, Madison was after- 
wards formed. 

This would have made a jog in the 
eastern boundary line of Clark County 
when taking in a part of Greene County, 
therefore with some slight changes the 
Clark County line was continued south 
in the same direction as its eastern boun- 
dary line, five and one-half miles into 
Madison County, and thence west through 
Madison County to the Greene County 
line, so that, about one-half or more of 
Madison Township off of its eastern end 
in this county was taken from Madison 
County. The county is twenty-nine miles 
long from east to west and about seven- 
teen miles wide from north to south and 
contains 412 square miles. 

Ski;Ectton of County Seat. 

The establishment of Clark County 
from the counties of Greene, Champaign 
and Clark, was not the only question that 
the Legislature had to contend with at 
the time the county was organized. Quite 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



83 



a settlement had grown iip on and near 
the location of the Indian village of 
Piqua. This town was called New Boston, 
and it was a formidable rival to Spring- 
field in the settlement of the county seat 
of Clark County. 

General Keifer informs me that it 
lacked but two votes of being chosen as 
the seat of justice for our county, so we 
can well understand what a slight cir- 
cumstance, such as two votes, might have 
changed the destiny of our now thriving 
city of Springfield. Chosen as it was, the 
county seat, the people of Springfield had 
a double reason to be grateful and thank- 
ful for what the Legislature had then 
done. 

In Mr. Martin's history of Springfield, 
it is said, "It will be sufficient to state 
here that the accomplishment of this ad- 
vanced movement was due largely to the 
efforts of Madox Fisher, who as a suc- 
cessful lobbyist visited Chillicothe, where 
the legislature was in session, and by per- 
suasive effort finally succeeded in having 
the bill passed which only provided that 
Springfield should be the county seat. 
When he returned from Chillicothe with 
news of the successful measure he was re- 
ceived with shouts of gratification. 

As a reward for his efforts, Madox 
Fisher was appointed post-master, which 
at that time was an office more of honor 
than of profit. 

That some must die that others may 
live is well illustrated in the fate of New 
Boston. It now exists not even in the 
memory of the present generation. By 
looking upon the map of Clark County 
gotten out by Colonel Kizer in 1850, it 
will be seen that this village is platted 
along Mad River, about i/o or % of a mile 



on this side of what is now known as 
Snyders Station, and where the Valley 
Pike leaves the banks of Mad River to- 
ward the west. 

. New Boston. 

New Boston was laid out by Henry 
Bailey in November, 1809. Jonathan 
Donne] was the surveyor. The inlots 
were 5 poles wide by 10 poles in length; 
the outlots 22x29 poles. The streets were 
four poles wide and the alleys one pole. 
This plat of Boston was abandoned by 
order of Court of Common Pleas of this 
county, December 1.3, 1866. Thus it will 
be seen that the New Boston like its pre- 
decessor Piqua has absolutely disap- 
peared; the part of Bethel Township in 
which it was located was a precinct des- 
ignated by the name of Boston. The 
following letter gives the best description 
of this town that I know of: 

"Mr. T. F. McGrew— Dear Sir: If 
you wish to say anything in your address 
about Boston on the occasion of the cele- 
bration at the place where the town of 
Boston was located, I will here state what 
I remember of it in its prosperous days. 
Just after you pass the toll-gate, near 
the place named, the turnpike road turns 
more directly to the west, and it runs in 
nearly a straight line parallel with the 
river, imtil it slopes down to the lower 
lands forming the long stretch of river 
bottom. It was on this little piece of 
table land that the town of Boston was 
located. The old wagon road ran south 
and parallel with the present turnpike, 
and it was along this road in a single line 
that the town of Boston once stood. The 
houses were not more than ten or a dozen 



84 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



in number and they were scattered along 
the road for a distance of perhaps forty 
rods, most of them on the south side, and 
were nearly all built of logs. One house 
on the south side was a frame house, 
where a tavern was kept by a man by the 
name of French. The last house on the 
west end of the street was an old log 
house, when I first remembered the place, 
about the year 1818. It stood on the edge 
of the sloping ground that goes down 
abruptly into. the prairie bottom. At that 
time there lived in this old house a man 
and his wife by the name of Powell, who 
always excited my boyish cui'iosity on ac- 
count of their extreme old age, as I then 
passed frequently through the village on 
my way to the house of my aunt, who 
lived a short distance below. 

At this period of 1818, the town of Bos- 
ton was a competitor for the county seat 
of justice; and after it was located at 
Springfield, the town of Boston lost its 
prestige, and began its work of decline. 
The houses, poor at the best, one by one 
went into decay, and disappeared, and it 
must be at least a quarter of a century 
since the last one disappeared that stood 
there in 1818. Tlie graves of some of its 
citizens are now inclosed with an old 
picket fence, near the decayed town's lo- 
cation. 

Yours truly, 

John Ludlow." 

George Rogees Claek. 

We have already in giving a descrip- 
tion of the battle of Piqua and the im- 
portant events enacted in the northwest 
during the War of the Revolution, had 
occasion to speak of the distinguished 



military talent and patriotism of George 
Rogers Clark; liowever, as our county 
received its name from him, it will cer- 
tainly not be inappropriate to give a more 
extended sketch than is contained in the 
places referred to. 

George Rogers Clark was born in Al- 
Ijemarle County, Virginia, November 19, 
1752, and died at Locust Grove, near 
Louisville, Kentucky, February, 1818. He 
was of a good, though not prominent fam- 
ily, and was a brother of Captain William 
Clark, whose great journey with Caj)tain 
Lewis in their noted trip across the Rocky 
Mountains was one of the great distin- 
guishing events in the colonization of 
what is uow known as the north and the 
northwest portions of this country. In 
honor of that event the World's Fair at 
Portland v. as held in 1905. 

General Clark's education was the 
meager one offered by the cabin schools 
of Virginia in his time, but he had shown 
a marked talent for mathematics and 
geography and at the age of seventeen had 
chosen surveying as an avocation that bet- 
ter suited his gifts and his love of ad- 
venture. 

When liOrd Punmore's War broke out 
with the Indians he volunteered, and as a 
non-commissioned officer had conducted 
himself with such bravery and had shown 
such marked military talent that he was 
offered a commission of lieutenant in the 
British army : but the spirit of the Revo- 
lution was in the air and -although the 
offer was a very tempting one, especially 
to one of his military spirit, patriotism 
was stronger and he declined. He had 
tasted and felt the fire of frontier fight- 
ing and had found himself in love with its 
hazards and perils. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



85 



In the spring of 1775, yielding to his 
love of adventi;re, he found himself witTi 
Daniel Boone and other early kindred 
spirits in the "Blue Grass Regions" of 
Kentucky. During his visit there he was 
temporarily placed in coinmand of the 
militia of that country. ■ At this time 
there had been but three settlements in 
all Kentucky. These were only small 
groups of log cabins surrounded by stock- 
ades continually exposed to the attacks 
of tier^ce and cunning Indians. The lives 
of Boone, Kenton, Logan, Harrod, and 
Todd fully attested their war-like spirit. 
Clark fought the Indians, hunted the wolf, 
bear and panther, and explored the 
wilderness, and like other pioneers had 
many hair-breadth escapes. It was no 
doubt by reason of the natural ability of 
General Clark that he was chosen to com- 
mand the militia of that rude settlement. 

In the fall of 1775, he returned home 
and for some time he contemplated enter- 
ing military service with the Virginia 
Continentals, but the fascination of the 
unbounded wilderness of the west with its 
perils, was more to his liking than serv- 
ices, in the regular organized army; but 
that was not all that induced him to again 
try his fortunes in the west. He had 
dreamed of a great empire. He realized 
perhaps better than most men of his time 
the boundless resources of the country, 
imknown yet, beyond the Alleghanies. 

So in the spring of 1776 he again took 
up his perilous trail to the wilds of "Ken- 
tucky. Upon his arrival he visited all 
the settlements and proposed a meeting 
of the colonists at Harrodstown, for 
the purpose of forming some plan of de- 
fense and military aid and furthermore, 
to formulate an effective appeal for aid 



to the jaarent state, Virginia. This hav- 
ing been done he returned to his mother 
state and visited Jefferson who was then 
governor and pleaded for aid to pursue 
his desired object. 

The revolutionary war was now taxing 
all the energies of the east and the col- 
onists had thought little of this western 
country, but Clark's persistence and firm- 
ness had never faltered. His official char- 
acter was recognized. Kentucky was de- 
clared a county of Virginia and Clark 
himself was made a major of the Virginia 
militia. An order was also obtained by 
Clark directing 500 pounds of powder to 
be delivered at Fort Pitt for the use of 
the settlement. 

To transport this munition to Ken- 
tucky, a perilous trip was taken down the 
Ohio. Embarking on a flat-boat, he and 
his colleague Jones, with five other men 
launched out secretly for Fort Pitt early 
in the spring of 1777. Scarcely were 
they beyond sight of Fort Pitt when they 
discovered that Indians were running 
along the shore. The savages at every 
bend of the stream tried to cut Clark's 
men off, and they constantly augmented 
in numbers. All of Clark's men, with the 
exception of Jones, counseled the aban- 
donment of the boat and escape into the 
woods while their lives were yet their own. 
To do this however would have been to 
have abandoned Clark's cherished object. 
While almost exhausted from constant 
vigil, Clark managed to elude the savages 
in the night and ran the boat into a creek 
in the boundaries of Kentucky, hastily 
concealing the powder on shore, and with 
his companions pushed on to the settle- 
ment for aid. The nearest place, however, 
was too weak to send aid, so leaving Jones 



86 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and his men behind, Clark, guided by the 
famous Indian fighter, Kenton, whom he 
had found at this first settlement, started 
out for Harrodstown. Here Clark got 
help and bi'ought his powder safe into 
the heart of the wilderness whose con- 
stant warfare had won for it the name of 
the "Dark and Bloody Land." 

As soon as he had returned to Ken- 
tucky he dispatched two young hunters 
to spy out the Illinois country which was 
the name given to all beyond the Ohio 
River. From these spies he gathered that 
the French in the settlements there were 
not very enthusiastic in their loyalty to 
the British Crown, and he came to the 
conclusion that a successful expedition in- 
to that country would wrest all of that 
territory from the British Government. 
The same patriotism that led him to de- 
cline the lieutenant's commission in the 
British army fired him here in a scheme 
of subduing the entii'e northwest. It had 
such effect upon him that he again under- 
took the perils attendant upon a trip to 
his native colony. 

Patrick Henry was then governor of 
Virginia. Henry's patriotism was of that 
dash and spirit that easily led him to 
endorse what to his friends seemed the 
visionary scheme of Clark, but Virginia 
was so much engaged then in the Revolu- 
tionary warfare at home that her re- 
sources were almost exhausted, and the 
state was not able to give Clark the as- 
sistance he desired. Governor Henry 
consented, however, to lend Clai-k the 
weight of his name, and authorized him 
to raise seven companies of fiftj' men 
each among the settlers of the Alleghany 
Mountains, and as an incentive to the 
military men, they were each promised 



300 acres of land to be selected from the 
richest valleys of the conquered terri- 
tory. Thus originated the "Virginia 
Military Lands," between the Scioto and 
the Miami Rivers, part of which are in 
Clark County. 

In May, 1778, Clark re-crossed the 
mountains and again recruited his forces. 
Governor Henry had advanced him 1,200 
pounds and an order on the command- 
ment at Fort Pitt for all the powder he 
might need, together with supplies. 

From this Fort the little band of 250 
men — adventurers and settlers — em- 
barked on flat-boats, and on May 27th, 
the flotilla reached the falls of Ohio, 
where they established a post, which 
afterwards became the city of Louisville. 
I cannot go into detail of all of General 
Clark's adventures and expeditions of 
heroism, they are certainly not sui'passed 
in American history. 

The first object of attack was the settle- 
ment of Kaskaskia. Having met three 
American hunters who had recently re- 
turned from that trading post, Clark 
learned that the fort there was strong 
and in good repair. That there was a 
force there three times as strong as his 
own, and that a large number of Indians 
friendly to the British and hostile to the 
Americans, had recently been in confer- 
ence with the commandant at the post, 
did not deter General Clark. 

After several days of perilous travel 
they reached the banks of the Kaskaskia 
River, three miles below the town, the 
strictest silence being enjoined under 
penalty of death. 

When night was well advanced, Clark's 
men crept up to the town and after divid- 
ing the company into two divisions, one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



87 



long straggling column surrounding the 
town, the other consisting of picked men, 
was led by Clark himself straight to the 
walls of the fort. When everything was 
in readiness, Clark crawled to within a 
few feet of the stronghold to recon- 
noiter. He discovered that a ball given 
by the officer of the garrison was in prog- 
ress. Under cover of the river bank 
some of his men were directed to come 
forward and seize the two sentinels at 
the gate, if possible without causing an 
alarm, and now Clark who was very fond 
of adventure entered by the rear gate 
alone, and making his way to the door of 
the ball-room, leaned against the door 
jamb and watched the merry festival. So 
high ran the mirth-making spirit that it 
was some time before Clark was dis- 
covered. Then an Indian chief who sat 
on the floor saw him and made a frightful 
war-cry. Upon hearing this cry Clark's 
men came rushing into the fort and seized 
the officer. The scene was highly dramatic 
and greatly to Clark's taste. 

The pretty mirth-loving French girls 
shi'ieked and swooned upon the floor and 
the captured officers swore loud and long, 
uttering creole oaths, amidst the hair- 
raising war whoops of the visiting Indian 
chiefs. Fortune had favored the brave; 
the victory was theirs. Not a gun was 
fired. In two hours Clark was in com- 
plete possession. 

Clark's conduct here gives a pretty 
good index of his character and love for 
the spectacular. For two days his 
haughty and stern attitude added to the 
terror of the simple folk and then, when 
they were crouching at his feet, calling 
him "Sovereign Lord," he suddenly flung 
off his sternness and waxed mild and for- 



giving. He discoursed to them the joy 
of a free country which should be theirs 
if they would forswear British rules and 
become citizens of a new Republic. The 
fickle French were now enraptured. Clark 
completely won their hearts and dazzled 
their understanding. The color-loving 
Creole girls tore ujt their gowns to make 
flags, and the stars and stripes were flut- 
tering everywhere. The yong men organ- 
ized a militia with which to fight for their 
new coimtry. This was his first conquest 
in the northwest. 

General Hamilton, who countenanced,- 
if he did not aid in the cruelties of the 
Indians not surpassed by them anywhere, 
was commandant at the British post at 
Detroit. He learned of this bloodless con- 
quest of Kaskaskia, by General Clark, 
and determined to check that adventurous 
and successful general in his career of 
conquest. 

In the next spring he set out with quite 
an expedition, with the object in view not 
only to regain the lost country, but also 
to destroy Clark and sweep the settlers 
from the country and capture Fort Pitt. 
He made vast preparation, laid in great 
stores, and hastened toward Vincennes. 
This fort was in command of a Captain 
Bowman but was not prepared to resist 
so large an expedition as Hamilton's and 
capitulated. Hamilton had hoped to push 
on to Kaskaskia and capture Clark, but 
the hardships of winter prevented it. 

When Clark heard of this move of 
Hamilton's he recognized at once his 
critical position, but met the situation 
with his usual resourceful skill. With a 
bravery, dash and hardiness that has 
seldom been equ:alled, he took up offensive 
operations against the enemy, and after a 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



campaign in wLiicli liis troops suffered 
every hardsliip and privation, lie once 
more signalized his ability by capturing 
Hamilton. This stroke was a decisive 
one, and thereafter Clark's forces held 
authority over the entire northwest, ex- 
cept Detroit. The American colors were 
again hoisted over old Vincennes and the 
fort, in honor of Virginia's patriotic 
governor, was re-christened Fort Henry. 

Clark was now about twenty-seven 
years old, a period when most men have 
only begnn their careers of usefulness. 
Virginia made him a brigadier general 
and granted him a tract of land in Ken- 
tucky. Congress only presented him with 
a sword, and a vote of thanks. 

It is a matter of regret that a man 
capable of such achievements should not 
have entered into one of the many use- 
ful careers that were then opening to men 
of his ability, but his temperament was 
such that he could not settle down and 
habituate himself to the calmer scenes of 
a peaceful life, and unfortunately, more- 
over, this nervous temperament of his led 
him to the use of intoxicants. Besides, 
he felt the government had never properly 
recognized his services, it not having even 
reimbursed him for the money he had 
spent. He was stung by the taunts and 
jealousy of the regular army officers. 



And allowing these matters to sour his 
temper and give a morose tinge to his 
disposition, he gradually lost the esteem 
and resi:)ect of his subordinates. Broken 
by ill health and bowed down by disap- 
pointment he retired to private life in bit- 
terness and passed his remaining years 
in obscurity and poverty. 

A few years before he died, friends 
called attention to Clark's condition and 
the Legislature of Virginia with a flow 
of words which would have been more 
appreciated if it had been accompanied by 
a draft of money, sent him a jeweled 
sword. The old general's anger was 
aroused. "When Virginia needed a 
sword, I gave her one^ she now sends me 
this toy; I want bread," and he thrust 
the blade of the costly gift into the ground 
and broke it. 

Clark never married. In the height 
of his distinguished career he became en- 
gaged to a daughter of the Spanish 
governor of St. Louis District, but when 
that general in an interview betrayed a 
spirit of pusillanimity Clark promptly 
broke the engagement, declaring with 
heat, "I will never be the father of a 
race of cowards.". And thus ended the 
life and career of Gen. George Rogers 
Clark. 



CHAPTER VI. 



PIONEERS ANfD PIONEER DAYS. 

No Time Like the Old Time — The Squatter — The Pioneer and his Times — First 
Settlers and Settlements — Present Pioneers--Wild Animals and Their Ex- 
tinctiow — John Paul, the First Settler — Johnny Apple-seed and other Char- 
acters — Simon Kenton. 



No Time Like the Old Time. 

' ' There is no time like the old time, when 
yon and I were young, 

When the bnds of April blossomed, and 
the birds of springtime sung ! 

The garden's brightest glories by summer 
Sims are nursed, 

But, oh, the sweet, sweet violets, the flow- 
ers that opened first! 

There is no place like the old place where 

you and I were born. 
Where we lifted first our eyelids on the 

splendors of the morn. 
From the milk-white breast that warmed 

us, from the clinging arms that bore. 
Where the dear eyes glistened o'er us that 

will look on us no moi-e! 

There are no times like the old times — 

they shall never be forgot! 
There is no place like the old place — keep 

green the dear old spot! 
There are no friends like our old friends 

— may Heaven prolong their lives ! 
There are no loves like our old loves — 

God bless our loving wives!" 



The Squatter. 

As an iutermediate link between the 
passing away of the Indian and the com- 
ing of the white man, trenching on the 
border line of both periods, there ap- 
peared in the settlement of the northwest 
the unique character of the squatter, an 
individual who had little respect for the 
laws of God or man. Wherever he took 
off his hat and made his bed, that he 
claimed as his own. He knew nothing of 
the laws recognizing society, he cared 
nothing for those relating to morality. 
Very often too lazy and indolent to look 
after the cares of the household, he mar- 
ried a squaw solely for the purpose that 
she might perform that drudgery. A 
dare-devil fellow who enjoyed a fight as 
much as a frolic. He loved the products 
of the still, and sometimes raised energy 
enough to have a small one of his own. 
If he had any occupation at all, it was of 
that kind that excited his love of sport, 
such as hunting and trading. 

As soon as his liberties were curtailed, 
he moved on to a country that would allow 



90 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



liim to exercise his own sweet will. Some- 
times he was a fugitive from justice from 
the older colonies and at other times he 
had drifted into this mode of living easily 
because he did not have talent and energy 
enough to enter into a more respectable 
one. 

As the pioneer came he vanished. To 
have given him the title of "pioneer" 
would have been as much a misnomer as 
to have mentioned him as one of "the 
400" of society. 

The Pionrer and his Times. 

The pioneer was an entirely different 
kind of person, and came to the new coun- 
try with entirely different objects in view. 
He usually brought his family with him, 
if not, he married in his proper station. 
He was a patriot and respecter of per- 
sons, a believer in religion, and an en- 
courager of the cause of education. The 
first thing that he did was to build him- 
self a home, and the ownership of the 
home has always been regarded as one of 
the great safeguards of American liber- 
ties. Very often he came from the col- 
onies across the mountains in a wagon 
bringing all his belongings with him, and 
while he was putting up his humble log 
cabin his family lived in the wagon. The 
log cabin of the pioneer was a structure 
peculiar in its arrangement and ar- 
chitecture. There Avas what is known as 
the single and double cabin, but the single 
cabin was the one usually constructed. 
This had at one end a large fireplace 
chalked up with mud, where brick or stone 
was not available. At each side, in the 
middle of the cabin there was a door. 
These doors were very often placed in 



the middle of the cabin, for the purpose 
of taking the horse through in drawing 
large logs into the house that were put in 
the fireplace. These cabins usually did 
not have an upstairs, but if they did, 
sometimes the stairway was on the out- 
side. The roof was made of clapboards, 
that is, a thin board split out of timber 
about three or four feet in length. The 
logs out of which the cabin was con- 
structed were notched at the corners to 
fit into each other, the spaces in between 
were filled with mud, or daubed, as it was 
then styled. If a floor was made in the 
cabin, it was made of logs split in two, 
which were called puncheons. The door 
was fastened by a latch inside and a 
string was passed through a hole up above 
to the outside and all that was required 
when they wished to lock the house was 
to pull in the string. 

A good many people of this generation 
have not seen the real log cabin. The 
double log cabin was merely two cabins 
put together end to end. As a rule one 
room was all that the cabin contained, un- 
less some additions were put to it. In 
this age of convenience we can hardly 
realize how the pioneer lived. If he 
wished to read, provided he was able, and 
if he had anything to read, his light at 
nig'ht was furnished by the burning of 
a pine knot, or if he was dwelling in more 
luxury, he might have a grease lamp or 
possibly a tallow candle. If the good 
housewife forgot to keep the fire going, 
considerable dmieulty was experienced in 
making a new one by the friction method 
of rubbing sticks together or that of 
striking flint, or if neither one of these 
methods were successful, possibly a live 
coal might be carried from a neighbor's. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



91 



If a new garment was I'equired, flax 
was to be raised which had to be 
"broken" and the fibers woven into home- 
spun, or if garments for winter were de- 
sired the wool had to be carded and then 
spun and knit into the desired articles, 
such as womases, stockings and suspend- 
ders. If the flour bin was empty, the hus- 
band would take his horse, throw a sack 
of wheat over his back and proceed to 
the mill, sometimes possibly fifty or seven- 
ty-five miles away, give his toll and re- 
ceive flour. If new articles for the house 
were wanted, trips to Dayton or Cincin- 
nati were required, Money was a thing 
that was hardly known. The pioneer 
lived largely by way of barter and ex- 
change. To keep the time of day they 
usually watched the course of the sun. 
Clocks were a rarity. One that now 
would cost a dollar was then worth an 
ox. If they did not have shoes to wear 
to church they went bare-footed, and yet 
with all these inconveniences they lived 
perhaps as happily as the average man 
of today. After the spot of ground was 
cleared and cabin reared, the ground was 
fitted for cultivation. Among the first 
things that were planted were trees of 
the fruit-bearing variety, and one of the 
first luxuries of the early days was cider. 
Boot beer was also a favorite beverage, 
and home-brewed ale ; and the community 
was not settled long before there ap- 
peared a "still" in the neighborhood. The 
scarcity of money for articles necessary 
in good housekeeping or good farming 
made the pioneers dependent upon each 
other and perhaps more friendly and 
sociable in their way than the people of 
the later and more advanced civilization. 
In the erection of their cabins and other 



buildings, a social gathering was usually 
made and all came in to lend a helping 
hand. So in making clearings it was a 
usual thing to have a log-rolling and when 
all was through with, ending in a good 
social time. Necessity made them invent- 
ors of many of their needed articles. 
Sugar was made from , the sap of the 
sugar tree, while honey was found in bee 
trees. The bear and the deer before their 
final extinction furnished food. One of 
the earliest animals which proved useful 
to the pioneer was the hog, the mast in 
the woods furnished all his needed food, 
and he required little other attention. 

The pioneer by necessity was a jack of 
all trades, but principally he was an agri- 
culturist. His acres of land, fitted for 
that avocation, were few, yet from the 
rude implements at hand it was sufficient 
to take up all his time and ingenuity. In- 
stead of plowing his land with a gang- 
plow drawn by four spirited horses, 
breaking two furrows at once or possibly 
a larger number from an immense plow 
drawn by a traction engine, he broke his 
soil with a "jumper" and one horse, or 
possibly a wooden side-board plow drawn 
by oxen. When he cut his wheat, his 
sickle and himself were the implements 
employed. When he threshed it, he used 
the flail or tramped it out with the horse 
or ox. Cleaned it by shaking it with a 
wooden fork or with a sieve held in his 
hand. After the sickle came the cradle, 
then the reaper, where the grain was 
raked off by hand; then the self -raker, 
followed by the dropper; this by the 
marsh harvester which was a machine car- 
rying two men upon the platform who 
bound the sheaves of wheat as it was ele- 
vated up to them ; after this came the self- 



92 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



binder using wire for binding material, 
until today we have the binder with twine. 
The same advance can be noticed in the 
culture of corn, first a rude mark was 
made upon the ground with some kind of 
a plow, and the grain was dropped and 
covered with a hoe, afterwards it was 
covered with a plow, called a straddler 
or straddle-jack, then came the drill, 
where by drilling one row, the corn being 
let out by press of the thumb; then the 
two-horse planter, on which a person sat 
and dropped the corn, up to our present 
machine, where it is planted in blocks by 
means of a check-roller or wire. 

The pioneer often combined the trades 
of cobbler and blacksmith with that of his 
other trades. If he did not perform these 
trades for the use of others he did a great 
deal of his own work. The blacksmith 
was one of the most useful callings for 
the pioneer of the vicinity. His place of 
business was usually combined with a 
general repair shop for almost every- 
thing that was used in the house or upon 
the farm. The collection in the Historical 
Society Rooms of this county will repay 
a visit from anyone, containing as it does 
specimens of the many rude implements 
and utensils that our pioneer fathers and 
mothers were required to use. Theirs 
was a different age from ours. We could 
no more carry on our present state of 
civilization with the meager instruments 
and implements they had at hand, than 
they could have performed the required 
duties of their time with what we have on 
hand at the present time. 

FiEST Settlers and Settlements. 

After the raid of General Clark, with 
the results of the battle of Piqua, fol- 



lowed by the victories of "Mad" Anthony 
Wayne, resulting in the treaty of G-reen- 
ville, settlers began to flock into this part 
of the State of Ohio. 

The first white child that was born in 
our state was christened Mary Hecka- 
welder, the daughter of a Monrovian mis- 
sionary, and was born April 16, 1781, in 
the Monrovian towns on the Muskingum 
River. 

The first white child born in Clark 
County so far as is definitely known was 
Jesse Chapman, who first saw the light 
in the year 1800 near the town of Tre- 
mont City. It is possible that children 
were born about the same time, to some 
of the six families that came with Simon 
Kenton in 1790, but of this we have no 
record. It is possible that there were 
white people of the squatter variety in- 
habiting the Indian village of Piqua or 
at a trading post, which tradition says 
was at one time located near the entrance 
of Buck Creek into Mad River, prior to 
any of the dates or settlements that may 
be given, but so far as we know, a man 
by the name of John Paul was the first 
actual settler in Clark County. It is 
known that in 1790 he was living at the 
forks of Honey Creek a short distance 
above the present village of New Carlisle. 
How long prior to that time he had lived 
there is not known. Some writers seem 
to think that there is some doubt about 
his settlement, but Mr. Young who wrote 
the history of Bethel Township in Beer's 
History of Clark County gives it as an 
undoubted fact. (See subsequent sketch.) 

In 1795 David Lowry and Jonathan 
Donnel came into this county and settled 
in Bethel Township, Mr. Lowry near the 
mouth of Donnel Creek, named after his 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



93 



friend Donnels and Mr. Donnel somewhat 
further east. A tombstone in the posses- 
sion of the historical society fixes 
Lowry's death in this county. Mr. J. 
E. Lowry, jjresent county commissioner, 
can trace his ancestry to this pioneer. 
Both Lowry and Donnels were Pennsyl- 
vanians. Donnels was a surveyor. Both 
of these pioneers married after they came 
into this county. Mr. Donnels, in a fit of 
temporary insanity, committed suicide 
close to where the Moores Limestone 
Quarry is now. 

The next record of any settlement we 
have in this county was in 1796 when two 
persons by the name of Kreb and Brown 
made a settlement a little beyond where 
the Big Pour Eailroad crosses Mad River 
south of Springfield, the second time, and 
it is not far from what is now known as 
Limestone City. This settlement is 
known in history as Kreb's Station. No 
mark exists at this time of its locality. 
Tradition has it that a noted character, 
"Johnny AppLeseed" visited this local- 
ity and planted some of his trees. 

The next person to make a settlement 
within this coimty, so far as we know, 
was James Gralloway. He came from 
Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and from Ken- 
tucky to what is now Mad Eiver Town- 
ship, not later than 1798. Mr. Galloway 
was a blacksmith and settled on a track 
of 400 acres of land one mile and a quar- 
ter directly south of Enon. 

After Galloway came John Humphreys 
and Simon Kenton, in 1799. With these 
two came James Demint, the founder of 
Springfield, Philip Jarbo, William Ward, 
John Eichards, William Moore and one 
other whose name is unknown. They first 
settled near the Mad Eiver bridge on the 



National Eoad west of Springfield. Here 
it is said fourteen cabins were raised and 
a place for retreat made in case of In- 
dian hostility. It seems that this place 
was not occupied very long. Jarbo and 
Ward, and Kenton shortly thereafter 
moved up along what is now known as 
the Urbana Pike, Kenton and Jarbo set- 
tling near the Hunt and Cassilly farms. 
Humphrey and Demint came up Buck 
Creek and founded Springfield. In 1800 
John Judy, a native of Switzerland, set- 
tled in Harmony Township. He came to 
Kentucky and afterward, in 1794, to 
Greene County, and in his next move set- 
tled about two miles east of the present 
site of Plattsburg. In 1802 Joseph Cof- 
fey emigrated from Pennsylvania. He 
came in a true pioneer style with an ox 
and a cart. He brought with him such 
articles as were necessary to pioneer life, 
together with his wife and two sons. His 
first stopping place was a short distance 
above Cincinnati, but on May 1st, he came 
to his final location on the forks of Buck 
Creek about a mile south of Catawba. 

Next in point of time, so far as we know, 
came the Inlows, Henry stopping at Don- 
nelsville and Abraham settling on section 
six about two miles and a half northwest 
of Pitchin. He was a Marylander. Sam- 
uel and Andrew Black came to Pike Town- 
ship in 1806, settling on section 25 a mile 
north of the south line of that township. 

In 1807 George Buffenbarger came and 
located on the head waters of the Little 
Miami in Madison Township. 

Just when a settlement was made by 
the Stormses around and above Tremont 
City and German township it is not de- 
finitely known, but William Chapman and 



94 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



William Eoss came near Tremont City in 
1798. 

From tlie time these different settle- 
ments in the different parts of the countj' 
were made other settlements rapidly fol- 
lowed, and it was not many years until the 
county was dotted all over with settle- 
ments made by the hardy pioneer. 

PEESE:NrT PlONEEES. 

At the County Fair held in 1907, the 
following pioneers registered: 

Name. Age. 

J. F. Hamm..... 78 

Geo. Eamsey 80 

Sanf ord Flinny 84 

John Gesty 87 

Wm. Hunter 76 

John Weller 90 

E. L. Holman 80 

Hute Hansy 82 

S. D. Hatcher 79 

Silas Baker 84 

Wm. Thomas 76 

B. B. Littleton 78 

D. E. Shellabarger 80 

Eev. W. H. Guss 77 

F. H. Snyder 78 

Geo. Slurey 75 

L. K. Darrys 78 

Wm. N. Wins 85 

C. H. Wilson 78 

Harvey Strain 77 

Sebastian Gerhardt 77 

John Cabell 76 

J. G. Hatfield 86 

Wallace Collins 75 

George 0. LTrquart 75 

Abraham Short 84 

Abraham Martin 80 

W. U. Chamberlain 84 

Peter Perry 87 

David Crabill 78 

E. E. Stewart 86 

E. B. West 75 



Michael Shawver 75 

W. H. Crabill 81 

H. P. Mead 75 

John Teasel 77 

Edward Eeding 75 

J. D. Williamson 78 

John Kruft 75 

David Compton 83 

J. Adewalt 75 

David Fremont 82 

Wm. Foster 75 

Joseph Spun 84 

Gus Compton 80 

John Cord 76 

John Stevenson 79 

H. W. Swipe 91 

James Balentine 84 

Wm. Fealey 78 

Wm. Wilkinson 78 

J. D. Otstot 85 

T. S. Poling 82 

To this might be properly be added as 
pioneers : 

Name. Age. 

Eoss Mitchell 83 

John Foos 82 

Geo. H. Frey 82 

Joseph Byers 92 

Eebecca Bvers 93 

Wm. A. Barnett 82 

Adam Grube 74 

Wm. H. Heist 87 

Eev. John G. Black 84 

Henry D. Bradbury 82 

E. G." Coffin ■. 77 

Abraham Weaver 85 

Sarah Morris 84 

Sarah Baker 94 

Nancy Leas 79 

Esther Craig Fryant 91 

Jas. D. Cadwallader 77 

Benjamin Strausburg 90 

Job Ervans 83 

Joseph Pearson 80 

John Yeazell 77 

J. Harvey Arbogast 73 

Dr. Ales. W. Laybourn 89 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



95 



Dr. Isaac Kay 79 

Henry Deam 82 

Daniel Hupp 80 

Geo. W. Hastings 81 

Michael Hinkle 74 

Ales. McConkey 76 

Jacob B. Lisle 78 

John W. Parsons 77 

J. R. Athy 75 

Benjamin Keifer 84 

Lncinda A. Frankenburg 84 

W. Brand Todd 78 

David Enoch 82 

Samuel Circle 80 

Samuel E. Deffenbach 80 

Samuel R. Battin '. 78 

Pierce Crabill 84 

Robert Tindall 83 

D. T. Gibson ' 80 

Elizabeth Eebert 80 

Oscar N. Stewart ; 75 

Eobert Johnson 76 

J. S. Kitchen 77 

Thomas Wingate 81 

Cornelius Baker 85 

J. L. Kidder 80 

Dr. John H. Rodgers 74 

Joseph Wallingsf ord 84 

Jas. Wallingsford 80 

Eeuben Scifers 75 

Jacob Mitzel 77 

John Eay 94 

J. T. Eidgely 77 

Mary E. Gard 83 

E. M. Kissell 85 

Lewis Skillings 77 

Jeremiah W. Maurice 75 

Christian Brosey 77 

David Stewart 75 

Eobert J. Beck 76 

Lewis Patrick 77 

Wm. M. Harris 76 

Geo. W. Bymaster 75 

Among these should also be mentioned 

Joseph Leffel now seventy-four years of 
age, forty-six inches in height and weigh- 
ing sixty-five pounds. Mr. Leffel was 



born in this coimty, his father being 
James P. Leffel, formerly residing in Lef- 
fel 's Lane, a man six feet and two inches 
in height, and the mother weighing 200 
pounds. Mr. Leffel is perfect in form, his 
head, body, legs, feet and hands all being 
proportionately small. He is the father 
of three living children and is a well- 
known poultry dealer. 

(See Bethel Township for list at Pio- 
neer meeting, 1907, and the history of 
the various townshii^s for mention of their 
pioneers.) 

Wild Animai^s an^d Theie Extinction. 

Tliat the fertile valleys of Mad Eiver 
and the liittle Miami afforded pasturage 
for the buffalo and elk, as well' as for 
other herbivorous animals, is not ques- 
tioned. 

While there is no definite knowledge 
of the time when the buffalo and elk 
ceased to be inhabitants of our county, 
the best information that we can get on 
tliat subject is that they were last known 
to be iii this part of Ohio about the year 
1795. The red deer was known to be here 
as late as 1843. A bear was killed in Mad 
Eiver Township in 1810, and a brown 
bear was found in Green Township as 
late as 1825. The writer's grandmother, 
when she was a girl about the year 1820, 
in driving cows home through the forests 
saw a she bear and two cubs cross her 
pathway a short distance away from her. 
She paid no attention to it and the bear 
paid no attention to her. 

Jesse Demint, son of James Demint, 
the founder of Springfield, shot a panther 
on the roads north of Buck Creek, Spring- 
field, Ohio, which measured nine feet in 



96 



HISTOEY" OF CLARK COUNTY 



length. The date is not known, but it 
was not later than 1815, and it was the 
last panther seen in this vicinity. 

Opossums, raccoons, and ground-hogs 
were found in various places in greater 
or less numbers. These have not become 
entirely extinct yet, as occasionally an 
opossum will, be found as well as a 
"coon." Ground-hogs are more or less 
frequent. Wild turkeys are known to 
have existed in this county as late as 
1857. 

Squirrels were in abundance, the gray 
squirrel being the one noticed at an early 
date. The red or fox squirrel came at a 
later jDeriod, probably about 1850. The 
vigilance of the hunter and the thought- 
lessness of the Legislature in permitting 
them to be killed, have all but extermi- 
nated these pretty animals in this county. 
-The streams and ponds in the spring 
time of the year alwaj^s afforded a plenti- 
ful sight of wild geese and wild ducks. 
It is related upon unquestioned authority, 
that less than seventy-five years ago the 
wild pigeon came in such great numbers 
along some of the swamp lands in the 
northern part of the county for their 
roosting and resting for the night, that 
trees were broken down by their weight, 
and the settler of that time would come 
to this swamp and kill them with sticks. 
Until within tw'enty-five years great flock^ 
of this bird were frequently seen in va- 
rious places in this county, but such a 
sight now is a rare one. The quail, or 
partridge, as it is sometimes called, was 
also frequently found but is now fast 
disappearing; unless protected in some 
way it will not be long until it will be 
entirely extinct. 



John Paul the First Settler. 

We have before referred to the fact 
that John Paul was the first white set- 
tler, so far as is definitely known, in Clark 
County. In a recent issue, January 16, 
1908, of the Neiv Carlisle Sun, Mr. Julius 
C. Williams, himself a pioneer, has given 
a A^ery good history of Mr. Paul in which 
he states the means of his information, 
and I deem that I can do no better than 
to quote this article for the history it 
gives of the early times as well as the 
life of the person whom so far as is known 
was the first white settler of this county. 

Mr. Williams says: 

"All the printed histories have to say 
of this man Paul is, that he and his fam- 
ily were surprised and killed by the In- 
dians somewhere north of Fort Washing- 
ton, now the city of Cincinnati, sometime 
in 1789 or 1790. So far as location is con- 
cerned the student of history is left to 
judge for himself where the massacre took 
place. Some few persons who have taken 
a deeper interest in the early history of 
the Miami Valley have delved into early 
traditions and have sought to show that 
Mr. Paul and his family met death at the 
hands of the Indians somewhere near the 
forks of Twin Creek. The part Mr. Paul 
and his son, John Paul, Jr., played in the 
making of Clark County, would indicate 
that the slaughter must have taken place 
somewhere within the county's borders. 

' ' One son and one daughter of the Paul 
family escaped being slaughtered by the 
Indians. They remained where the father 
had built the first cabin in Clark County 
and continued to farm, the son, John, dy- 
ing at the age of ninety-one years in 1851. 
He was buried in the New Carlisle eeme- 




— — l— — . 




XJVVN IIALl,. CLJI'TON 



BRIDGE ACROSS MAD RIVER 
(On Old National Road West of Springfield) 





JESSE BOYD HOTEL ON OLD COLUM- 
BUS STAGE ROAD (Built Isis) 



OLD SCHOOL HOUSE— HOPEWELL 
SCHOOL 

South of Springfield on the Old Clifton Road 





SPRING! 

'I he engraving is a reproduction from a drawing made by an English gent'eman who visited 
Mr. Jeremiah Warder, I'ebruary 2:;, is:;2. The view i« from a point directly in front of what was 
formerly the Mitchell-Thomas Hospital on E. Main street, beyond the R. R. crossing, looking 
westward. The most prominent building in the center is the old Werden House, now Henry Block. 
On the right is the Old Court House. The residence on the left was the first house occupied by 
Jeremiah Warder, now the home of the Misses Bnrrowes. East High St.. opposite Christ's Episcopal 
Church. The view in the foreground was on the line of the National Road, then in process of con- 
struction. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



99 



tery where now a marble slab marks his 
last resting place. Mr. Benjamin Sud- 
doth who, until death at the age of eighty- 
nine years, two years ago, was one of 
the pioneer residents of the county and 
lived with John Paul, Jr., for a period of 
thirty years during his early life. In this 
way Mr. Suddoth heard Mr. Paul tell the 
story of the massacre many times and be- 
came quite familiar with all details re- 
garding the death of John Paul, Sr., his 
wife and three children. Mr. Suddoth 
related the following narrative of the 
Paul family to the writer a number of 
times, going to the Paul farm and point- 
ing out the exact location of the original 
cabin and the place where the slaughter 
took place. 

"Mr. Suddoth heard John Paul, Jr., 
relate many times the experiences he had 
with the Sha'WTiee 'Indians and heard him 
tell of the slaughter of his father, mother 
and other members of the family. Ac- 
cording to the boy's story of his father's 
life, Mr. Paul, Sr., was a member of the 
Kentucky Squirrel Hunters who marched 
with General Greorge Rogers Clark against 
the Indians at the Battle of Piqua. One 
division of Clark's army pursued the In- 
dians westward from Piqua, near what is 
now Durbin, imtil they came to Honey 
Creek. Here, near the forks of the creek 
on what is now the Joseph Kable farm, 
the last stand was taken with the Indians 
against Clark's men. This fact is borne 
out from the finding of cannon balls and 
musket balls that compare with those 
found in the battlegrounds of Piqua. 
After the skirmish the Indians disap- 
peared in the forests toward the west, and 
Clark's men retreated to the south, going 
back to Kentuckv. 



"When Mr. Paul, Sr., who was with 
tliis division, visited the valley in the 
vicinity of the forks of Honey Creek he 
was very much impressed with the fertil- 
ity of the soil and thereupon resolved to 
bring his family from Kentucky and set- 
tle at this point. Soon after the organi- 
zation of the Northwest Territory by the 
Ordinance of 1787, John Paul gathered 
his family into his wagon and they started 
northward from Cincinnati to find, if pos- 
sible, the place where he had visited in 
his skirmish with the Indians while with 
the Squirrel Hunters. 

"The journey northward must have 
been fraught with many hardships, as 
many times it became necessary to use 
the axe to cut their way through the 
tangled forest. Mr. Paul and his farh-' 
ily, on their lonely journey, followed the 
Miami River as far as Dayton, then took 
up the banks of Mad River and proceeded 
northward toward the point of the former 
battle. Many nights the Indians prowled 
about the little wagon, around which one 
member of the family always stood guard 
while the others slept lest they be taken 
by surprise and lose their lives during a 
night attack of the treacherous Redskins. 

"After many days of such experiences, 
Mr. Paul and his family reached the 
place with which he had been so im- 
pressed during his former visit to Clark 
County. 

"All members of the family at once set 
about to erect the cabin. Little did these 
folks think that right then and there they 
were building the first cabin in what is 
now Clark County. The cabin must have 
been a rude affair compared with our 
houses of the present, and there were 
none of those 'modern conveniences' so 



100 



HISTOKY OF CLARK COUNTY 



desired by the present-day tenant. There 
is evidence that the cabin was built 
hastily, as Paul well knew that there 
were Indians in the vicinity and it was 
his desire to protect his family from 
their probable attacks. 

"A stockade was constructed about 
the cabin, just at the base of a small hill 
which extends either way from the point 
where the cabin was built. 

"The nest thing in order was to clean 
a small patch of ground on which corn 
and some vegetables could be raised. 
The first winter was spent in clearing a 
plot of ground which lay immediately 
north of the cabin and between the forks 
of the creek. When spring came, every 
day saw Mr. Paul and his family earn- 
estly working in this truck patch to pro- 
vide supplies for the long winter that was 
to follow. 

' ' One day in the summer of 1790, when 
the family was thus engaged in the patch 
north of their cabin, there was a sudden 
war hoop came piercing from the woods 
nearby and a small band of Indians could 
be seen hurrying from tree to tree making 
their way toward the cabin. Instantly 
the Paul famih^ started for the cabin to 
make ready for defense, but no sooner 
had they started than a half-dozen of the 
screaming Indians in full war paint cut 
ofC their escape, all the time firing into 
the terror-stricken little family. In quick 
succession the father, mother and three 
of the children were pierced by the bullets 
of the Eedmen and fell mortally wounded 
to the ground. The son, John, picked up 
his father and started to drag him to the 
cabin, but the father gasped to him, 
'Save yourself, I am dying, you can't help 
me.' 



"In the excitement of the moment and 
their haste to secure the scalps of the 
white settlers and get back into cover, the 
Indians did not notice John and his sis- 
ter, and they made their escape to the 
cabin. A moment later, however, there 
was a crash from one of the port-holes in 
the cabin from John's trusty musket and 
one of the Indians who was engaged in 
scalping the father and mother fell dead. 
Another flash, a whiff of smoke and the 
second Indian fell mortally woimded be- 
side the bodies of their slaughtered vic- 
tims. This so terrified the remainder of 
the Indians that they withdrew to the 
woods a short distance away, carrying 
the bodies of their dead members with 
them, but leaving the bodies of the Paul 
family, five in all, laying on the ground 
minus their scalps. 

"For two long days' following this at- 
tack, John and his sister remained at the 
port-holes in the cabin, rifles in hand, 
ready to pierce the heart of the first Eed- 
skin who would dare to show his face from 
the neighboring woodland. On the third 
day, there having been no further signs 
of an attack, the sister and brother, ven- 
tured out where lay the bodies of the 
loved ones and buried them on the spot 
where they met death. 

"John and his sister continued to live 
in the cabin, and oftentimes saw the In- 
dians skulking along the creek nearby, 
but they were neA^er molested by an or- 
ganized band after this time. Mr. Sud- 
doth stated tliat it was no uncommon oc- 
currence for John Paul to be riding about 
his farm on horseback and to shoot an In- 
dian when he saw one, as Mr. Paul was 
regarded as one of the trustiest shots 
with a rifle with whom the Indians had 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



101 



ever contended. It is said that Paul 
often came riding up to the door of his 
cahin with the body of an Indian thrown 
cross-wise on the saddle, his heart pierced 
by one of John's rifle bullets. 'There's 
another of them damn Redskins,' was the 
remark, it is said, he would make when 
bringing home his trophy. 

•'That this account of the massacre of 
the Paul family is the most authentic so 
far recorded cannot be doubted, as the 
details are more complete and compare 
very favorably with existing circum- 
stances in later years. The point where 
the cabin was erected and where the sub- 
sequent massacre took place is near the 
forks of Honey Creek, about one mile 
northwest of New Carlisle. A brick house 
has been erected on the spot and the farm 
is owned by Fissel Brothers, nurserymen, 
of this place. Near the cabin was a 
spring and today the spring still sends 
out its bubbling stream as it did years 
ago, though the ground round about it 
has become neglected and has the ap- 
pearance of a swamp. Mr. Carson, who 
lives on the farm, says he finds many In- 
dian arrows and other relics as he plows 
in the fields around the slope of the hill, 
serving as further evidence that this spot 
was no strange location to the Redmen 
who loved to fish and hunt along tlie 
stream. 

"At the Centennial celebration in War- 
ren County a few years ago a contest was 
conducted and a prize offered for the best 
authentic account of the family that 
raised the first corn in the Miami valley. 
It was here shown that John Paul, the 
subject of this sketch, produced the first 
corn in the Miami valley as early as 1792. 

"Mr. Paul, Jr., was also one of the 



founders of the Honey Creek Presbyte- 
rian church. That he was a remarkable 
character and was the first pioneer set- 
tler of Clark County is beyond dispute. 
Mr. Suddoth, to whom the writer is in- 
debted' for much of the information con- 
tained in this interesting sketch, was also 
regarded as a man of his word and the 
story he related is beyond question one 
of the important connecting links in the 
early history of Clark Comity." 

Johnnie Appleseed and Othee 
Chaeactebs. 

Johnnie Appleseed, whose real name 
yfas Chapman, was an eccentric character 
who wandered over the midland counties 
of Ohio in the early part of the last cen- 
tuYj. He received his sobriquet from his 
peculiar calling, if I may term it as such. 
Even in the times in which he lived, his 
habits were such as to term him eccentric. 
He lived the roughest life, often sleeping 
in the woods. He was quick and restless 
in his motions and conversations. His 
beard and hair were long, his clothing was 
mostly old, given him generallj^ in ex- 
change for his apple trees. Without any 
compensation other than that of being al- 
lowed to indulge his eccentricities, he 
went from place to place planting apple 
trees wherever his fancy might suggest. 
He planted nurseries in Licking County 
and Riclnnond County and in other places 
of which we now have no knowledge. 
That his wanderings sometimes took him 
through Clark County is more than prob- 
able. People bearing the same name — 
and it is said in his biography that he had 
a large number of relatives in various 
parts of Ohio — resided near Tremont 



102 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



City where the creek flowing through 
that village is given his family name, and 
we are informed that his wanderings ex- 
tended as far as the state of Indiana. 

Tradition has it that he planted an 
orchard at what was formerly known as 
Kreb's Station, which was located near 
the western end of where the second Big- 
Four Bridge crosses Mad River south of 
Springfield. On these wanderings he 
either carried the apple shrubs or the 
seeds with him, planted or gave them 
away just as his fancy might dictate. A 
harmless character, whose peculiar but 
well resulting efforts, humble though 
they might have been, have left behind a 
kindly memory, and won for him a fanxe 
that people in more distinguished call- 
ings have often failed to win. 

The famous renegade Simon Girty was 
probably at no time a resident of this 
county, otherwise than as a guest of some 
of the Indians at Piqua. A fairly good 
sketch of his life is given in the descrip- 
tion of the battle of Piqua, although ac- 
cording to the best authorities now, he 
was not at that battle. 

Likewise the famous Indian tighter and 
scout, Daniel Boone, was at no length of 
time a resident of this county", although 
engaged in Indian excursions that took 
him through the Miami and Mad River 
Valley. He is credited with having been 
present at the battle of Piqua, but the 
better authority is that he was not there 
at the time the battle was fought, being 
in North Carolina with his people. Many 
others doubtless, who have been promi- 
nent in forming the history of this 
county, will fail to receive mention in any 
historical work. Each pioneer performed 
duties that were proper and necessary in 



his day, and while all men have not shone 
with equal luster, nor have received the 
recognition that transmits their names 
and records to posterity on history's 
page, the fact j-emains that they were 
useful and necessary factors in the early 
history of this county. 

It is said upon good authority that 
when Gen. McPherson fell in front of At- 
lanta, the surprise was so great that for a 
few moments he was deserted by all but 
a single private, who staid to attend him. 
History has searched in vain for that pri- 
vate 's name in citing the incident. So 
in our county histories while many of the 
incidents will be cited and remembered, 
the names of the individuals may never be 
known. The roster of county officials will 
give the names of a large number of per- 
sons who in various .ways participated in 
the up-building of our county, and so in 
the descriptions of various trades and 
callings there will appear the names of 
those most prominent in such respective 
tields of industry. Sketches of members 
of the bar and of the legal profession will 
also give publicity to the names of some 
who were or have been prominent in local 
history, and others, again, may be found 
in the biographical sketches published in 
the latter part of this volume. 

Simon Kexton. 

A monument stands on the right side 
of the State House at Cohunbus. Upon 
its pedestals stand the bronze statues of 
eight of Ohio's sons — of Grant, Sheridan, 
Sherman, McPherson, Hayes, Garfield, 
Stanton and Chase. This monument 
with its heroic figures stood in front of 
the Ohio building at the Columbian Cen- 
tennial. 



AND BEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



103 



" 'These are my jewels,' was Ohio's 
challenge ; did any state answer ! Not one. 
Yet these men only represented one epi- 
sode in her history, one hrief period of 
four years out of her full century. Mark 
you ; we could put another monument with 
eight other of her sons, who would repre- 
sent all the different periods of her career. 
I suggest that Eufus Putnam, the revolu- 
tionary hero who led the first of emi- 
grants who settled on her soil, should 
have the first place. Next I would place 
by his side a statue of Ohio's typical pio- 
neer, Simon Kenton; then I would place 
our first president, William Henry Har- 
rison, the hero of Tippecanoe. For the 
next pedestal I would suggest Thomas 
Ewing, a great lawyer and statesman, and 
a cabinet minister under several admin- 
istrations; then Thomas Corwin, gov- 
ernor, senator and inspired orator. Then 
should come another of our presidents, 
McKinley, the well-beloved, who repre- 
sented American manhood in the turning- 
point of our history." 

Gen. Anderson's Address at Ohio 
Centennial. 

If Simon Kenton is entitled to such a 
distinguished honor as the quotation 
above gives him it certainly would not be 
inappropriate considering his pioneer 
residence in this coimty, in a work of this 
kind, to give a brief sketch of his life. 

Simon Kenton was born in Culpeper 
County, Va., on the 3d day of April, 1755, 
and died near Zanesfield, Logan county, 
Ohio, on the head waters of Mad River, 
on April 29, 1836, aged eighty-one years. 
A great many biographies give Fauquier 
County, Virginia, as the county of his 
birth, but Culpeper Coimty is given as 
the proper county on his monument. "We 
know little of his parentage or his early 
life, otherwise than his parents were poor 



and that he was never taught to read and 
write. At an early age, some say sixteen 
years, he became the suitor for the affec- 
tions of a young lady of his neighborhood. 
In this he had a rival and chivalric-like, 
wliether by agreement or by way of ban- 
ter, a contest was agreed upon between the 
rivals, in John L. Sullivan style, to deter- 
mine who should be the favorite one. 
From Kenton's fiery and fighting quali- 
ties, it may be well conjectured that he 
would not fail to accept such an offer, al- 
though he might have realized that his 
strength was not equal to that of his ad- 
versary, and so it turned out, for Kenton 
was the vanquished one. He was not 
a man to accept defeat without some 
thought of revenge, so he awaited his ap- 
pointed time, and when he became a man 
the rivals again met. This was about the 
year 1771. It can be conjectured that, 
having suffered the thoughts of his defeat 
to rankle in his bosom for so long a time, 
Kenton engaged in this battle with the 
full strength of his manhood and deter- 
mined to wreak vengeance at all hazards. 
It seems that his adversary's hair was 
long, and after they had clinched and 
rolled around upon the ground Kenton 
managed to bring his opponent's head 
close to a sapling and by a quick turn 
locked his hair around the branches. 
Then having him at his mercy, he pom- 
meled him to his heart's content; and he 
kept up this punishment so long that when 
he left his victim he thought he was dead. 
With this fear in his mind, suspicion, and 
prompted also by his love of adventure, 
he came westward to where there was a 
clustering settlement near Harrods, or 
Boone's Station, in Kentucky. It may 
be presumed from what we afterwards 



104 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



learned, that he possessed the common 
idea prevailing- among the people of his 
class, that to steal from an Indian was no 
wrong, for in 1778, about the first of Sep- 
tember, he and two others set off for the 
express purpose of obtaining horses from 
the Indians. They crossed the Ohio and 
proceeded cautiously until they had come 
to what is now Chillicothe, without any 
adventure. In the night they fell in with 
a drove of horses that were feeding on 
the prairies. They were prepared with 
salt and halters, and at length succeeded 
in catching seven. With these they trav- 
eled as speedily as possible towards the 
Ohio River, reaching the ford at Eagle 
Creek, now in Brown County. There 
they found the waves of the river so high 
that they could not force the horses 
across. The Indians at daybreak had dis- 
covered the loss of their jDroperty and im- 
mediately commenced pursuit. One of 
Kenton's companions was killed and the 
other made his escape, Kenton himself 
being captured. The next morning the 
Indians prepared to return to their In- 
dian village. ^Vlien read.v they got one 
of their wildest horses and tied G-en. Ken- 
ton on its back. The horse lunged and 
plunged in various ways, but finally be- 
coming satisfied that he could not get rid 
of his rider, quietly submitted and fol- 
lowed the Indians. In about three days 
they reached Old Chillicothe. Here he 
was made to run the gauntlet. Having 
been informed by one who knew the cus- 
toms of the Indians, that if he could break 
through the Indian lines and arrive at the 
Council House before he was over-taken, 
they would not force him to run the 
gauntlet the second time, he attempted 
the feat and would have succeeded, had 



he not met a fresh Indian near the Coun- 
cil House. This Indian saw him coming 
and threw him down and held him until 
his caiDtors came. The next thing that 
the Indians did was to decide his method 
of punishment. After consultation they 
decided that he should be punished with 
death, which in the Indian method, meant 
burning at the stake; and it was further 
decided that his place of execution should 
be at Wapatomika, now near Zanesfield, 
Logan Count}', and which, as it turned 
out afterwards singularly enough, was 
the place where he finally died a peaceful 
death. I am not sure that the Chillicothe 
first spoken of was the Chillicothe in 
Ross County or the old Chillicothe situ- 
ated three miles above Xenia. Anyway, 
on their route they were to ]3ass through 
what was then the Indian village of Piqua 
in Clark County, and thence up the valley 
through the oth?r villages alous' ^lad 
River. At these various villages Kenton 
was required to run the gauntlet. At one 
of these places he made an attempt to 
escape and got about two miles from the 
town when he accidentally met some In- 
dians on horse back and was by them re- 
captured. It was after this recapture 
that he met with the famous Simon Girty. 
It seems that previously Kenton and 
Girty were quite warm friends. When 
Kenton went to Kentucky he had assumed 
the name of Butler. Having had his face 
blackened, which among the Indians was 
a sigTi that the death sentence had been 
passed, he was not at once recognized. 
After Girty recog-nized him he did all in 
his power to have the death sentence an- 
nulled, but in this he was unsuccessful, 
and Kenton was a second time sentenced, 
when the great Mingo chief. Logan, took 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



105 



an interest in his welfare and it was 
finally decided to send him to Upper San- 
dusky. There after some more proceed- 
ings had been gone through, he was ran- 
somed and finally was enabled to secure 
his freedom. After .this thrilling experi- 
ence he revisited his old home and was 
probably not with General Clark in the 
battle of Piqua. The first that we know 
of him again was about 1784 when he 
came with Captain Logan in the raid that 
he made against Mac-i-chesk and other 
Indian villages along Mad River. He 
then served in various Indian wars and 
was a major in the army of General 
Wayne, whose conquest of the Indians re- 
sulted in the treaty of Greenville. Of his 
life in Kentucky we know little, other 
than that that section seemed to be a place 
of his abode when not engaged in Indian 
Excursions. 

In 1799 he with six other families em- 
igrated to Clark County, first settling 
near where the National Road crosses 
Buck Creek west of the city. Afterwards 
he and his brother-in-law, Philip Jarbo, 
no doubt following the old Indian trail to 
Sandusky, moved up to what is known as 
the Hunt farm in Moorefield Township, 
Kenton's cabin being a short distance 
west of the present Hunt residence close 
to the Urbana Pike and Philip Jarbo 's 
about a mile east along the little stream. 
Some biographies say that in 1802 he 
moved to Urbana, but this I think is a 
mistake. Wlaere he resided in Moorefield 
Township was then or was a short time 
afterwards considered Champaign Coun- 
ty, and from this fact probably comes the 
other statement that he lived in Urbana. 
If he did live in Urbana it was but for a 
very short time, for in the year 1806 he 



moved to what were then the rapids of 
Buck Creek, and where the village of La- 
gonda now stands. Here he built a grist- 
mill and attached thereto a carding ma- 
chine which for want of perfect machinery 
did not prove a success. He also built the 
first saw-mill upon the same site, the first 
in the county. His love of adventure, 
patriotism and military spirit led him to 
abandon or leave this mill property in 
1812, to join the army of this country in 
the second war with Great Britain. In 
this war he was a brigadier general of 
militia, serving under General Wm. H. 
Harrison. In the year 1820 he moved to 
his final earthly home, situate near 
Zanesfield in Logan County, Ohio. That 
he was a resident of this county in 1818, 
or at least that he was supposed to be, 
would appear from the fact that at the 
June term of Court of Common Pleas of 
this coimty, process was issued for him. 
At his place near Zanesfield he erected 
a small house and resided there until his 
death, which occurred as heretofore 
stated. Through the efforts of one of his 
life-long friends of Urbana, in 1865, his 
remains were removed to Oakdale Ceme- 
tery at that place, where a monument was 
erected to his memory, which bears this 
inscription on the north side— "Erected 
by the State of Ohio 1884," on the south 
side "1775-18.36." On the north side is a 
wolf's head, on the south side an Indian, 
on the west side a bear's head, and on the 
east side a panther. 

At the time of his death he was draw- 
ing a pension of $20.00 a month and was 
a member of the Methodist Church. 

He was described as being of fair com- 
plexion, six feet one inch in height. He 
stood and walked very erect, and, in the 



106 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



prime of life, weighed about 190 pounds. 
He never was inclined to be corpulent, 
although of sufficient fullness to form a 
graceful person. He had a soft, tremu- 
lous voice, very pleasing to the hearer. 
He had laughing gray eyes, which ap- 
peared to fascinate the beholder. He was 
a pleasant, good-humored, and obliging 
companion. When excited or provoked 
to anger (which was seldom the case) 
the tiery glance of his eye would almost 
curdle the blood of those with whom he 
came in contact. His rage, when aroused, 
was a tornado. In his dealing he was per- 
fectly honest; his confidence in man and 
his credulity were such that the same 
man might cheat him twenty times, and if 
he professed friendship he might cheat 
him still. 

Another who knew General Kenton at 
Zanesfield describes him as follows : 

"General Kenton, in the prime of life, 
according to his own statement, was red 
haired and his face was badly freckled. 
He walked with a slight limp, because of 
a cut inflicted in his left foot caused by 
an Indian tomahawk. Although nearly 
seventy years old when he took up his 
abode near Zanesfield, his hair was not 
entirely whitened, and here and there, 
until the day of his death, were evidences 
of its former ruddy color. He was over 
six feet tall and in younger days weighed 
about one hundred and ninety pounds. 
His eyes were changeable, now gray, but 
when he was roused to anger they as- 
sumed a greenish hue. As his years fled, 
displays of temper became infrequent. ' ' 

The following very interesting sketch 
appears in the sketches of Springfield by 
R. C. Woodward : 

"My first visit to Springfield and the 



Mad River Country was in October, 1832. 
I took lodging with Colonel Warden, then 
keeper of the National, for the night. 
When I entered the two-horse hack in the 
morning, I found seated therein a very 
elderly and dignified gentleman, who at 
the first glance commanded my respect. 
By his side sat a lad)^ much yoimger in 
appearance than himself. We three 
formed the load. The lady and myself 
soon fell into a running conversation, and 
I found her to be a very agreeable and 
companionable traveler. Among other 
facts, she told me that Springfield was 
so named at her suggestion, on account 
of the many delightfu.1 and valuable 
springs within and around the plat lo- 
cated for the town. While we chatted, 
the old gentleman sat in silence, and, as 
his grave appearance was not. of a charac- 
ter to invite conversation, with a young 
and bashful man, I had to be content, for 
the while, with looking at him, and won- 
dering who he was ! At length, however, 
when we came into the neighborhood of 
Major William Hunt's, I ventured to ask 
him if he were 'going far north.' He 
said, 'No.' The lady then said they were 
going to their home near Zanesfield, Lo- 
gan County. This question happened to 
break "the ice a little, and the gentleman 
became somewhat talkative — in a slow 
way. He told me he had been to New- 
port, Ky., to attend a meeting of pioneers 
appointed fifty years before, but that the 
cholera had thwarted the meeting. He 
pointed out along the verge of the road, 
nearly opposite the Half-Way House 
(now the residence of L. L. Young), the 
path along which the Indians had once 
escorted him, a prisoner, on the way to 
Zanesfield, to make him run the gauntlet, 



AND EEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



107 



and gave me sundry snatches of detail as 
to bis ear]}^ hardships in the backwoods, 
and adventures with the Indians, so that 
by the time we came to Urbana, we had 
all become quite free talkers. All the 
time, I did not take any hint as to who he 
was, though I tried hard to study him out, 
and thought I had been familiar with his 
history from my boyhood. When we 
landed at TTrbana, at the house kept by 
Daniel Harr, Esq., the people collected 
pretty freely around the hack, all anxious 
to see and speak to him whom, as I soon 
learned, I had been traveling with, and 
whom I had, till then, known only in his- 
tory — the celebrated i^ioneer, SIMON 
KENTON, and his excellent lady." 

The reports about Kenton's life and 
his final home are somewhat confiicting 
with respect to the fact as to whether he 
resided alone or with some relative. It 
would seem from the statements of Mr. 
Woodward, that during sometime of his 
residence there, his wife was living, and 
yet other statements seem to indicate 
that, at least at the time of his death, he 
was living alone. On a stone at the cor- 
ner of what used to be his log cabin, close 
to the Indian town of Wapatomika, Zanes- 
field, Ohio, these words are carved, "This 
is the comer stone of Simon Kenton, do 
not remove it." This is all that remains 
now to indicate the place where this old 
hero spent his last days. The following 
from the pen of William Hubbard, a 
newspaper editor of Bellfontaine, is 
worthy of quotation : 

Tread lightly, this is hallowed ground; 

tread reverently here ! 
Beneath this sod in silence sleeps the 

brave old pioneer 



Who never quailed in darkest hour, whose 

heart ne'er felt a fear; 
Tread lightly, then, and here bestow the 

tribute of a tear. 

Ah ! can this be the spot where sleeps the 

bravest of the brave? 
Is this rude slab the only mark of Simon 

Kenton's grave! 
These fallen palings, are they all his in- 

grate country gave 
To one who periled life so oft, her homes 

and hearths to save? 

Long, long ago, in manhood's prime when 

all was wild and drear 
They boimd the hero to a stake of savage 

torment here — 
Unblanched and firm, his soul disdained a 

supplicating tear — 
A thousand demons could not daunt the 

Western Pioneer. 

They tied his hands, Mazeppa-like, and 

set him on a steed. 
Wild as a mustang of the plains, and, 

mocking, bade him speed ! 
They sped that courser like the wind, of 

curb and bit all freed. 
O'er flood and field, o'er hill and dale, 

wherever chance might lead. 

But, firm in every trial hour, his heart 

was still the same — 
Still throbbed with self-reliance strong, 

which danger could not tame. 
Yet fought he not that he might win the 

splendor of a fame, 
Wliich would in ages long to come shed 

glory on his name. 



108 HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 

He fought because lie loved the land And ever in the fiercest and thickest of 

where first he saw the light — the fight, 

He fought because his soul was true and The dusk and swarthy foeman felt the 

idolized the right; terror of his might. 



CHAPTER VII. 



COUNTY POLITICS AND ROSTER OF OFFICERS. 



Whigs and Republicans in Politics — Vote at Presidential Election — Close Calls and 
Defeats — Log Cabin Campaign — Prominence in Politics — Civil War Spirits 
- — War Politics — Political Meetings — Garfield cmd Pendleton Debate — Keifer- 
Bushnell Contest — Unsuccessful Candidates — Plug Eat Brigade — Incidents 
Attending Elections Under Former Laws — State Officials — Apportionment to 
Congress — Congressional Districts — Members of Congress — State Senators 
— Representatives — Common Pleas Judges — Probate Judges — Clerk of Court 
— -Prosecuting Attorneys — Sheriffs — Auditors — • Treasurers — Recorders 
— Surveyors — Coroners — County Commissioners — Infirmary Directors. 



Whig and Repi^blicans in Politics. 

An investigation of the organization of 
states and counties and the formation 
of the general government more than a 
century ago, will show that in the direc- 
tion of politics men were much the same 
then as now. We are inclined to hold up 
the past and decrj^ the present. Looking 
back we see only statesmen and patriots. 
Looking around us today we see only 
"grafters" and persons who are inclined 
to look only to the realization of their 
own personal ambitions, but an honest 
comparison would make the man in public 
life today just as good as he was a hun- 
dred years ago. In politics our people 
have always been alert and active. An 
early exhibition in that direction was the 



fight that was made in the Legislature for 
the organization of the county, and from 
that day to this, our people, through their 
representatives in various branches of 
governmental affairs, have made them- 
selves felt in the political history of our 
commonwealth and nation. From the 
fact that the emigrants to this county 
came from the regions of Kentucky, 
Maryland and Virginia, with quite a 
sprinkling from New England, New Jer- 
sey and New York, it would be naturally 
inferred that the origiual 'political com- 
plexion of this county would be Whig, 
and so it was. The '\¥hig party at that 
time, if not opposed to slavery, did not 
favor it, and from that party sprang the 
Eepublican party, and thus it will be 
seen that naturally our county would be 



110 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Republican in polities today as it was 
Whig in years gone by. It has wavered 
less in this respect than almost any county 
in' the state ; ever since its organization it 
has cast a majority vote for the Presi- 
dential candidates of either the "Whig or 
the Republican party. 

Vote at Peesidential Election. 

As indicative of the political complex- 
ion of this county, the following vote at 
Presidential elections will be interesting: 
In 1832 Henry Clay, a Whig, received 
1,963 votes; Andrew Jackson, Democrat, 
730. In 1836 William H. Harrison, Whig, 
received 1,696 votes and Martin Van 
Buren, Democrat, 713 votes. In 1840 
William H. Harrison, Whig, received 
2,382 votes, and Martin Van Buren 894 
votes. In 1848 only the pluralities are 
given. Zachary Taylor, Whig, received 
a majority of 1,132 over Lewis Cass, Dem- 
ocrat. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln, Repub- 
lican, received 2,865 votes and Stephen A. 
Douglas, Democrat, 1,581. In 1868 U. S. 
Grrant, Republican, received 3,384 and 
Horatio Seymour 1,878 votes. In 1872 
U. S. Grant, Republican, received 4,235 
votes and Horace G-reeley, Democrat and 
Liberal Republican, 2,751 votes. In 1876 
R. B. Hayes, Republican, received 5,136 
votes and Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat, 
3,536. In 1880 James A. Garfield, Re- 
publican, received 6,229 votes and W. S. 
Hancock, Democrat, 4,179. In 1888 Ben- 
jamin Harrison, Republican, received 
7,128 and Grover Cleveland, Democrat, 
5,858. In 1892, Benjamin Harrison, Re- 
publican, received 6,151, and Grover 
Cleveland, Democrat, 5,226. In 1896 
AVilliam McKinley, Republican, received 



7,667, and William J. Bryan, Democrat, 
6,382. In 1900 William McKinley, Re- 
publican, received 8,806, and William J. 
Bryan, Democrat, 6,243. In 1904 Theo- 
dore Roosevelt, Republican, received 
9,355, and Alton B. Parker, Democrat, 
4,565; Silas C. Swallow, Prohibitionist, 
345; Eugene V. Debs, Socialist, 764, giv- 
ing to Roosevelt a plurality of 4,790, the 
largest plurality that was ever given to 
any candidate in the county. 

Close Calls and Defeats. 

Notwithstanding the fact, however, 
that the county has been heavily Repub- 
lican or Whig, once in a while that party 
would have a close call for its candidate, 
or receive a defeat. Notably in this line 
was the congressional campaigTi of 1868 
between John H. Thomas and J. J. 
Winans, of Xenia, in which Winans was 
elected by a plurality of ninety-nine. In 
the county election of 1886, upon the re- 
turn of the votes cast for sheriff as made 
on the evening of election, William B. 
Baker, who was a candidate for re-elec- 
tion for sheriff, appeared to be defeated 
by nine votes and was so considered until 
the Canvassing Board in going over the 
returns discovered that the precinct of 
Selma, which had just been created, had 
been over-looked and that that precinct 
gave a majorit}^ of sixteen votes in favor 
of Baker, and thereupon Baker was de- 
clared elected by the bare plurality of 
seven votes. 

Daniel Raffensberger, a Democrat, was 
elected sheriff in 1846. Jacob Seitz, 
Democrat, was elected Commissioner in 
1867, and John H. Blose, Democrat, in 
1872, was also elected connnissioner. Two 



AND EEPEESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



Ill 



years previous to this Blose had defeated 
S. A. Bowman, one of the most distin- 
guished members of the Spring-field Bar, 
as a member of this county to the Con- 
stitutional Convention. This is about the 
extent of the success of opposition can- 
didates-in Clark County. In 1886, strange 
as the combination seemed at the time it 
was made, the Democrats and Prohibi- 
tionists united and elected Chas. E. Gillen 
as county commissioner. Gillen, however, 
was a Prohibitionist and not a Democrat. 
In the roster of county officials it ap- 
pears that H. S. Showers, a Democrat, 
was recorder, but that was by appoint- 
ment and not by election. So Madison 
over served seven weeks by appointment 
from a Democratic governor as probate 
Judge in the early part of 1891. S. S. 
Cox, a Democrat, represented this con- 
gressional district in Congress in 1863-5, 
the only Democratic member of Con- 
gress that ever represented Clark County. 

Log Cabin Campaign. 

Although a period of sixty-eight years 
has elapsed, the exciting political times of 
1840 have not been forgotten. The log 
cabin campaign will be remembered even 
longer than the present generation. Gen- 
eral Harrison was particularly popular in 
Ohio, having served as its first represent- 
ative in Congress and in various wars and 
in other capacities throughout the west. 
The Whigs were particularly exasperated 
at General Jackson's conduct in the veto- 
ing of the National Bank Act. They 
looked upon Van Buren as his especial 
protege; besides, the stringent times that 
had intervened, made a canvass against 
Van Buren 's re-election particularly im- 



portant and one calculated to arouse the 
feelings of the people. Van Buren was 
looked upon as an aristocrat, and Harri- 
son as belonging to the hardy race of 
pioneers. Enthusiasm ran to an ex- 
traordinary degree for Harrison in Ohio. 
Miniature log cabins were built and 
hauled around in parades. There was 
one such in Springfield. A vast barbecue 
was held, and fifteen to twenty thousand 
people were present. General Harrison 
himself was here and made a speech; 
later on a noted delegation was made up 
from Harmony Township and traveled 
all the way to Columbus to attend a mon- 
ster Harrison meeting. This delegation 
had a canoe that was thirty-four feet 
long and wide enough to seat two per- 
sons comfortably on cross seats. It was 
placed on a large wagon and driven to 
Columbus. Singular as it may seem to 
us, this was the twentieth of February 
when weather is not usually agreeable for 
that kind of campaigning. Flags were 
flying, songs were sung and there was a 
general exhibition of enthusiasm for 
"Tippecanoe and Tyler too." Arriving 
at Columbus, a grand parade took place, 
and it has been doubted whether the city 
of Columbus ever witnessed a day so full 
of enthusiasm before or since. In one 
]3art of the procession iDerched upon the 
roof of a cabin sat General Anthony. 

Prominence in Politics. 

Owing to the very great popularity of 
Governor Vance, of Urbana, who was a 
member of Congress at the time Clark 
County was organized, it was sometime 
before one of our citizens became a mem- 
ber of the lower national law-making 



112 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



body. It was not long, however, before 
two men became prominent in state and 
national affairs, and in 1835 General 
Mason was sent to Congress and served 
in that body for eight years. General 
Anthony served in the Ohio Senate and 
House of Representatives a number of 
years during which he was presiding of- 
ficer of one of those bodies. He took a 
very great interest in the Whig campaign 
of 1840, and upon General Harrison's 
election he was made United States dis- 
trict attorney for the state of Ohio. 
Mason and Anthony were recognized all 
over the state as distinguished men in the 
Wliig party, and in 1849 General Mason 
also served as United States district at- 
torney for Ohio. In 1842 John Gallagher 
was representative from this county and 
was speaker of the Lower House at Co- 
lumbus. 

From the time of Mason and Anthony 
our state has received more or less prom- 
inence from the distinguished ability and 
services of the Hon. Samuel Shellabarger 
in Congress of the L^nited States, Judge 
William ^Vhite on the Supreme Bench of 
Ohio, and General J. Warren Keifer. 
With all due consideration for the lustre 
and renown which rightfully belong to 
other citizens of our county, perhaps no 
one stands above General Keifer — dis- 
tinguished as a soldier and general in the 
Civil War (1861-1865), member of the 
Ohio Senate (1868-80), in Congress from 
1877-1885, two years (1881-83) speaker 
of that body, major-general in the Span- 
ish-American War (1898) and after an 
interregnum of twenty years, 1905, 
again a member of Congress, in which ca- 
pacity he is still acting. 

Neither should it be forgotten that 



more or less prominence was given our 
locality from the fact that one of its best 
citizens, a most congenial and affable 
gentleman, Asa S. Bushnell, was governor 
of our state in 1895. 

CmL Wab Spirit. 

Generally, upon the dissolution of the 
Whig party, its inembers became mem- 
bers of the Republican party. Clark 
County having been so largel}^ Whig in 
its political proclivities, it was natural 
that upon the dissolution of that party its 
members would follow the same course, 
or one similar to that which they had 
heretofore followed, and this was the 
case. Clark County became as thor- 
oughly Republican as it had been Whig. 

Considerable abolitionist feeling pre- 
vailed in this part of Ohio. The routes 
of various "under-ground railroads" 
were through the territory of this county, 
and the feeling against slavery was par- 
ticularly strong. When Fort Sumpter 
was fired upon, the people arose, we 
might say en masse, in support of the 
Union cause. When President Lincoln 
called for 75,000 volunteers, Clark Coun- 
ty's quote was filled with extraordinary 
speed. 

A meeting was called at once over which 
Judge William Wliite presided and the 
late J. K. Mower officiated as secretary. 
At this meeting a committee was appoint- 
ed to report at a subsequent one over 
which General Mason presided. At this 
meeting appropriate resolutions were 
adopted to sustain the government with 
all the power the people possessed, and 
during the entire continuation of the war. 
Perhaps in no place in the union was the 



AiTD EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



113 



spirit of the people more strongly in fa- 
vor of President Lincoln than with us. 
However, there was a very respectable 
opposition, most of whom had voted for 
Stephen A. Douglas in 1860. Neither 
Breckenridge nor Bell received much of 
a vote in the county. Some of this op- 
position was composed of Democrats who 
had been in that party a long time. There 
were some of the Whigs who did not fol- 
low the majority of that party into the 
Eepublican party, but who, by reason 
probably of sympathj^ with the states 
from which they had emigrated, became 
members of the Democi'atic party. The 
Democratic party comprised a member- 
ship of divergent elements, some of which 
were not entirely free from sympathy for 
the cause of the confederacy. This feel- 
ing was more or less strong in the town- 
ships of German, Pike and Mad Eiver. 

The spirit of the times was such that 
the majority would hardly grant the 
minority the right to express their own 
convictions or manifest their feelings on 
any matter in opposition to the Repub- 
lican party without accusing the person 
manifesting such independence of being 
a "rebel" or a "Confederate sympa- 
thizer. ' ' 

Vallandingliam's arrest and subse- 
quent deportment to Canada aroused con- 
siderable sympathy for him, although 
conceded that his actions were not politic 
nor such as would have been advisable in 
one who was in thorough sympathy with 
the Union cause. It was a time when 
men's feelings were appealed to more 
often than their judgment. Many Demo- 
crats became Union soldiers, serving in 
various capacities with abilities and pa- 
triotism excelled by none. 



Wab Politics. 

Possibly in no state in the Union was 
there a hotter time politically during the 
war than in Ohio. Chase and Stanton, 
both former Democrats, had become 
members of Lincoln's Cabinet. Valland- 
ingham, while exercising what he claimed 
as "the right of free speech," was ar- 
rested and deported to Canada ; his cause 
was then taken up by the Democracy and 
he was nominated, in his absence, for 
governor. The Republicans nominated 
John H, Brough, and the nature of the 
canvass was such as would naturally 
cause a high spirit and feeling to prevail. 
Brough was elected by the unheard-of 
plurality at that time of 101,000. Pre- 
vious to the Brough campaign a notable 
canvass was made for Congress between 
S. S. Cox and Samuel Shellabarger. Cox 
was an exceedinglj^ bright and witty pub- 
lic speaker residing at Columbus. Shella- 
barger was an able lawyer of Springfield. 
Both had previously served in Congress. 
By the re-districting made in 1861 they 
were both thrown in the same Congres- 
sional district and were named by their 
respective parties as candidates again for 
Congress. 

A notable meeting was held in this 
campaign near Bowlusville in the north- 
ern part of this county, one of its features 
being an immense barbecue. The Demo- 
crats of that and the surrounding vicin- 
ities contributed liberally of their means 
to make it a .great success. It was the in- 
tention to feed those present. Tables 
were set and ropes put around with the 
purpose of permitting the women to go 
inside the ropes and serve the dinner to 
those outside. This arrangement did not 



114 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



suit tlie crowd and the ropes were broken 
down and each one helped himself to what- 
ever he could get. 

Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana, S. S. 
Cos, Daniel Vorhees, and a number of 
other distinguished Democrats were pres- 
ent. It was estimated tliat 65,000 people 
were there, but like most estimations of 
the sort this is doubtless an extreme. Mr. 
Cox always attributed his election to the 
success of this meeting. 

In the Brough-Vallandingham cam- 
paign the Democrats of German Town- 
ship forined an eighty- six horse wagon 
team to attend a political meeting. Each 
horse had a rider who was dressed in 
some patriotic costume. Upon the wagon 
were women representing the Goddess of 
Liberty, and various matters of that kind. 
The Republicans were not behind the 
Democrats in party demonstration and 
political meetings. 

'PoLiTiCAi, Meetings — Gaefield and Pen- 
ULETON Debate. 

Springfield and its vicinity has for a 
long time in political raatters been of suf- 
ficient importance to those managing 
jjarty campaigns to secure from them 
some of the noted political speakers of the 
day. In former times General Harrison, 
Henry Clay, and Thomas Corwin made 
political addresses in this city, and per- 
haps every governor that has ever been 
elected by the Republican or Whig parties 
appeared before a Springfield audience. 

Formerly, and until a quite recent 
time party managers sought to influence 
the voter by the demonstrations made at 
these political meetings. It was a com- 
mon thing to have parades in which as 



much of a displaj^ as possible would be 
made. 

A large portion of the Democratic i^arty 
was composed of Germans and Irishmen, 
while a considerable portion of the Re- 
publican party were of the negro denomi- 
nation. These two elements were always 
antagonistic and generally during these 
parades some participant would be the 
recipient, somewhere along the line, of 
a brickbat or some other missile of a like 
character. Speeches and speakers were 
often forgotten by most of the paraders. 
Cannons were fired, fireworks blazed 
forth to impress upon the mind of the 
voter the importance of casting his vote 
for a certain candidate. 

In 1877 during the governorship cam- 
paign between Judge West and R. M. 
Bishop, a series of debates were arranged 
for between James A. Garfield and George 
H. Pendleton. Garfield was then a leader 
of the House of Representatives, and 
Pendleton a senator from this state. Both 
were leading and talented men and fairly 
representative of their parties. Pendel- 
ton had been the nominee of his party for 
Vice-President. 

The debate was held in Black's Opera 
House, and it was the general opinion of 
those who were present that Garfield was 
more than a match for Pendleton. 

John Sherman frequently made 
speeches in Spring-field and was always 
enthusiastically received; so was William 
McKinley whose speeches were always of 
a serious kind, scholarly and thoughtful 
throughout. 

One of the most favorite speakers that 
frequently visited Springfield was Gen. 
Wm. H. Gibson, of Tiffin, whose power to 
entertain an audience was never excelled 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



115 



by a political speaker in Ohio, at least 
since the times of Tom Corwin. 

In 1888 Thomas B. Reed made a speech 
at the Fair Groimds. 

Blaine was here, I think, in 1876. In 
1884 when he ran for the Presidency he 
stopped at South Charleston but did not 
come to Springfield. He was a very great 
favorite here, especially with the younger 
element of Republicans. 

President Roosevelt came through here 
when he was a candidate for Vice-Presi- 
dent. 

Democrats of almost equal prominence 
have visited the city but not so frequent- 
ly as Republicans. 

Vice-President Hendricks on several 
occasions was here. 

Perhaps one of the most popular speak- 
ers for the Democrats was S. S. Cox, 
former representative in Congress. Will- 
iam J. Bryan was here during each time 
that he ran for the Presidency. 

The canvass of 1880 was a spirited one 
in this county. A noted Republican meet- 
ing was addressed by "Bob" Ingersol, 
and later in that campaign Samuel Shella- 
barger made his last political speech in 
Springfield. William N. Whitley was 
then in the height of his manufacturing 
career and contributed both his means and 
efforts in this campaign. 

Keifek-Bttshnell Contest. 

General Keifer was one of those politi- 
cians who did not meet with success with- 
out an effort and opposition. He was 
nominated for Congress the first time 
over Judge William Lawrence, then in 
Congress, and present circuit judge 
Walter Sullivan, Gen. R. P. Kennedy, and 



Geo. M. Eichelberger. This was in 1876. 

In 1878 Judge Lawrence had not yet 
given up the idea of being returned to 
Congress, but Keifer was re-nominated. 

In 1880 Gen. R. P. Kennedy of Belle- 
fontaine, Col. W. R. Warnock, Coates 
Kinney, and others, had Congressional 
aspirations and sought nomination, but 
were unsuccessful. In 1882, Keifer be- 
ing Speaker, the opposition did not man- 
ifest itself. 

When Keifer was elected to Congress 
be recommended as post master one John 
A. Shipman. The latter made a reason- 
ably good ofiicial but was not a particular- 
ly popular citizen. When his first term 
expired some protest was made against 
his re-appointment, but he was re-ap- 
pointed. In 1881 Keifer was elected 
speaker of the House of Representatives 
and necessarily his time was considerably 
taken up by his duties at Washington and 
perhaps he did not pay as close attention 
to his constituents as he otherwise would 
have done ; anyway, opposition developed, 
and in looking around for a candidate it 
was decided that General Bushnell should 
contest the nomination in 1884. 

Bushnell had lived in Springfield for a 
long while, married into a prominent fam- 
ily, was popular and at that time was 
practically the head of one of the largest 
mariufacturing establishments of the city. 

General Keifer had by some rulings in 
Congress excited the opposition of Gen- 
eral Boynton, who was special corres- 
pondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, 
and through tliat paper the latter relent- 
lessly pursued General Keifer. Keifer 's 
fighting spirit would not let him withdraw 
and thus we had the most memorable con- 
test for political votes that this county 



116 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ever witnessed. It was finally left to a 
primary, the most pernicious method, 
when money is or may be used, that could 
be adopted, and considerable was spent 
by both participants. Bushnell finally 
prevailed in carrying the county. The 
Congressional convention was held in this 
city and the feeling of opposition among 
the Keifer adherents was so strong and 
bitter that it prevented the delegations 
from the other counties casting their vote 
at any time for Bushnell. John Little, 
of Greene County, finally received the 
nomination. 

Wliile Bushnell did not receive the 
nomination, the result of his canvass gave 
him much prominence, and paved the way 
to the governor's chair. In this conven- 
tion Clark County could have nominated 
Geo. M. Eichelberger, Champaign Coun- 
ty's candidate, and because she did not, 
secured that county's political enmity, 
which a score of years has not entirely 
effaced. 

The effect of this canvass in Republi- 
can politics was felt for a number of 
years, but was fast fading away before 
Governor Bushnell died, and at the time 
that Genera] Keifer was- a candidate 
again, in 19U4, the county was enthusias- 
tically for him, and he was renominated 
in 1906 without opposition. 

Unsuccessptjl Candidates. 

In the Congi'essional and judicial dis- 
tricts, as generally mapped out, Spring- 
field was the largest city in the district. 
Being fr'om a reliable Republican county, 
it would naturally claim recognition from 
the candidates for those positions. 

In 1884 when General Keifer was de- 



feated as the choice of this coimty Asa S. 
Bushnell was the candidate. 

In 1886, the county in the meantime 
having been placed in another Congres- 
sional district, and by reason of General 
ivennedy's popularity in this county, no 
candidate was presented. 

In 1890 Edward S. Wallace was the 
choice of our delegation. The Congres- 
sional ('onvention met at Washington C. 
H. After casting a large number of votes, 
each county for its own candidate, the 
Convention adjourned without nomina- 
tion. 

A second convention was called and 
proceeded in much the same manner as 
The first, but finally, after a large numlior 
of ballots had been cast and the delegates 
tired out. aboiit 2 o'clock in the morning 
of a night session "Bob" Doan, of Wil- 
mington, was made the candidate. 

At this convention General Keifer 
might have been nominated, but those in 
control of the Clark County delegation 
would not permit that result. 

When the Circuit Court was first estab- 
lished, J. K. Mower, afterwards Common 
Pleas judge, was Clark County's candi- 
date without success, and when Judge 
Williams declined to be candidate for re- 
election because nominated for Supreme 
judge. Judge Chas. R. White was pre- 
sented as the choice of this county, like- 
wise without success. 

In 1899 Chase Stewart, former pros- 
ecuting attorney, and representative from 
this county, made a very respectable but 
unsuccessful campaign for attorney gen- 
eral of the state. 

Not only in Republican politics has our 
county been prominent, but on several oc- 




^H^M 





ACTiJKV STREET ENGINE 
HOUSE, SPRIN GE1EL11 



OLD ]-:piscopal church 



ST. RAPHAEL SCHOOL. 
SPRINGFIELD 





resh:)Ence of saail'i-:l r. i;attl\, 

MADiSON TOWNSHIP 



OESTERLEN ORPHANS' HOME,, 
SPRINGFIELD 





n!iiiMffl|»,\|li|!l!ll I 



HIGH STREET M. E. CHURCH, SPRINGFHUHO CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDING 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



119 



casions tlie opposition, have come to 
Springfield for their candidates. 

Notable in this respect was the action 
of the Prohibition party. On at least 
three different occasions that party came 
here for their candidates for governor — 
at one time nominating Eev. M. J. Firey, 
the distinguished Lutheran minister, at 
another time, in 1885, Dr. A. B. Leonard, 
a noted Methodist divine, and in 1881, A. 
E. Ludlow, an old time and prominent 
manufacturer. vVt one time the Prohibi- 
tion ticket received as high as seven hun- 
dred votes in this county. 

In 1881 the Democrats nominated Hon. 
John W. Bookwalter, a prominent manu- 
facturer and distinguished traveler, of 
this city, for governor, who was defeated 
in the election by Governor Charles 
Foster. 

Pi.xjG Hat Brigade. 

For a number of years prior to his 
nomination for President James G. Blaine 
had a very respectable following among 
the Eepublicans of this county, and when 
he finally received the nomination in 1884 
there was very great enthusiasm among 
his followers. While this state had en- 
dorsed John Sherman for the Presidency 
and while many recognized his very great 
ability, yet it could not be said that he 
was at any time the choice of the people 
generally. 

In the campaign that followed Blaine's 
nomination, the famous "Plug Hat 
Brigade" was organized. It took its 
name from the hat, which was the only 
uniform required of its members. This 
was a white plug, in imitation of the hat 
that Mr. Blaine frequently wore. The or- 
ganization was a popular one and no re- 



quirements were essential to become a 
member otherwise than to be a Eepubli- 
can. 

The club made a number of important 
trips to other cities and at one time sent 
seventeen hundred members to a large 
meeting that Blaine was holding in In- 
dianapolis, Indiana. In the succeeding 
campaign, when Harrison was a nominee 
for President, a second trip was made to 
Indianapolis. 

When E. P. Kennedy was a candidate 
for Congress, a trip was made to Belle- 
fontaine, and when McKinley was a can- 
didate for President, a like excursion 
was made to Canton, so that the organiza- 
tion became famous in the Eepublican 
political circles throughout the state. 
The last demonstration that the club made 
was the one to Canton to call upon Mc- 
Kinley in 1896. It was an important 
factor in all the Eepublican political cam- 
paigns from 1884 to 1896. 

Incidents Attending Eusctions Undek 
FoEMER Laws. 

Casting our ballots now under the pro- 
visions of the law known as the Austi'alian 
Ballot Law, we hardly realize the methods 
formerly in use in the conduct of elec- 
tions. 

Not many years ago the ballots repre- 
senting the candidates of the various 
parties, which were then gotten out by 
the parties or candidates themselves, were 
of a different style. Sometimes decorated 
with the photo of the individual candi- 
date, and so made that judges of election 
might easily detei-mine the partyism of 
the ticket from its characteristics. This 
was by law changed in order to prevent 



120 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



fraud and all tickets were required to be 
printed on the same kind of paper, but 
the parties themselves took charge of the 
printing and distribution of the tickets. 

An exciting time was usually had in 
selecting judges to conduct the election, 
for upon their decision might depend the 
results of the ballots. 

The Board of Election officers were 
selected and organized on the morning of 
the election, and w^hiehever party could 
insure the presence of the largest number 
of adherents at the time the polls were 
opened, was in a position to select the 
judges. So there was quite a spirited con- 
test in getting a number present at the 
opening of the polls. They would line up 
in separate ranks, a count would be taken 
of those present at that time, and the 
majority would choose the election offi- 
cers. This method, of parties taking 
charge of the election in this way and 
printing their own ballots, gave ample 
opportunity for the opposition to claim 
fraud. 

As an example showing what might 
happen, the writer knows of an all-night 
ride to correct an apparent mistake in the 
ballot. On the night before the election, 
somewhere between ten o'clock and mid- 
night, it was discovered that the name of 
the supreme judge had been mis-s^ielled, 
and the party managers were afraid that 
this might afl'eot his election. So new 
ballots were printed and these were or- 
dered distributed throughout the county. 
The writer took the route leading north 
through Moorefield Township, leaving 
some of the ballots at John Sultzbaugh's, 
on the TTrbana Pike, who was then 
a .judge of election of Mooretield Town- 
ship, .and then proceeded on up to Tre- 



mont and left those for that precinct with 
Dr. Frank Reigel; thence to Lawrence- 
ville, where E. G. Coffin then resided, 
rousing him from his morning slumbers ; 
and thence to North Hampton, arriving 
there before the polls had opened at sis 
o'clock in the morning. Under the pres- 
ent system such occurrences necessarily 
are avoided. 

Until 1885 the state and county elec- 
tions were held in October, and whenever 
a president or members of Congress were 
to be elected we had two elections in the 
fall, one in November and one in October, 
and until 1905 all municipal and township 
officers were elected in April of each year. 
In 1904 the spring elections were abol- 
ished, and all officers were chosen at the 
fall election held on the first Tuesday 
after the first Monday in November. 

Tn 1906 another change went into ef- 
fect, and now state and county officers 
are elected in the even-numbered years, 
and city and township officers in the odd- 
numbered years. 

State Officials. 

This county has never furnished very 
many state officials. Asa S. Bushnell was 
Governor from ] 896-1900. William 
White, supreme judge, 1864-1881. Au- 
gustus N. Summers, supreme judge from 
1904 to this date. John F. Oglevee, state 
auditor, 1881-1887. R. F. Hay ward was 
for several years Sergeant-at-Arms of the 
State Senate. Thomas L. Calvert is now 
secretary of the State Board of Agricult- 
ure. 

ApPOjaTIONMENT TO CoNGEESS. 

The United States constitution provides 
that representatives shall be apportioned 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



121 



among the several states according to 
their respective numbers, and that the 
number of representatives should not ex- 
ceed one for every thirty thousand, but 
each state shall have at least one. This 
constitutional provision is likely to re- 
quire, after the return of each census, 
changes in the Congressional districts of 
the state; for it is not often that a state 
will retain for a score of years the same 
relative population to other states of the 
union. If the parties in power were ab- 
solutely fair in dividing the states into 
districts, there perhaps would never be a 
change of districts between the returns 
of the census. However parties are not 
fair in this matter, and by an ingenius ar- 
rangement the counties can be so placed 
that the minority party will not have its 
fair proportionate number of Congres- 
sional representatives. From this fact it 
is not an uncommon thing for a change 
in the complexion of our State Legis- 
lature to mean a change in the boundaries 
of our various Congressional districts. 

When Congressional districts are made 
unfairly, or changed by reason of such 
unfairness, and then made unfairly to the 
other party it is called "gerrymander- 
ing," this tei'ra being derived from Gerry, 
a Massachusetts man who first employed 
such tactics. The map of our state some- 
times presents some verj^ queer looking 
boot-leg situations after the gerrymander 
has gotten in his work. 

On examination of the list of counties 
of the various districts in which Clark 
County has at various times appeared, it 
will be noticed that in the two decades 
from ] 872-1892, there were no less than 
six different divisions of the state made 
for Congressional purposes. This hap- 



pened because of a frequent change of the 
political complexion of our Legislature, 
and while General Keifer was first in Con- 
gress, from 1876-1884, during four suc- 
cessive terms, it so happened that his 
Congressional district was changed at 
each time he was elected. 

Congressional Districts. 

Since the organization of the State, 
Clark County has been in various Con- 
gressional districts, and received several 
different designations. 

From 1832-1842 it was in the Tenth 
district, composed of Union, Hancock, 
Hardin, Ijogan, Chamj^aign, Clark and 
Greene Counties. 

From 1842-1852 it was in the Fourth 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Miami, Clark, Champaign, Madi- 
son, Union, and Logan Counties. 

From ] 852-1862 it was in the Eighth 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Clark, Champaign, Logan, 
Union, and Delaware Counties. 

From 1862-1872 it was in the Seventh 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Greene, Clark, and Franklin 
Counties. 

From 1872-1878 it was in the Eighth 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Madison, Clark, Miami, Logan, 
and Champaign Counties. 

From 1878-1880 it was in the Fourth 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Greene, Clark, Champaign, 
Logan, and Union Counties. 

Froin 1880-1882 it was again in the 
Eighth Congressional District, which was 
composed of Madison, Clark, Miami, 
Logan, and Champaign Counties. 



122 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



From 1882-1884 it was in the Eighth 
Congressional District composed of Clark, 
Pickaway, Champaign, Logan, and Madi- 
son Counties. 

From 1884-1886 it was in the Eighth 
Congressional District, composed of 
Champaign, Clark, Greene, Clinton, and 
Fayette Counties. 

From 1886-1890 it was in the Eighth 
Congressional District, composed of 
Clark, Pickaway, Champaign, Logan, and 
Madison Counties. 

From 1890-1892 it was in the Tenth 
Congressional District, which was com- 
posed of Clark, Clinton, Fayette, Greene, 
and Ross Counties, 

From 1892 to the present date it has 
been in the Seventh Congressional Dis- 
trict, which is composed of Miami, Clark, 
Madison, Fayette, and Pickaway Counties. 

MEMBEKS OF CONGEESS. 

Joseph Vance, Urbana 1818-1835 

Samson Mason, Springfield ... 1835-1843 

Joseph Vance, Urbana 1843-1847 

R. S. Canby, Bellefontaine 1847-1849 

M. B. Corwin, Urbana 1849-1851 

Beni. Stanton, Belief ontaine ... 1851-1853 

M. B. Corwin, Urbana 1853-1855 

Benj. Stanton, Bellefontaine . . . 1855-1861 
Sam'l Shellabarger, Springfield 1865-1869 

S. S. Cox, Columbus 1863-1865 

Sam'l Shellabarger, Springfield 1865-1869 

J. J. Winans, Xenia 1869-1871 

Sam'l Shellabarger, Springfield 1871-1873 
Wm. Lawrence, Bellefontaine. .1873-1877 
J. Warren Keifer, Springfield . 1877-1885 

John Little, Xenia 1885-1887 

R. P. Kennedy, Bellefontaine. .1887-1891 

R. E. Doan, Wilmington 1891-1893 

G. W. Wilson, London 1893-1897 

W. L. Weaver, Spring-field 1897-1901 

Thos. B. Kyle, Troy 1901-1905 

J. Warren Keifer, Springfield. .1905- 



'28, 
'30, 



STATE SENATOES. 

George Fithian. . . .1818-'21, '23, '24, 
James Coolev, Clark Co 

\ '22, '23, '25, '26, 

John Daugherty, Clark Co 

'26, '27, 

Samson Mason, Clark Co . . . '29 
Abraham R. Colwell, Clark Co. 

'31, '32, 

Charles Anthony, Clark Co 

'33, '34, 

John H. James, Clark Co 

'35, '36, '37, '38, 

Elijah Vance, Butler Co '36, 

Joseph Vance, ChamiDaign Co 

'39, '40, 

Alex. Waddle, Clark Co '41, 

JoseiJh Ridgway, Jr., Franklin Co.. 

'42, '43, 

Alfred Kelley, Franklin Co. . '44, '45, 
Jennet Stutson, Franklin Co. '46, '47, 
Harvey Vinal, Clark Co. '48, '49, '50, 

John D. Burnett, Clark Co '52- 

Heniy W. Smith, Madison Co. . . . '54 
.Tames C. Brand, Champaign Co . . '56 

Saul Henkle, Clark Co '58 

Richard A. Harrison, Madison Co. '60 

S. S. Henkle, Clark Co '62- 

A. P. Howard, Champaign Co...'64- 

Toland Jones, Madison Co '66 

J. W. Keifer, Clark Co '68- 

Aaron P. Howard, Champaign Co.. 

'70 

Wm. M. Beach, Madison Co '72- 

A. Waddle, Clark Co '74 

W. R. Warnock, Champaign Co . . '76 

Geo. W. Wilson, Madison Co '78 

Thos. J. Prhagle, Clark Co '80 

Moses M. Savre, Champaign Co . . '82- 
S. W. Durfliiiger, Madison Co...'84- 

Thos. J. Pringle, Clark Co '86- 

Thos. A. Cowgill, Champaign Co. '88- 

Thos. B. Wilson, Madison Co '90- 

D. W. Rawlings, Clark Co '92- 

S. M. Mosgrove, Champaign Co . . '94- 

Wm. M. Jones, Madison Co '96- 

John L. Plummer, Clark Co 

Evan P. Middleton, Champaign Co.. 

• '00 



'25 

'27 

'29 
'31 

'33 

'35 

'39 
'37 

'41 
'42 

'44 
'46 
'48 
'51 
'54 
'56 
'58 
'60 
'62 
'64 
'66 
'68 
'70 

'72 
'74 
'76 
'78 
'80 
'82 
'84 
'86 
'88 
'90 
'92 
'94 
'96 



98- '00 



'02 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



123 



Nelson Riggins, Madison Co '02- '04 

Orrin F. Hypes, Clark Co '04-' 

, REPEESENTATIVES. 

Reuben Wallace 1817- '20 

John Daugherty '20, '21, '22, '23, '24, '25 

Samson Mason '23- '24, '45- '46 

James Foley '25, '26, '27, '28, '29 

J. A. Alexander '26- '27 

Charles Anthony '29- '31, '37- '38, '47- '48 

Ira A. Paige '31- '33 

W. V. H. Cushing '33- '37 

Alexander Waddle '38- '40 

Aqnilla Toland '40- '41, '43- '44 

S. M. Wheeler '40, '41, '42 

John M. Gallagher '42- '43, '44- '45 

Isaac Houseman '42- '43 

Sam'l B. Williams '46- '47 

Jesse C. Phillips '48- '49 

Henry W. Smih '48- '50 

John D. Burnett '49- '51 

Jas. Rayburn '50- '51 

Samuel Shellabarger '52- '54 

Wm. Goodfellow '54- '56 

John H. Littler '56- '58 

Andrew D. Rogers '58- '60 

John Howell '60- '62 

R. D. Harrison '62- '66 

Henry C. Huston '66- '68 

Perry Stewart '68- '70 

J. K. Mower '70- '72 

Benjamin Neff '72- '76 

J. P. Oglevee '76- '80 

N. M. McConkev '80- '82 

E. G. Dial...." '80- '82 

John H. Littler '82- '86 

Geo. C. Rawlins '86- '90 

John F. McGrew '90- '94 

D. W. Rawlings '90- '92 

Geo. Elder '94- '98 

Chase Stewart 1896-1900 

S. B. Rankin 1898-1902 

0. F. Hypes 1902-1904 

Earle Stewart 1904- 

Jas. Hatfield 1906- 

C0MM03!f PLEAS JUDGES. 

*Orin Parish 1818-1820 

* Joseph H, Crane 1820-1828 

*Xot resiflents of this county. 



*Geo. W. Holt 1828-1834 

* Joseph R. Swan 1834-1845 

James L. Torbert 1845-1852 

William A. Rogers 1852-1855 

*Baldwin Harlan 1855-1856 

Wm. ^Vhite 1856-1864 

Mas; M. Smith 1864-1875 

*Moses Barlow 1864-1875 

James S. Good 1875-1885 

Chas. R. White 1885-1890 

F. M. Hagan 1890-1891 

John C. Miller 1891-1901 

J. K. Mower 1901-1906 

Albert H. Kunkle 1906- 

PEOBATE JUDGES. 

James S. Halsey 1852 

James L. Torbert 1857 

Jolm H. Littler 1859 

Enoch G. DiaL 1870 

John C. Miller 1876 

W. M. Roekel 1891 

J. P. Goodwin 1897 

F. W. Geiger 1903 

CLEBK OF COURT. 

John Layton 1818- 

Thos. Armstrong 

Saul S. Henkle 

Jas. S. Halsey -1851 

Harvey Vinal 1851- 

Absalom Mattox -1873 

Ed. P. Torbert 1873-1881 

Jas. H. Rabbitts 1881-1891 

D. H. Cushing 1891-1900 

J. B. Clingerman 1900-1906 

Fred Snyder 1906-- 

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. 

Zepheniah Piatt 

George W. Jewett 

Samson Mason .1818 

Charles Anthony 

James L. Torbert 

Charles Anthonv 

William White ' 1848 

John S. Hauke 1854 

James S. Goode 1858 

John C. Miller. 1862 

Dixon A. Harrison 1864 



124 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Thomas J. Pringle 1868 

Walter L. Weaver 1875 

George C. Rawlins 1877 

Walter L. Weaver 1881 

Chase Stewart 1889 

H. W. Stafford 1895 

John B. MeGrew 1901 

Lawrence Laybourn 1907 

SHERIFFS. 

Cvrus Ward 1818-1819 

Thomas Fisher 1819-1822 

Thomas Armsrong 1822-1824 

John A. Alexander 1824-1826 

Wm. Sailor 1826-1830 

Wm. Berrv 1830-1834 

John Lattimer 1834-1838 

Wm. Berry 1838-1842 

Absalom Mattox 1842-1846 

Daniel Raffensberger 1846-1848 

Henrv Hallenbaek 1848-1852 

Joseph Mclntire 1852-1856 

John E. Lavton 1856-1860 

James Fleming 1860-1864 

Cvrus Albin 1864-1868 

E. G. Coffin 1868-1872 

Cornelius Baker 1872-1876 

E. G. Coffin 1876-1880 

Jas. Foley 1880-1884 

Wm. B. Baker 1884-1888 

A. J. Baker 1888-1892 

T. E. Lott 1892-1896 

Thos. Shoeknessy 1896-1900 

Floyd Routzahn 1900-1904 

Wm. Almony 1904- 

AIIDITOES. 

John Daugherty 1818-1819 

David Higgins 1819-1821 

William Wilson 1821-1826 

Jas. S. Halsey 1826-1836 

S. M. Wheeler 1836-1838 

Reuben Miller 1838-1856 

John Newlove .1856-1871 

Jno. F. Oglevee 1871-1875 

Quincy A. Petts 1875-1881 

0. F. Serviss 1881-1891 

E. T. Thomas 1891-1893 

L. F. Young 1893-1899 



A. H. Hahn 1899-1905 

James A. Linn 1905- 

TKEASURERS. 

John Ambler 1818-1828 

Cvrus Armstrong 1828-1846 

William Berry . : 1846-1847 

S. B. Williams 1847-1855 

Wm. C. Frye 1855-1859 

Theo. A. \'Vlck 1859-1863 

Thomas R. Norton 1863-1867 

Theo. A. Wick 1867-1871 

Richard Montjoy 1871-1872 

Wm. S. Field 1872-1873 

Wm. C. Frye 1873-1875 

John W. Parsons 1875-1879 

W. S. Wilson 1879-1883 

John W. Parsons 1883-1887 

Geo. W. Collette 1887-1891 

J. J. Goodfellow 1891-1895 

J. M. Todd 1895-1899 

P. M. Stewart 1899-1905 

C. W. Arbogast 1905- 

KECOEDEES. 

David Kizer 1818-1825 

Saul Henkle 1825-1835 

Isaac Hendershot 1835-1842 

Isaac Lancy 1842-1847 

Saul Henkle 1847-1848 

Robert Beach 1848-1853 

John H. Thomas 1853-1856 

Isaac Hendershot 1856-1862 

H. S. Showers 1862-1863 

W. S. Miranda 1863-1864 

Ashley Bradford 1864-1883 

S. A." Todd 1883-1891 

M. M. McConkev 1891-1897 

Jos. W. Allen 1897-1903 

Frank Mills .....1903- 

suE^^;Y0ES. 

William Wilson 1818- '30 

Reuben Miller '30- '36 

Wm. A. Rogers '36 

Samuel Harvev '37 

John R. Gimn '38- '42 

Thomas Kizer '42- '60 

J. D. Moler '60-'63 

Thomas Kizer '63- '66 

Wm. Brown '66-'70 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



125 



J. Donglas Moler 70-72 

Thomas Kizer 72-78 

Chandler Robbins 78- '80 

Frank P. Stone '80- '82 

Wm. Sharon '82- '97 

S. Van Bird 1897- 

coronEes. 

John Hunt 1818 

Wm. Needham '28 

Harvey Humphreys '34 

John Hunt '38 

Morton Cary '54 

Cyrus Albin '63 

Isaac Kay '64 

James Fleming '65 

Reuben Miller '66 

W. B. Hoffman '68 

Oscar F. Bancroft '70 

Biddle Boggs '72 

E. G. CofSn '74 

Jas." Kinney '76 

J. L. Coleman '78- '85 

J. M. Bennett '85 

J. G. Webb '89 

J. M. Austin '91 

Henry Sehaeifer 1895 

J. M. Bennett 1899 

J. D. Thomas 1903 

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 

Jolm Black 1818- '31 

James Foley, Moorefield Tp '18- '25 

Enoch B. Smith '18- '20 

John Heaton '20- '26 

John Layton, Mad River Tp '26- '30 

Pierson Spining, Springfield Tp. . . '26- '27 
John Whiteley, Springfield Tp 

;27-'34, '36- '42, '48- '49 

Wm. Werden, Springfield Tp 

'30- '33 '38- '41 

Elnathan Cory, Bethel '. . '31- '40 

Oliver A rmstrong, Springfield . . . '33- '36 

Wm. Holloway '34- '38 

Melyn Baker, Mad River '40- '49 

Adam Shuey, Springfield '41- '47 

Robert Turner '42- '48 

Wm. Whiteley, Springfield 

:....'47-'48, '49- '56 

Samuel Black, Pike '49- '51 



Adam Baker, German '49- '52 

Ezra D. Baker, Mad River '51- '57 

Jas. F. Whiteman, Green '52- '58 

Sam'l W. Sterrett, Pike '56- '65 

Daniel 0. Heiskell, Madison '57- '63 

D. L. Snyder, Springfield '58- '61 

L. B. Sprague. Harmony '61- '64 

David Havward, Springfield '63- '67 

E. B. Cassily, Moorefield '64- '72 

Perry Stewart, Green '65- '67 

Wm. 0. Lamme, Bethel '67- '70 

Jacob Seitz, Springfield '67- '68 

Wm. D. Johnson, Green '68- '74 

N. M. McConkev, Pleasant '70- '76 

H. G. Miller, Mad River '72-75 

J. H. Blose, German '74- '77 

George H. Frey, Springfield '75- '80 

Edward Merritt, Madison '76- '79 

*Mark Spenee, Pike '77 

John Scarff, Bethel '77- '81 

Leon H. Houston, Madison '79- '81 

Jonathan S. Kitchen, Spring-field. .'80- '86 

D. G. ^Corv, Bethel '81- '84 

D. W. Rawlings, Moorefield '82-Jan., '89 

W. H. Sterrett, Pike '84- '90 

C. E. Gillen, Springfield '86- '89 

R. N. Elder, Green '89- '95 

J. H. Dalie. Springfield '90- '96 

J. B. Trumbo, Bethel '91- '97 

Milton Cheney, Madison 1895-1901 

* Aaron Spangler, Springfield. 1896-1897 

Jacob Hinckle, Springfield 1897-1905 

J. B. Grain, Bethel 1897-1903 

*J. H. Collins, German 1903-1905 

J. E. Dowry, Bethel 1905-1906 

Henry Wraight, Springfield. . .1905- 

S. S.'Twiehell, Moorefield 1901-1907 

N. M. Cartmell, Pleasant, 1906- 

J. E. Dowry, Bethel 1907- 

INFIRMARY DIRECTORS. 

Joseph Perrin 1836-1842 

Chas. Cavileer 1836-1842 

Cvrus Armstrong 1836-1842 

J. W. Kills 1842-1864 

Joseph Osborne 1842-1876 

Devi Dattrop 1842-1853 

Peleg Coates 1853-1858 

*r)iecl in office. 



126 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Jasper W. Peet 1858-1861 

Wm. Eby 1861-1874 

Alex Ramsey 1864-1878 

J. D. Stewart 1864-1878 

J. T. May 1874-1878 

E. B. Oassilly 1876-1877 

Sam'l Rhodes 1877-1881 

Adam Lenhart 1881-1885 

John E. Layton 1878-1881 

Isaac Kindle 1878-1888 

Geo. W. Alt 1881-1885 



John Goodfellow 1885-1885 

Jas. Buford 1885-1891 

B. F. Flago 1891-1898 

R. J. Beck 1896-1905 

Chas. Butler 1891-1897 

John E. Stewart 1892-1898 

Marshal] Jackson 1897-1903 

R. B. Canfield 1898-1904 

G. H. Logan 1903- 

Geo. W. Bymastei* 1904- 

R. T. Kelley 1905- 



CHAPTER VIII. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTABLE EVENTS. 



Centennial of the Battle of Piqua — Springfield Centennial — Underground Railway 
— White Rescue Case — Springfield's First Riot — The Second Riot — Cyclones 
— Freshets — The Great East Street Shops — The Crusades. 



Centennial op the Battle of Piqua. 

Unless care is taken to preserve his- 
torical matter by printing and publica- 
tion, it would surely be lost, and we would 
thus have no record of the past, save a 
few broken and disconnected facts, or 
fancies, transmitted to us by the unreli- 
able medium of tradition. We of today 
have a proper realization of this fact, 
and now that printing is so much cheaper 
than formerly, and the art of illustration 
proportionately advanced in quality and 
decreased in price, much more is expected 
in this direction; and still more may be 
expected in the future, especially as a re- 
sult of the historical centennials, such as 
that of which we now have occasion to 
write. 

But a few years ago, the centennial of 
the admission of the State of Ohio was 
held in Ohillicothe. Proceedings of it 
were published and formed a most admir- 
able history of many of the events of our 
state. 



In 1870 the Mad River Valley Pioneer 
and Historical Association was formed 
and before that body, in January, 1871, 
Dr. John Ludlow read a paper entitled, 
"The Early Settlements in Springfield." 

In the organization of this society the 
Eev. A. H. Bassett, who was its first presi- 
dent, well stated the object of the associa- 
tion as follows: "To rescue from obliv- 
ion interesting facts and important in- 
formation would seem a duty which we 
owe to those who come after us. The 
present is indebted to the past, so the 
present should provide for the future. 
Today has the benefit of yesterday's ob- 
servation and experience; so should to- 
day preserve and carry forward its ac- 
cumulated information for the benefit of 
tomorrow. ' ' 

This organization had but a short dura- 
tion, but imbibing its spirit, the Hon. 
Thomas F. McGrew prepared a paper 
describing the battle of Piqua, being the 
same heretofore used in this work. This 
paper attracted wide attention and sug- 



128 HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 

gested the propriety of celebrating the an- jj^^Jj""^^- 

niversary of that battle. Reading Communications Capt. D. C. Ballentine 

There being no more suitable and better Music. ' 

Tn 1 . ,• • ■ , .1 An Historical Sketch Tliomas F. McGrew 

qualuied association m existence, the Music. 

Clark County Veteran Memorial Associa- 2ln't" '^'°- ^- ^- ^''"°° 

tion took the matter up, and Captain SSS"! . ^^^'ff I"!"!' Rev. du po, 

Steele, who was then engaged in the writ- 
ing of Beer's History and who was ae- Col. Eobert L. Kilpatrick, with efficient 
tive in historical matters moved that a staff, Chief Marshal of the Day. Signal 
committee be appointed to consider the Code — red and white pennant and national 
feasibility of the project. The motion flag at half mast, where Clark's men were 
prevailed and Captain Steele, Col. How- buried and site of the old stockade ; solid 
ard D. John, Andrew Watt, D. C. Ballen- red guidons, outlines of old stockade fort; 
tine and William H. Grant were appointed diagonal red and black guidons, Indian 
as a committee. line of defense, right wing ; orange-col- 

A number of sub-committees were ap- ored guidons, triangular, Lynn's corn- 
pointed to carry out the project, the fol- mand, Gen. Clark's right wing (between 
lowing being the program : these opposing lines the conflict was the 

hottest) ; blue guidons, triangular, center 

Peogeam. of Clark's command; white guidons, 

Monday morning. August 9, 1880-As- triangiilar, Logan's command; large 

sembly of all organizations at their re- ^«'^^^^- ^^S' with white crossed cannon, 

spective quarters at 8 o'clock A. M. For- s^^PPOsed position of Clark's gun; broad 

mation under direction of Chief Marshal, swallow-tailed pennant, red, on top of 

on High Street, with right resting on ^^'^' ^^^^^^ ^'^'^^^ ^^^^lon; large red flag 

Limestone, at 8 :45. Eeception of Gover- ^^^^ ^^^*^ ^'^" «^ ^«P °^ «1^^^' ^V^mng to 

nor Foster and party and invited guests ^^^^"^ ^^ ^«^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^'^ ^^P" 

bv the Council Committee and Veteran P«'^^<^ ^« ^^^« escaped; national colors, 

Memorial Association. Parade-East on ^"^^« P^^^^' speaker's stand. 

High street to Linden avenue, counter- ^^^"^ Battle-The exercise of the day 

march west to Spring, north to Main, west ^'^^ conclude with a mimic battle, to 

to Market, where the column will divide, terminate m the destruction of the In- 

and the portion which is mounted and in "^'^^ quarters. Persons represented: 

carriages will continue the march to the ^^^- ^^°^S'^ ^^^^^"^ Clark-Col. Harvey 

battle grounds; those on foot will move ^^^^^^ ^°^- ^^J^^-Gol. Peter Sintz; Col. 

to the depot and take the cars for Pontoon Logan-Capt. Perry Stewart; Col. Floyd 

Bridge. Upon arrival at the grounds, the ^^^P^" ^^^^^^ ^^^•"'- Slaughter— Capt. 

following program will be obsem^ed at -^^i- Knecht. 

the stand- '^^^^ program was carried into full ex- 
ecution. The celebration was held upon 

invocation Rev. T. J. Harris the old battle-grouud, UpOU a hot cloud- 

Address of Welcome Gen. J. Warren Keifer ^^^^ AugUSt day. It had been Well ad- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



129 



vertised and an immense concourse of 
people assembled, some placing it as high 
as twenty thousand. General Keifer made 
the address of welcome, which was re- 
sponded to by Governor Poster. Thomas 
F. McGrew read a valuable paper suit- 
able to the occasion. This was followed 
by an address of Gen. W. H. Gibson, who 
was then adjutant general of Ohio. He 
in turn was followed by Col. T. M. Ander- 
son of the United States Army. Hon. 
Stephen Johnson of Piqua also made some 
remarks. Mr. Johnson's mother was a 
lady of Kentucky, and was a friend of 
Daniel Boone; she was also acquainted 
with Teeumseh. Letters were read from 
Judge Force, Prof. 0?ton, M. M. Munson, 
Greenville ; Dr. J. J. Musson, St. Paris ; 
Isaac Smucker, Newark; C. W. Butter- 
field, Wisconsin; President Hayes, Sen- 
ators Thurman and Pendleton, Mayor 
Noble of Tiffin; William Patrick, of tlr- 
bana, and Theophilus McKinnon of Lon- 
don. These letters are published entire 
in Beer's History and give much valuable 
historical information about our county. 

After the dinner hour was over, the ex- 
citing events of the day took place. There 
was a sham battle fought upon the 
grounds, the purpose of which was to il- 
lustrate and bring vividly before the mind 
the events that occurred one hundred 
years before and, as can be attested by 
those who were present, it was excitable 
in the true sense of the term, soldiers ap- 
pearing here and there representing as 
best they could the hardy ranger of 
Clark's command, or the fierce Indian of 
one hundred years ago. 

How closely the imitation contest re- 
sembled the original battle, may remain a 
question, but most assuredly it gave an 



instructive lesson to all in the history of 
our county, and brought before the people 
as had never been done before, the one 
great important military event that hap- 
pened on Clark County's soil. 

The Spki:ngfiel,d Centenniai.. 

When the time arrived when we could 
properly hold another centennial we had 
a Historical Society, the Clark County 
Historical Society having been formed in 
1897. This organization, early in 1900, 
took up the question of celebrating the 
centennial of our city of Springfield. 
Somewhat doubtful of the power of its 
own influence, the society sent forth a 
paper urging the importance of holding 
such an event, and had attached thereto 
the signatures of B. F. Prince, the presi- 
dent of the society, C. J. Bowlus mayor . 
of the city, Joseph Spangenberger, presi- 
dent of the City Council, John W. Burk, 
president of the Board of Trade, and W. 
H. Schaus, president of the Commercial 
Club. In response to this paper a number 
of citizens met in the Council Chamber, 
on the evening of March 13, 1900, and ap- 
pointed a general committee of seven to 
have charge of such celebration: This 
committee was composed of Judge F. M. 
Hagan, Prof. B. F. Prince, Dr. John H. 
Rogers, Capt. E. L. Bookwalter, Mr. John 
Foos, W. H. Schaus, and D. P. Fox. 

At the first meeting of the committee 
it organized by electing Judge Hagan 
president. Dr. Prince secretary, and D. 
P. Fox treasurer. 

A number of sub-committees were ap- 
pointed. It was finally determined to have 
a celebration at the Fair Grounds and an 
entire week was devoted for that purpose. 
The following program was formulated: 



130 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



SUNDAY, AUGUST 4. 

RELIGIOUS DAY. 

Rei\ George H. Fullerton, D. D.. Chairman. 

Exercises at 2 :30 p. m., at the Pair Grounds. 
Doxology — "Praise God, From Whom All Blessings 

Plow." 

Invocation By Rev. W. H. Sidley 

Anthem By the Choir 

Reading of Scriptures. ..By S. P. Breckenridge, D. D. 

Pra.ver By Rev. C. M. Van Pelt 

Hymn — "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." By 

the Choir. 
Historical Paper — "Origin of the Churches and Other 

Religious Organizations of the City and Clark 

County" By Dr. Isaac Kav 

Hvmn — "My Country 'Tis of Thee." By the Choir 

Benediction By Rev. A. C. JMcCabe. D. D. 

(Music for these ser\'ices was furnished by an old- 
fashioned choir of five hundred voices.) 
MONDAY, AUGUST 5. 

FOBMAI, OPENING DAY. 
Governor A. S. BushneU. Chairman. 

Parade at 10 :.30 a. m. of all City Officials, Police 
and Pire Departments, Manufacturers and Com- 
mercial Interests. 

An Exhibition by the Police and Pire Departments 
at the Pair Grounds. 

Opening Address By Judge P. M. Hagan 

Paper — "A Century of Commercial Life." 

By O. P. Hypes 

Paper — "Incorporation of Springfield and City Gov- 
ernment" By D. Z. Gardner 

Paper — "Our Manufacturing- Interests ; History and 

Present Conditions" By ^Y. S. Thomas 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6. 

PIONEER DAY. 
.4.. P. L. Cochran, Esq.. Chairman. 
Paper — "Bench and Bar".... By Hon. Wm.'M. Rockel 
Paper — "History of the Medical Profession of 

Clark County" By Dr. H. H. Seys 

Interesting speeches by some of the first and oldest 
settlers of Clark County. 

AVEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7. 

•MILITARY DAY. 
General J. W. Keifer, Chairman. 
Parade at 10 :30 a. m. of all soldiers" and sailors' 
organizations and soldiers of all wars of Clark 
County. 
Address — "Camp Pires and Military Maneuvers" 

By General Keifer 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8. 

FRATERNAL DAY. 

Judge F. M. Hagan, Chairman. 

Paper — "Praternal Organizations" By P. M. Cartmell 

Exhibition Drills 

By Boys and Girls of Masonic, I. O. O. P. and Pythian 
Homes. 

Display of Secret Societies By Uniformed Ranks 

Paper — "The Press" By Clifton M. Nichols 

PRIDAY, AUGUST 9. 

LABOR AND AGRICULTRAL DAY. 
R. h. Holman, Chairman. 
Parade by all labor organizations of the city. 

Paper — "Labor and Labor Organizations" 

By T. J. Creager 

Paper — "Early Agriculture in Clark County".... 

By J. C. Williams 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10. 

EDUCATIONAL AND WOMAN'S DAY. 
MORNING. 
Mrs. F. M. Hagan, Chairman. 
Display by Members of City and County Schools. 



Paper — "Woman's Clubs".. By Mrs. E. L. Buch waiter 

Paper — "Women's Work for Charity" 

By Mrs. Amaziah Winger 

Prtper — "Woman's Work in the Civil War" 

By Mrs. Clifton M. Nichols 

AFTERNOON. 
Prof. John S. Weaver, Chairman. 
Paper — "A Century of Educational Work in Spring- 
field" By Prof. W. H. Weir 

This program was carried out in detail, 
the proceedings were duly published un- 
der the editorship of Dr. Prince, and make 
a very valuable collection of historical 
matter relating to Clark County. Va- 
rious displays were made on the Fair 
Grounds illustrative of both past and 
present, articles in former use presenting 
•an interesting contrast with those manu- 
factured at this time. The Historical So- 
ciety displayed its collections, and many 
of our people were surprised at the large 
amount of historical matter in the posses- 
sion or at the command of that society. 
The schools of the city also made a dis- 
play which was very creditable. 

The papers prepared by the various 
persons whose names appeared on the 
program, showed much care and research, 
and they have collected and preserved in 
an accessible form a vast amount of use- 
ful historical information for the benefit 
of those who are interested in such mat- 
ters. 

When the year 1918 rolls around the 
centennial of Clark County will no doubt 
be observed with appropriate ceremonies. 

ITndbrgeound Railway'. 

The word "railway" ordinarily con- 
veys to the mind a road laid with rails 
for the purpose of conveying cars from 
one place to another, and the name "un- 
derground railway" would seem to be a 
misnomer, but it very appropriately de- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



131 



scribes the institution it stands for — that 
is, a pathway used by persons who were in 
stealth and secrecy moving from one place 
to another, and was more particularly ap- 
plied to the route which fleeing slaves took 
to escape from their masters, leading from 
the Southern States to the Canadian 
boundary line. 

On the question of slavery diverse 
views were held by our people, some con- 
sidering that the slave was property, and 
was entitled to protection as such, and 
that the master of the slave had the same 
right to pursue and recover a fleeing 
slave, no matter where found, as he would 
have to recover any other kind of prop- 
erty. Others, however, took the view that 
there could be no propei'ty in a human 
being and that the law could grant no 
rights in property of that kind; and that 
hence they were perfectly justified in us- 
ing all the means in their power to assist 
a runaway slave in evading the pursuit 
of his master. 

Clark County seemed naturally adapted 
for a roadway of this kind. The early set- 
ters, as well as the aboriginals, in going 
from Kentucky to the Lakes, either 
crossed the Ohio Eiver at Cincinnati and 
then followed the Miami and Mad River 
Valley, or they crossed at the ford in 
Brown County, prominent in early his- 
tory, being a point where Eagle Eiver en- 
ters into the Ohio, and thence went north 
through what are now the counties of 
Brown, Clinton, Greene, Clark, Cham- 
paign, and Logan or Union, and on up 
to the lakes. In these counties there was 
a large settlement of persons from Mary- 
land, Virginia and Kentucky, many of 
whom had left their old homesteads in 
order to avoid living in the atmosphere of 



slavery with its disagreeable associa- 
tions. These men naturally became 
strong in their opposition to the institu- 
tion and to its upholders. Not much is 
known now of this "railway" in Clark 
County, but it is known that Selma, in the 
southern part of Madison Township, was 
one of the main stations of the road. 
There was there a large settlement of 
Hieksite Quakers, which sect was particu- 
larly violent in its opposition to slavery. 
From Selma the slaves, some of them, 
came through Springfield, but a more 
direct route was up through Mechanics- 
burg, or Marysville. Among the stopping 
places upon this route, it is said was that 
of John T). Nichols, 127 S. Mechanic 
street. The citizens of Clark County were 
considerably wrought up over a contro- 
versy which arose in 1857, in which our 
sheriff, then John E. Layton, was in- 
volved. 

Sometime in the latter part of 1856, one 
Addison White, a slave, had escaped from 
his home in Kentucky. By means of the 
underground railway he had gotten as 
far, in 1857, as Mechanicsburg, Cham- 
paign Coimty. This slave was described 
as being a man of great physical streng-th, 
over six feet in height, and weighing over 
200 pounds, and with a spirit to defend 
himself under all circumstances. A few 
years previous to this time Udney H. 
Hyde had made of his place one of the 
stations of the underground railway. He 
then resided in Mechanicsburg and up to 
May, 1857, he had helped 513 slaves in 
their race for freedom. 

In the spring of 1857 Mr. Hyde moved 
out of the village to a farm about two 
and a half miles away. Addison had left 
a wife, who Avas a free woman, in Ken- 



132 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



tucky. In order to conceal his location, 
his letters were mailed at Springfield and 
those from his wife were sent to the same 
place. In someway not absolutely known 
the authorities became strongly of the 
opinion that Addison was at the Hyde 
residence. About two weeks before the 
attempted seizure, a man by the name of 
Edward Lindsey came to the home of Mr. 
Hyde and sought work which was given 
him. No doubt this man was a spy, for 
he disappeared on the morning of the first 
visit of the marshals and was never heard 
of again. 

On the 21st of May, 1857, B. F. 
Churchill and John C. Elliot, deputy mar- 
shals, accompanied by Captain John Pof- 
fenbarger, United States deputy marshal 
from Champaig-n County, with five Ken- 
tuckians, appeared about srmrise at the 
home of Mr. Hyde for the arrest of Addi- 
son. The fugitive slave was the first to 
discover them. He saw them entering the 
gate of the door-yard, and it didn't take 
him long to understand what it meant. 
It seems that about this time Mr. Hyde, 
who was then building a new house, lived 
in a double log house which had a loft 
above. To enter this loft there was an 
opening just large enough to admit one 
person. Here the slave took refuge armed 
with a large revolver. 

The marshals got a glimpse of the slave 
entering the house, saw the loose boards 
which made the floor of the loft, and mov- 
ing them, fired a shot gun through the 
crack to terrify the slave aboA^e. Elliott, 
one of the marshals, then mounted a lad- 
der with a double-barrel shot gun in his 
hands. When the marshal's head ap- 
peared above the floor the slave fired at 
him and the ball struck the barrel of the 



marshal's gun, making a mark on his 
cheek and taking a nip off his ear. Mr. 
Hyde who was lying in bed with a broken 
ankle, gave instructions as to what should 
be done. One of his sons had been seized 
by the marshals, but a daughter about 
fourteen years of age was at home, and 
she was directed to go to the house of 
another son and ask him to send word to 
friends in Mechanicsburg. She accom- 
plished this mission, although the mar- 
shals' bullets were flying thick and fast 
about her. The brother hastened to Me- 
chanicsburg and aroused the people. Be- 
fore long quite a mob appeared, and after 
a short pai'ley the marshals concluded 
that a retreat was about the most advis- 
able course of action on their part. 

The slave was then secreted success- 
ively in other places. Mr. Hyde, who 
was satisfied that charges would be 
brought against him for harboring a 
slave, put himself in hiding for the nest 
six or eight "months, and while the United 
States authorities were very anxious to 
get him in their clutches they were not 
able to do so. 

About six days after the attempted ar- 
rest of the slave, the United States mar- 
shals Elliott and Churchill reappeared in 
Mechanicsbui'g for the purpose as they 
declared of arresting Mr. Hyde. As soon 
as their presence was observed, it was 
suspected that they were there for that 
purpose, and they were followed by 
Charles and Edward Taylor and Hiram 
Outridge. The officers went to the house 
of the senior Hyde and in some way a 
controversy arose between the Marshals 
and these followers, and the United States 
officers arrested them without a warrant. 
They allowed them to change their cloth- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



133 



ing and prepare somewhat for their jour- 
ney. The Mechanicsbnrg people gave the 
prisoners to understand that if they did 
not want to go they would release them, 
hut the officers said they intended to take 
them to IJrbana for preliminary examina- 
tion, and Urbana not being an unfriendly 
place, this was accepted as satisfactory. 
However, after the United States officers 
had gone some distance towai'ds Urbana 
they changed their course and proceeded 
towards the south. One of the follow- 
ers, Mr. Caldwell, whom the marshals had 
threatened, proceeded to Urbana and se- 
cured a warrant for the arrest of the mar- 
shals on the ground that they had inter- 
fered with him on the public highway. A 
Mr. F. W. Greenough proceeded in an- 
other Avay and filed a Avrit of habeas cor- 
pus before Samuel B. Baldwin, judge of 
the Probate Court of Champaign County. 
This writ of habeas corpus was directed 
to the sheriff of Champaign County and 
it had also been placed in the hands of 
sheriff John E. Layton, of Clark County. 
The United States officials with their pris- 
oners, it had been learned, were proceed- 
ing toward South Charleston. Sheriff 
Layton with deputy sheriff William 
Compton, met the United States officials 
at South Charleston and seizing their 
bridles prevented them from going fur- 
ther. Sheriff Layton attempted to serve 
the writ on Churchill, but was knocked 
down by a stroke from a Colt revolver 
and was so badly beaten that he suffered 
from the assault all of his subsequent life. 
Deputy Marshal Elliott fired some shots. 
About the same time the Urbana officers 
appeared and the deputy marshals 
thought it wise to depart. 

This assault on Sheriff Lavton gave 



another feature to the case. Soon after 
a warrant was issued by J. A. Houston, 
justice of the peace, of South Charleston, 
for the arrest of the United States mar- 
shals. This warrant was placed in the 
hands of E. G. Coffin, who was constable 
then of that court. He, accompanied by 
a large crowd, began the race after the 
United States Marshals. He had not gone 
very far before he was joined by sheriff 
Mclntire of Greene County, in whose 
hands a writ of habeas corpus had also 
been placed. During the entire night the 
pursued and the pursurers were making 
the best headway they could, passing- 
through Greene County into Clinton Coun- 
ty, and about the hour of sunrise, near 
the little village of Lumberton, the mar- 
shals with their prisoners were overtaken. 
Some of the party escaped, but the rest 
with the four prisoners from Mechanics- 
burg, were taken in charge by constable 
Coffin. They returned to South Charles- 
ton, where they were arraig-ned before 
Justice Houston's Court, found gTiilty and 
bound over to the Court of Common Pleas 
on' the evening of the 28th. On the next 
morning they were brought before the 
probate judge of Clark County, James L. 
Torbet, and adinitted to bail in the sum of 
$150. As soon as Churchill and Elliott 
were released they were again arrested on 
a warrant charging assault with attempt 
to commit a murder on May 30th, and 
trial was had. J. S. Haucke was attorney 
for the state and J. M. Hunt for the de- 
fendants. They were bound over to the 
Court of Common Pleas in the sum of 
$1,500. Other arrests were made and 
the prisoners were compelled to remain 
in jail for a good many hours. 

Judge Humphrey H. Leavitt, who was 



134 



inSTOEr OF CLARK COUNTY 



United States district attorney of Ohio, 
ordered that they be released from cus- 
tody of Clarl: County and brought before 
him. Then arose the question that has 
presented a good many difficulties as to 
the jurisdiction of State and United 
States Courts. 

On July 16th Judge Leavitt decided 
that the United States officers were prop- 
erly discharging their duties and ordered 
their discharge. In -the following July, 
the prisoners who were originally arrested 
by the deputy marshals, were again ar- 
rested on warrants and taken before the 
United States District Court in Cincin- 
nati. Two of them, Gutridge and Hyde, 
were dismissed, but Edward and Charles 
Taylor were held and gave bail for their 
appearance in court. Extraordinary ex- 
citement was created all over the State of 
Ohio, and especially in Clark County, by 
these proceedings. The people had been 
aroused on the slavery question to an ex- 
tent never before observed. The assault 
upon Layton and proceedings generally 
left its impress on our people, and no 
doubt had much to do with the extensive 
anti-slavery feeling that afterwards de- 
veloped here. The case dragged along in 
the United States Court for some time, 
and tinally it was proposed by the owner 
of the slave that $1,000' should be paid 
him, when the cases would be dropped. 
The people in Clark County were much 
opposed to this course, but Mr. Udney H. 
Hyde who had not been molested, but who 
had been in hiding on account of this af- 
fair agreed, and the monej^ was raised. 

It may be a matter of interest to those 
not familiar with such proceedings, to 
know something of the form of an instru- 
ment which granted to a slave his free- 



dom. The following is a copy of the Deed 
of Manumission, which was granted to 
Addison White. 

DEED OF MANUMISSION. 
Filed Novembek, 1857. 

' ' Know all men that I, Daniel G-. White, 
of Fleming County, Ky., in consideration 
of the sum of nine hundred and fifty dol- 
lars on hand paid to me by John A. 
Corwin of Champaign County, Ohio, in 
behalf of Addison ^Hiite, a negro man, 
aged about thirty-tive years, who is my 
slave under the laws of Kentucky, and 
who has left my service, do hereby free, 
acquit, release, and manumit the said 
Addison White, my slave as aforesaid, 
and give and assign him to freedom to 
go and to do as he pleases during his 
life, without constraint or obligation of 
any nature by and to me at any time or 
place or under any circumstances what- 
ever. And I hereby covenant and agree 
with the said John A. Corwin and the 
said Addison White that the right of the 
said Addison Wliite to visit, or reside in 
the State of Kentucky or elsewhere, shall 
be free and unrestrained, except by the 
laws of Kentucky or the laws of the place 
where he may be and sojourn, and with- 
out any claim of mine or any other per- 
son upon his libertj^ or upon his per- 
sonal services. In witness whereof I have 
hereunto affixed mv name and seal this 
12th day of November, A. D. 1857, at the 
City of Covington in the State of Ken- 
tucky. 

(Seal.) Daniel G. White. 

Attest : 

Alexander Cowan, 

W. W. Johnson." 

I am indebted for much of the data 
contained in the above account of the res- 
cue case, to a very interesting paper of 
Dr. B. F. Prince, that appeared in the 
July number, 1P07, of the Quarterly of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



137 



Ohio Archaeological and Historical So- 
ciety. 

Springfield's First Riot. 

Wliile our neighboring cities of Ur- 
bana, Bellefontaine, and Xenia had wit- 
nessed mob law, it was our boast and 
pride that such a thing had never hap- 
pened in Springfield, and we did not think 
that it ever could occur ; but communities 
like individuals, when attacked by a dan- 
gerous disease, require drastic means of 
relief, and do not realize how deep seated 
some treacherous diseases in government- 
al affairs may become until a sudden 
erujation brings the disorder prominently 
to view. No person had ever suffered the 
penalty of death for the commission of 
a capital offense in this county, and people 
had become rather of the opinion that no 
matter how brutal a murder might have 
been committed, thd full penalty of the law 
would not be applied. For some time pre- 
vious to 1903 our community seemed to 
be overwhelmed by a deluge of crimes. 
Within the period of one year more than 
twelve murders had been committed, quite 
a number of them by colored people. For 
some time Springfield seemed to be the 
rendezvous of disreputable colored people 
from Kentucky, and other points within 
and without the state. They came to 
Springfield probably because there was a 
large colored population here, and also for 
the reason that no colored line had been 
drawn against them in the shops and in 
the pursuit of other avocations. But the 
colored man, ever eager to assert and 
maintain his equal rights with the white 
man, had frequently come into collision 
with the latter. Furthermore, while a 



number of colored people had made reput- 
able citizens, there were a number of the 
younger and more foreign element that 
had justly made themselves obnoxious to 
the white people, and this had created 
more or less of a' race feeling. Added to 
this, there was a controversy and conflict 
of authoritjr between our Police Court and 
the Court of Common Pleas, which did 
not tend to elevate either in the minds of 
right-thinking people, and which resulted 
to the detriment of their authority among 
the lower classes. By reason of the las 
enforcement of police laws, resulting no 
doubt from the inadequate realization of 
crime that was committed, then common 
among our citizens, a number of disreput- 
able saloons and other places where dis- 
reputable people congregated, had been al- 
lowed to exist with very little molestation ; 
and so on March 6, 1904, when Richard 
Dixon, a dangerous colored man from 
Kentucky, shot and killed without jDrovo- 
cation Police Court Bailiff Charles Collis, 
it took very little encouragement to arouse 
a spirit that placed his life in the hands of 
a mob. The murder was without the least 
semblance of provocation. Dixon had 
been in trouble before and it seems had 
conceived a hatred against the court bai- 
liff. Collis was an exemplary iDolice of- 
ficer and a well-liked citizen and as soon 
as the report had become thoroughly cir- 
culated that he was dead, some of those 
who had known him very well suggested 
that they take the law in their own hands. 
It was rumored in the afternoon that an 
attempt would be made to lynch Dixon, 
but the idea was scouted by the better 
class of citizens. However, in the evening 
a howling and hooting mob gathered 
around the jail clamoring for the life of 



138 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Dixon. To tlae on-looker this mob ap- 
peared to be composed of boys and a class 
of men that would not go to much risk in 
a matter of that kind. None or scarcely 
none of the citizens of the better type 
were at all engaged in its work. It was 
composed of mechanics and a set of hood- 
lums who had a natural antipathy to the 
colored man, together with a desire to be 
mixed up in a rumpus should one occur. 
The officers at the jail attempted to pro- 
tect the prisoner, however, not escaping 
criticism by reason of their failure so to 
do. The sheriff made repeated requests 
to the crowd to desist, but finally about 11 
o'clock, a more determined set of men 
seemed to take charge of the proceedings. 
Taking a railroad iron, they burst open 
the door and secured the prisoner. Half 
dead, he was dragged up to the corner of 
Fountain Avenue and Main Street, where 
he was hung to a telegraph pole and his 
body riddled with bullets. 

The next morning everything seemed 
quiet and the mob seemed to have expend- 
ed its force. However, in the evening the 
crowd gathered again, and this time with 
the purpose of destroying the disreputa- 
ble saloons, set fire to a row of buildings 
on Washington Street facing the railroad, 
east of Spring Street, and they were 
burned to the ground, the fire department 
being powerless to save them. Other 
places were likewise threatened and the 
situation became serious. In this condi- 
tion of affairs the militia was called out, 
and on March 10th there were about 600 
troops in Spring-field, the city being placed 
under martial law. The loss by this fire 
was about $14,000. The militia was in the 
city about a week, when things calmed 
down and business went forward in it usu- 



al way. At no time was there any danger 
to the ordinary citizen, except such as 
might result from fire caused by some 
hoodlums. An attemjDt was afterwards 
made to convict some of the persons en- 
gaged in this riot, but it was not success- 
ful. 

The Second Riot. 

After the "levee" was burned by the 
rioters in 1904, a large number of disrep- 
utable people who had lounged about that 
thoroughfare took up their quarters in the 
neighborhood of what was known as the 
"Lone Tree Saloon" on East Columbia 
Street, which locality became the "bad 
lands" of our town for a while. 

On February 26, 1906, two negroes 
named Ed. Dean and Preston Ladd got 
into a difficulty at this saloon, which was 
termed the ' ' Jungles, ' ' and cut a fellow by 
the name of Sulkins. They then went 
over into the railroad yards and because 
M. M. Davis, a brakeman, did not reply to 
a question they asked him just as they 
thought he should, shot him. Davis did 
not die immediately, but it was stated at 
once that his life was in a precarious con- 
dition. The mob gathered together the 
next evening, and before it could be con- 
trolled set fire to the disreputable build- 
ings surrounding the "Jungles" on East 
Columbia Street, and again the militia 
was called out to protect the property in 
the City of Springfield. While both of 
these riots were to be deplored, they were 
not nearly so bad as they were reported to 
be by some of the outside papers. At no 
time was the life of a reputable citizen in 
danger and at no time was there a general 
disposition on the part of the people to 
violate the law. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



139 



These manifestations of the mob spirit 
were probably due to the manner in which 
a large number of our people regarded 
the enforcement of the laws. Many of our 
citizens had expressed sentiments favor- 
able to the methods of Judge Lynch. Fre- 
quently it could be heard said, when mob 
law was spoken of, that if the accused par- 
ty were guilty, that was the best course 
to be taken. 

After this last riot a number of the riot- 
ers were arrested, but because some of 
them were young, or by reason of the 
sickly sentimentality exhibited by some of 
our best citizens, they were not punished ; 
nothing was done after either of these ri- 
ots that resulted in the punishment of the 
participators. However, since that time 
there has been a more strenuous enforce- 
ment of the ordinary police laws in regard 
to crimes, and at this writing the record 
of the county promises soon to be broken 
and at least one person will pay the pen- 
alty of his crime in the electric chair. 

Storms a"nd Cyclones. 

So far as we are able to learn at this 
time, Clark County has been visited by a 
few cyclones or tornadoes. Frequently 
there is a high wind in certain localities, 
which may unroof a few houses or destroy 
frail buildings. In some parts of the 
county there is a growth of timber, indi- 
cating that at one time the older growth 
might have been destroyed by cyclonic in- 
strumentality, but of this there is no cer- 
tainty. 

In 1833 a cyclone passed near Enon, 
completely demolishing the house of Mr. 
Ezra D. Baker, likewise the house of Dr. 
Bessey, which stood near the former resi- 
dence of David Shellabarger, and several 



other houses in the community suffered 
likewise. 

In September, 1885, a cyclone visited 
the northwestern part of the county near 
Dialton ; houses were unroofed and grow- 
ing corn was blown down in every direc- 
tion and forests were destroyed. 

The course of the cyclone was not very 
wide; a short distance east of Dialton it 
seemed to go up and spend its force in 
the heavens. 

In 1892 a cyclone visited the southern 
part of Springfield, having its greatest 
force in what is known as the Tibbetts 
Addition, from Grrand Avenue south. 
About fifty houses were injured more or 
less. No one was killed in any of these 
cyclones, some having a miraculous es- 
cape. 

On July 27, 1906, a hail storm visited 
Spring-field and to the northwest in Ger- 
man Township, in some places complete- 
ly destroying the corn and oat crop. 
Some fields of corn were mown down as 
if cut with a scythe, this appearance being 
notably so with respect to that of Will- 
iam Hyslop in German Township. 

Freshets. 

In September, 1866, and March, 1867, 
Mad Eiver rose higher than it was ever 
known to do before. It swept across the 
National Eoad west of the city to the 
depth of three feet or more. A person 
whose name is not now remembered at- 
tempting to cross on horseback was swept 
off of the road and lodged in some trees 
below, and was rescued with some dif- 
ficulty. The horse swam on down to the 
Big Four Eailroad and was pulled up 
with ropes onto the railroad embankment. 

Another extraordinary freshet of Mad 



140 



HISTORY OF OL,\RK COUNTY 



River occurred in 1897, when the water 
became as high, or very nearly so, as in 
1867 and 1868, and again an accident hap- 
pened on the National Road west of the 
city, when a young man, in attempting to 
cross the National Road on horseback, 
by reason of a hole being washed out at 
the edge of the road, lost his horse's foot- 
ing and they w;ere both rescued with great 
difficulty. By this last freshet, the east- 
ern part of town along Columbia and 
North Streets became flooded, some 
houses having as much as three and four 
feet of water in them. 

In the spring of 1886 the citizens of 
Springfield were somewhat startled when 
they took up their morning paper and saw 
the announcement that the bridge across 
the Big Four Railroad on East High 
Street had been washed away during the 
previous night. It was more than could 
be realized by those who were acquainted 
with the surroundings, how this bridge, 
situated on high land, crossing no stream 
and not being in proximity to any very 
large stream, could possibly be washed 
away, but the facts showed that, while the 
bridge itself was not washed away, the 
west end embankment was so undermined 
as to become unfit for use, and a large 
amount of the railroad track had been 
washed away. During the night before 
there had been a cloud burst or something 
of that nature and Mill Run having been 
sewered through the city to a certain ex- 
tent, could not carry away the water in its 
ordinary channel and it was therefore di- 
verted, following the Y, in the Big Four 
under this bridge, coming down with very 
great force. Once since the same thing 
has occurred, the damage, however, not 
reaching such a serious extent. 



While not in the nature of freshets or 
cyclones, it might not be improper to here 
mention the fact that in 1889, while quite 
a number of persons were being baptized 
by immersion in Buck Creek, the bridge 
on North Limestone Street gave away and 
quite a number of persons who were stand- 
ing on the bridge were precipitated into 
the creek and some seriously injured. A 
number of suits were brought against the 
city, but no recovery was had in any of 
them and none of the injuries resulted fa- 
tally. 

The Geeat East Street Shops. 

From 1870 until 1880 the manufactur- 
ers of the Champion reapers and mowers 
enjoyed very great prosperity. Within 
this decade, three mammoth establish- 
ments were making this machine exclus- 
ively. The Lagonda Manufacturing es- 
tablishment, which was founded early in 
the fifties, was now controlled by Mr. Ben- 
jamin F. Warder and Asa S. Bushnell, 
and through royalties paid to the Whitley, 
Fassler and Kelly Company was now 
making this machine. 

Shortly prior to 1870 the new Champion 
machine company was organized, the mov- 
ing spirits in which were Amos Whitley, 
Robert Johnson, W. W. Wilson and Dan- 
iel P. Jeffreys. This company likewise 
was engaged in manufacturing the Cham- 
ijion Machines. The old company of 
Whitley, Fassler & Kelly, which began the 
manufacture of this machine back in the 
fifties, was located where the Arcade 
building now stands. This firm was com- 
posed of Wm. N. Whitley, Oliver S. Kel- 
ly and Jerome Fassler. The machines 
that they put on the market principally 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



141 



were the reaping machines of the self -rak- 
ing and dropping attachment kind, and 
mowers of various styles. The outlook 
for the future for the Champion 
machines was bright and it seemed 
that the old plant, located where the 
Arcade now stands, was entirely too 
small and that a larger plant should 
be erected. The partners, however, could 
not agree on this matter, so William N. 
Whitley purchased the interest of the oth- 
er partners, and in the deal the old shops 
were taken by Mr. Kelly, who soon there- 
after began tearing them down and erect- 
ing the Arcade Building. This was in 
1881. Mr. Whitley bought a large tract 
of land between the Big Pour Railroad 
and what is now Eastern Avenue, extend- 
ing from East Street to the Burnett Road. 
Immediately east of East Street was a 
considerable elevation. This was leveled 
down and erection of the Great East 
Street Shops was begun. 

The work was carried on with great en- 
ergy. Cellars were dug and walls put in 
for the entire front and the north wing in 
a very brief time, and much of the brick 
work was laid during the cold weather. 
This building had a frontage on East 
Street of 624 feet, and Avas four stories 
in height, with a basement. Enormous 
wings extended off from the main build- 
ing toward the east, the north wing being 
the warehouse part, 1,140 feet in length, 
with a Taasement under the entire length. 
Four other wings were built toward the 
east of various lengths. A mammoth mal- 
leable plant was erected on Eastern Av- 
enue covering more than two acres of 
groimd si^ace. A pattern shop four stor- 
ies in height was erected east of this mal- 
leable shop. North of these were placed 



buildings designed to be rolling-mills; so 
that, taking it all and all, it constituted 
the largest shop in the world devoted ex- 
clusively to the manufacture of reapers 
and mowers. At one time there were two 
thousand people employed. It had not 
been open long, however, until Mr. Whit- 
ley had some trouble with the labor organ- 
izations, and that was in 1886. In 1887 
occurred the great Harper failure of Cin- 
cinnati. It seems that Mr. Whitley had 
indorsed some of Harper's paper and 
Harper had indorsed some of Whitley's 
paper in return. Allien Harper went un- 
der through his speculations, Whitley was 
called on to pay these indorsed notes. 
This, together with the trouble caused by 
the labor unions, compelled an assignment 
in 1887. Genera] Keifer was made as- 
signee and proceeded to close out the bus- 
iness. Before he had been thus engaged 
very long he aroused the antagonism of 
Mr. Whitley, and finally gave up the du- 
ties of assignee. Afterwards George H. 
Frey was appointed, and the great East 
Street shops, costing $1,200,000, were put 
up at auction and bid in by vice-president 
Fairbanks for the sum of $200,000. 

Hard times had arrived and the works 
stood idle for some time. There having 
been some discord in the Krell-French Pi- 
ano Company, manufacturers of pianos 
of Cincinnati, one of the partners came 
to Springfield and through the efforts of 
our local capitalists was finally induced to 
locate here and purchased the north wing 
of this East Street establishment for the 
purpose of manufacturing pianos. The en- 
tire building was renovated and fitted for 
its new use. A ceremonious opening was 
held and citizens were invited to an ex- 
hibit of the company's product, the Krell- 



142 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



French Piano. A few days afterwards, on 
February 9, 1902, from some unknown 
source, the building caught fire and the 
entire north wing, whicli the Krell-French 
Piano Company had purchased, together 
with the whole front and some other por- 
tions immediately attached thereto, 
burned to the ground and has never yet 
been rebuilt. 

In other parts of this mammoth estab- 
lishment there have been located the In- 
dianapolis Frog & Switch Company, the 
Fairbanks Tool Company, and the Kelly- 
Springfield Eoad Roller Company. 

It can hardly be said that the building 
of this great shop was of any material 
benefit to the city of Springfield. For a 
long time it was idle and it seemed rather 
to be a hindrance than a help to real prog- 
ress. However, its burning was a matter 
of sincere regret to every citizen of 
Springfield, and all were obliged to sym- 
pathize with Mr. William N. "Whitley, who 
viewed the burning structure with tears 
streaming down his face. 

The Ckusades. 

For many years the saloon traffic has 
been a source of comment, contention, 
argument and persuasion among the peo- 
ple of Ohio. The evil of the traffic was 
presented in such strong terms by its ad- 
versaries that the Constitutional Conven- 
tion in 1851 provided that no law should 
ever be passed licensing the traffic in this 
state. 

In 1870 a call for a new constitutional 
convention had been made and soon there- 
after members were elected to that body. 
It was well known that the question of li- 



cense or no license would again be sub- 
mitted to the people. 

Springfield, while not worse than other 
cities of its size, had its fair portion of 
saloons and the influence of the men who 
had become connected, as workers, with 
our vast and increasing manufacturing 
plants, tended, if anything, to augment 
the ranks of the liberal element in the 
community. The churches were alive to 
the existing conditions. The temperance 
element throughout the state had invited 
Dr. Dio Lewis, of Boston, a very distin- 
guished and eloquent advocate of temper- 
ance, to make addresses in various places 
in Ohio, and in the winter of 1873-]874 
tEere arose in the southern part of this 
state the novel campaign against the whis- 
key traffic, which was termed the "Wo- 
man's Crusade." It began in Hillsboro, 
the last of December, and in a few months 
had extended to other states. In the large 
cities it was not very successful, but in 
small villages results were sometimes 
summary, in some cases the crusaders 
closing almost every saloon. 

The incidents attendant on this work in 
Hillsboro gave it wide notoriety. The 
method pursued by the crusaders was to 
go to a saloon and offer prayer that the 
saloonists might repent. 

J. C. Van Pelt was the keeper of the 
saloon "Dead Fall" at the Union Depot 
at New Vienna, and was said to be the 
wickedest man in Ohio. He was a tall, 
solidly-built man, with a red nose and the 
head of a prize fighter, and was noted for 
his bull-dog pluck. 

When the ladies assembled at the 
"Dead Fall," he threatened all manner 
of things against them if they came again, 
and the next day decorated one of his sa- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



143 



loon windows with whiskey bottles ; in an- 
other appeared an ax covered with blood. 
Across the door empty flasks were sus- 
pended, and near them a large jug bear- 
ing the name of "Brady's Bitters," while 
a representation of Van Pelt was seen in 
the act of throwing a club. All this had 
no effect, however, upon the ladies. About 
fifty of them began praying, when he 
seized a bucket of muddy water and threw 
its contents against the ceiling, from 
which it came down on the praying 
women, the crusaders standing to their 
post. This conduct on the part of the sa- 
loon keeper won for the crusaders the 
sympathy of the people, and Van Pelt was 
arrested and staid in jail several days. 
However, his saloon continued running. 
Upon Van Pelt's release he was more bit- 
ter and determined. He attended their 
meetings, publicly argued and disputed 
with them at length on question after 
question. Finally, however, he began to 
weaken and offered to sell his place of 
business, but the feeling was such at the 
tiine that no buyers presented themselves. 
The ladies continued to visit the saloon 
and he continued to harass them with 
blasphemous language, calling the women 
brutes and names of like character, but 
the women still persisted, and finally, to 
the surprise of everyone, at one of their 
prayer-meetings in the saloon. Van Pelt 
appeared and made a complete surrender 
of his stock and fixtures, yielding, as he 
said, on love and the work of these women, 
and the whiskey and beer were rolled out 
upon the sidewalk and emptied in the gut- 
ter and Van Pelt took up the cause of 
temperance. 

On February 11th Dr. Dio Lewis and 
this reformed saloon-keeper, J. C. Van 



Pelt, appeared before a Springfield audi- 
ence. Prior to this time, in 1873, a peti- 
tion signed by over 600 women had been 
presented to our City Council to prohibit 
the sale of beer and whiskey, and on Jan- 
uary 6, 1874, a woman's temperance asso- 
ciation had been formed, a petition for 
which had been circulated by Mrs. E. I, 
Stewart, who was afterwards known at 
home and abroad as "Mother Stewart." 

These meetings produced a very intense 
interest and continued unmolested with- 
out intermission for about twenty weeks. 

When Dr. Dio TjCwIs and Van Pelt were 
in the city, the first praying band went 
out and visited the "Lagonda House Sa- 
loon." All these matters created intense 
excitement. The crusaders visited other 
saloons. Their method was to go inside 
the saloon and pray, if permitted, if not 
upon the sidewalk outside. Some few sa- 
loons closed, and the impression made up- 
on the people was considerable. 

Afterwards, in 1877, when the fame of 
Murphy had reached Springfield, a new 
impetus was given to the temperance 
movement, and a number of people at- 
tended what was then called "The Mur- 
phy Meetings." A badge of membership 
was a blue ribbon tied upon the lapel of 
the coat. These blue ribbons were prom- 
inent decorations of a number of prom- 
inent citizens for a considerable length of 
time and very great good was done by this 
movement. In 1880 Edward S. Wallace, 
who became a follower of Murphy, ran in- 
dependently for mayor and was elected. 

Spring-field had a number of intensely 
active, energetic temperance women, but 
one of whom attained renown above all 
others— Mother Stewart, by her winning 
ways and persuasive personality, became 



144 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



known all over the world as a most noted 
temperance advocate. She made ad- 
dresses in almost every county in Ohio 
and in a. large number of other places 
throughout the United States, and upon 
invitation of the temperance people in 
Great Britain she made a visit to that 
country and was received with honors 
never before or since accorded to any 
American woman. She is still living at 
this writing, in retirement, at the ripe old 
age of ninety-one. 

Other temperance advocates of Spring- 
field have been noted in Ohio history and 
on three or more different occasions fur- 
nished candidates for governor on the 
Prohibition ticket. 

Dr. M. J. Firey was a strenuous and 
life-long fighter of the evil of intemper- 
ance. He took it upon himself as a duty 
which he could not evade, and whenever 



he had the opportunity he did everything 
in his power against the liquor traffic. 

Dr. A. B. Leonard for a time was pas- 
tor of the Center Street Methodist Church 
and has since become a Bishop, while a 
minister here was no less strenuous in 
his opposition to the saloon than Dr. 
Firey. He was a very eloquent speaker 
from the rostrum. 

A. R. Ludlow, an old time citizen of 
this place, who has since departed from 
this life, joined in the temperance move- 
ment and was equally strenuous in his op- 
position to all matters connected with the 
saloon traffic. 

It is Stated in Beers ' history, that from 
the formation of the Murphy meetings in 
1877 to December, 1880, 15,621 persons 
had signed the pledge. At one time the 
Prohibition ticket of Clark' County re- 
ceived 800 votes. 



CHAPTER IX. 



COUNTY BUILDINGS, ETC. 

Court House — East County Building — West County Braiding — County Jail — Sol- 
diers' Momment — County Infirmary — Children's Borne — Agricultural So- 
ciety. 



Court House. 

While Springfield was for a short time 
the county seat of Champaign County, it 
did not in that capacity receive sufficient 
attention to be provided with a court 
house. Prior to the organization of Clark 
County in 1806, there was one term of 
court held in Springfield. A single case 
was tried — that of Robert Eoenick, for 
killing an Indian. The act was justified 
by some and condemned by others, but the 
jury granted a verdict of "not guilty." 

For more than four years after the or- 
ganization of the county in 1818, regular 
sessions of the court were held at a tav- 
ern of John Hunt on Main Street. In 
March, 1819, the commissioners gave pub- 
lic notice that on the 22d propositions 
would be received for a site on which to 
erect a county building. 

On April 12th, Maddox Fisher and 
about forty others pledged themselves to 
pay the sum of $2,115 toward the erec- 
tion of a court house, provided the same 



was erected on the Common, or Squarq, 
which Demint had reserved for the public 
use of lot owners of his plat. 

This square includes what is now occu- 
pied by the Court House, the Soldiers' 
Monument, the Historical Society Build- 
ing and the County Officers' Building. 

Upon receipt of the pledges of Fisher 
and others, the commissioners decided to 
accept the site selected by them, and or- 
dered Col. John Daugherty, the surveyor, 
to find the true lines of the square, and 
not long after the commissioners adopted 
a plan furnished by Mr. Fisher and John 
Ammon for the erection of a building for 
the sum of $3,972, the work to be done by 
January 1st, 1820. This contract was only 
to include the walls and roof. 

In 1821 a further contract was made 
for the floors, windows, etc., and through 
various stages the building was continued 
until its. completion in 1828, and in ac- 
cordance with the custom of early days, a 
bell was hung in the cupola and this gave 
its first warning to the people of Clark 



146 



HISTORY OF CLABK COUNTY 



County that the court was in session, on 
October 25, 1828. 

This building was used for court pur- 
poses until 1878, a half century, when it 
was sold to former Probate Judge J. H. 
Littler, for $50.00. Long prior to that 
time it was recognized that the court 
house finished in 1828 was entirely inad- 
equate for the need of the people of Clark 
County. 

The building was not more than thirty- 
five or forty feet square, with hip roof and 
a cupola thrust up through the center of 
the roof. A very good picture of the old 
court house adorns the court room of our 
present court building. 

In 1877 a proposition as to the building 
of a new court house and its location was 
submitted to a vote of the people. One of 
the principal bones of contention con- 
nected with the erection of a new court 
house had been, up to this time, with re- 
spect to where it should be located. As 
far back as in 1852, the commissioners 
had acquired the lot upon which the Post 
Office Building is now located, and had 
constructed a jail thereon, with the inten- 
tion ultimately of also erecting a court 
house there, but the friends of "Sleepy 
Hollow" would not without strenuous op- 
position agree that the old court house 
site should be abandoned; so at the time 
that the vote for a new court house build- 
ing was submitted, a question of the site 
was also submitted to the voters and the 
champions of "Sleepy Hollow" pre- 
vailed ; but the opposition, probably, made 
themselves felt in the amoimt that was 
voted for a court house. 

It would have been a wise policy, and 
also good business sense, if a sufficient 



amount had been voted to have erected a 
court house large enough to include all 
the county offices. 

With the money at the command of the 
commissioners the present court house 
was begun in 1878 and finished in 1881. 
Architecturally it is a handsome building, 
but its arrangement inside could hardly 
be worse for the purposes for which it was 
built, and sooner or later it will require a 
remodeling to bring it up to the needs of 
our city and county, and to accord with 
the modern ideas of buildings and the ar- 
rangements properly belonging to a court 
house. For the money expended, no coun- 
ty ever received a handsomer or a better 
building. Its stone finish outside and its 
walnut finish inside are all that could be 
desired. The court house and the jail, 
with furniture and $10,000 paid for 
ground, are said to have cost not more 
than $115,000. 

East County Building. 

As a make-shift until a new court house 
could be had, or better arrangements 
made, a building was erected in 1868 on 
the southeast lot of the square, which was 
used as offices for the treasurer, recorder, 
auditor, commissioners and board of ag- 
riculture. This building at first was two 
stories in height. Afterwards a wing or 
addition was made running back almost 
doubling its original capacity, which 
served for the purpose for which it was 
erected, until 1904, when the county offi- 
cers moved into the present building situ- 
ated on the opposite side of the street. 
This building is now used by the Clark 
Countv Historical Societv. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



147 



West County Building. 

Shortly after the erection of the East 
County Building, a building very much 
similar was erected on the west side of 
the street, on the lot now occupied by the 
county officers ' building in which the Pro- 
bate Court and other offices are located. 
This West County Building was used by 
the Probate Court, county surveyor's of- 
fice and county commissioners, and like- 
wise for a while by the clerk and sheriff. 

During the erection of the new court 
house from 1878-1881 court was held in 
this west building in the room upstairs 
over the Probate Court office. 

The building erected in 1869 was torn 
down in 1900 for the erection of the pres- 
ent commodious building now located up- 
on that site. This building was erected 
and furnished at a cost of about $110,000. 
It is modern in every respect and reflects 
credit to the architect that designed it, and 
the people who were instrumental in its 
erection. As a specimen of architecture 
it is not excelled by any building in our 
county. 

County Jail. 

The jail is a complement of the court 
house. The first one in our town was a 
log and plank building on Fisher Street. 
It was on the east side about half way 
between Main and Columbia Streets, and 
it was erected by the citizens of the west 
end of the town, then called "Old Vir- 
ginia." 

The people of this vicinity petitioned 
the county commissioners and agreed to 
build a jail sixteen feet square and one 
story high, for such price as the board 
might see fit to pay. It was finished in 



1818. It is said that the first jailor, 
whose name was Abraham B. Mereness, 
to assist him in his duties kept a black 
bear chained to a stake near the jail door. 
A black man named Jackson being con- 
fined in that jail pried off the door, threw 
it into Mill Run and set out for parts un- 
known. 

This jail was finally demolished and an- 
other one was erected on the lot now oc- 
cupied by the Soldiers' Monument oppo- 
site the court house. It was built of oak 
timbers, hewed square, and bolted togeth- 
er. The floor was of like material, cov- 
ered with several courses. The ceilings 
were built much in the same manner, 
though not quite so thick. Then over the 
outside of these there was built a brick 
wall inclosing the whole of the entire 
building, giving it a respectable appear- 
ance. It was two stories high, and the 
brick work was extended to the south of 
the jail far enough to enclose sufficient 
space for several county offices. 

This jail was torn down in 1869 to make 
room for the Soldiers' Monument. How- 
ever, previous to this time it had been 
abandoned for jail purposes, as it was said 
in speaking of the court house, that it was 
the original intention of some to build a 
court house and jail combined, and with 
that object in view a building was begun 
about the year 1850 upon the lot where 
the Post Office is now situated, and was 
continued until 1852 far enough to com- 
plete the jail. This fourth jail was built 
of stone and brick, the labor being largely 
done by the day and superintended by the 
county commissioners. This jail was 
pulled down about the year 1880 and much 
of the stone taken therefrom used in 
building the present court house and jail. 



148 



HISTORY OF CL.^K COrjNTY 



It was from this jail that the murderers 
of Daniel Hertzeler escaped. Just how 
they ever received their freedom has nev- 
er been definitely known, but they made 
their escape in such a complete way that 
they were never afterwards re-arrested, 
or their whereabouts discovered. The 
present jail was erected at the same time 
that the present court house was erected, 
the county now owning the lot out to the 
alley. A large part of the ground now oc- 
cupied by the jail was purchased for the 
sum of $10,000. It has served its purpose 
very well and seems to have been suf- 
ficient for the confinement of criminals. 
No escapes have been made, unless by 
neglect of some one in charge. Here was 
enacted an exciting scene when the riot- 
ers took from within it Henry Dixon in 
1904. 

Soldiers' Monument. 

For some time it had been felt by the 
people of our county that some fitting 
tribute should be paid to the memory of 
the "Boys in Blue" who had so nobly rep- 
resented this county in the Civil "War of 
1861-65. It is said that Clark County fur- 
nished more than 3,000 soldiers to the 
Civil war. 

A vote was taken upon the question and 
it was decided that this recognition should 
take the shape of a monument to be placed 
upon the lot where the old jail was lo- 
cated. The statue was modeled by J. A. 
Bailey and cast by Henry H. Lovie, of 
Philadelphia. It is made of antique bronze 
and stands upon a pedestal of Quincy 
granite which weighs over thirty tons. 
The height of the figure is eight feet five 
inches, and the whole height of the monu- 
ment is twenty-one feet and a few inches. 



It was dedicated May 30, 1870. The en- 
tire cost of monument and base was $10,- 
000. The late Judge Mower was chair- 
man, and the orator, the late Judge Cox, 
of Cincinnati. 

On several occasions a movement has 
been started to remove this monument 
from its present location to the mound 
in the cemetery ; at no time, however, has 
the movement been of sufficient force to 
accomplish that result, and until the plot 
of land iipon which it is situated is needed 
for some other county purpose, it is like- 
ly that the monument will stay where it 
is. It ^eems that its present location is 
not an inappropriate one, and that it can 
serve the purpose for which it was erected 
just as well where it is as it would if 
moved to the cemetery. 

County Infibmaky. 

In 1833 the Board of Coimty Commis- 
sioners passed a resolution to purchase a 
lot suitable for the erection of a poor 
house, and the following January, 
Joseph Parrott conveyed 48.54 acres to 
Clark County. To this was added in 
1839 the tract upon which the Children's 
Home is located, and an infirmary was 
erected. This infirmary has been en- 
larged and remodeled and in its remodeled 
condition is still used for infirmary pur- 
poses. In 1836 the first board of direc- 
tors met and organized. Today the 
ground is quite valuable, and on several 
occasions it has been seriously urged that 
the grounds be sold and an infirmary be 
erected upon a larger tract of land, which 
could be purchased, from the proceeds of 
such sale, at a farther distance from the 
city. This no doubt will happen before 
many years roll around. 





SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, SPRTNGFIELD 



CLARK COUNTY COURT HOUSE 





COUNTY OFFICERS' BUILDING 




CITY BUILDING. SPRINGFIF:lD 



CLARK COUNTY INFIRMARY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



151 



When the present buildings become un- 
fit for infirmary purposes, either by rea- 
son of their age or from insufBciency of 
room, it is likely that some other place 
will be selected. From the record we find 
that John Boss, of Bethel Township, was 
the first person to be admitted, that Den- 
nis Jones was the first superintendent, 
and that Francis Elliott was appointed to 
succeed him in 1842. The records are not 
complete, but in 1861 Christopher La- 
bourn was re-appointed superintendent. 
In 1863 W. H. Ford was superintendent 
and he served until 1876. Then Isaac 
Curl was elected to that position and he 
in turn was superseded in 1878 by James 
Fleming, and in 1892 William H. Hughes 
was elected to that position and served 
until 1902, when A. 0. Huffman was chos- 
en ; he was succeeded in 1907 by the pres- 
ent superintendent, Edgar W. Albin. 

Childeen's Home. 

For some time philanthropists had dis- 
cussed the problem as to the manner in 
which orphan children should be taken 
care of. It was realized that the present 
child makes the future man or woman, and 
that if society is to be improved and civil- 
ization advanced, the child must be prop- 
erly cared for. A large number of or- 
phans left by soldiers who lost their lives 
in the war of 1861 served to bring this 
matter to prominence before the people, 
and in 1866 the legislature passed an act 
permitting counties to erect homes for 
such children. 

The commissioners of our county sub- 
mitted the matter to a vote in 1875 and it 
was carried by a large majority and in 
1877 they selected the present site, which 



is north of the city of Springfield, east of 
the Urbana Pike, about one-half mile 
north of the corporation line. It is on a 
tract of land bought by the county from 
Richard Rodgers in 1839, and was for- 
merly used -as a wood lot for the infirm- 
ary. It is well chosen and the buildings 
erected are commodious and properly ar- 
ranged for the purpose intended. 

In 1878 the trustees for the home were 
appointed, Frederick Holford, Clifton M. 
Nichols and E. B. Cassilly being the first 
persons to fill that position. In March of 
the same year William Sloan was ap- 
pointed superintendent and his wife as 
matron. In 1880 Nathan M. McConkey 
and wife were appointed to succeed Mr. 
and Mrs. Sloan, and they served until the 
death of Mr. McConkey in 1885. Adam 
Lenhart and his estimable wife were ap- 
pointed superintendent ^and matron re- 
spectively of that institution. It is con- 
ceded by all who have come in contact 
with the management of that institution, 
that the persons in charge of it are admir- 
ably adapted for the positions they occu- 
py and the benefit received by the com- 
munity and society at large is beyond es- 
timation, and the good accomplished by 
the institution is fully up to the expecta- 
tion of those who urged its original erec- 
tion. 

The original building for the orphans' 
home cost $20,000.00. It is a large com- 
modious structure made of brick. Since 
that time other buildings and improve- 
ments have been added until the total ex- 
penditure has reached the sum of $45,678. 
Immeasurable good has been accom- 
plished, and a large number of children 
have been put into good homes, and many 
adopted by respectable people. 



152 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Great care has been exercised by those 
in charge in seeing that persons who ap- 
ply for children, either to be apprenticed 
or adopted, be persons of a suitable and 
proper character. Since the home has 
been opened it has furnished a place of 
temporary abode for 1,546 children. The 
present number in the home is sixty-sev- 
en and the cost per capita is $122. The 
woods surrounding the home has been 
trimmed out and shows a most beautiful 
grove. In the southwest corner a part 
has been set off in which to bury the little 
ones that have come to the institution and 
have gone thence to their final home. 

A school has been conducted in this 
building and the children are taught in a 
substantial way the rudiments of knowl- 
edge, and in all respects the institution 
has been the success hoped for by its 
founders. 

Clark Cor:^rTY Ageicultueal Society. 

On the 25th of January, 1840, a meet- 
ing was held at the court house for the 
purpose of organizing a county agricult- 
ural society. Of this meeting John R. 
Lehman was chairman. On motion of Ira 
Paige a committee consisting of Ira 
Paige, Matthew Bonner, Charles Ward, 
William H. Harris, Anthony Bird and 
John H. Cartmell were appointed by the 
chairman to report the names of persons 
for office. This committee reported John 
R. Lehman for president; James Bogle 
for vice-president; W. W. Spencer, re- 
cording secretary; Benjamin Moore, for 
corresponding secretary; Adam Stewart, 
treasurer; S. G. Moler, W. G. Serviss, 
John A. Alexander, executive committee. 

Prior to this time there had been an ag- 



ricultural society organized in the village 
of South Charleston, in 1837, of which 
Roland Bi'own was president and Alexan- 
der Waddle secretary. I am not aware 
how long this society was in existence, but 
perhaps not very long after the organiza- 
tion of the Clark County society; for we 
are told that for some time after the or- 
ganization of the Clark County society 
the fair was held in various parts of the 
country. This society, organized in 1840, 
held fairs for several years, but was nev- 
er on a very substantial basis. In 1853 
the society was reorganized and ten acres 
of land were purchased from William 
Huntington for the sum of $120 per acre. 
Afterwards additional tracts were bought 
until the sum total amounted to forty-six 
acres. In ]870-71 the Ohio State Fair 
was held on these grounds and for that 
purpose an additional tract was rented 
from George Spence and George Dibert. 
In those days the state fair was moved 
every two years from place to place. 
Soon thereafter it was located permanent- 
ly in the city of Columbus, where, with 
State aid, very tine grounds have been ac- 
cpiired. The Clark County society having 
become involved and its members seeing 
no way in which they could be relieved un- 
less the grounds were to be sold, the prop- 
osition was made that if the county would 
assume the indebtedness, which then 
amounted to little over $12,000, the so- 
ciety would deed the grounds to the coun- 
ty and the fair could be conducted in such 
manner as the law would provide. This 
proposition was submitted to a vote of 
the electors of the county and having re- 
ceived a majority vote in the affirma- 
tive, in due time these grounds were trans- 
ferred to the countv which now holds title 



AND REPEE'SENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



153 



to the same. By a law then in force or 
soon after passed, the directors were 
elected by the electors of the various 
townships, two from each township. 
Only persons were entitled to vote who 
held tickets for the next fair; it being 
thus sought to interest not only persons 
in the fair, but to place the management 
of the fair in the hands of the persons 
that were interested in its welfare. In 
this manner the directors were elected un- 
til some four years ago, when it was dis- 
covered that there had been a change in 
the law and that they would have to be 
selected in some other manner. Accord- 
ingly the directors are now elected by the 
parties that hold tickets, but they are not 
divided among the townships in the man- 
ner that they formerly were. 

Some twenty or more years ago an as- 
sociation was formed called The Spring- 
field Trotting Association, and this or- 
ganization leased the grounds for their 
purpose for twenty-five years, and at once 
began to grade the race course. After 
spending in that manner some six or eight 
thousand dollars, the association went 
under, and the Agricultural Society re- 
ceived the benefit of the expenditures that 
they had made. A great many of our 
citizens who are interested in such mat- 
ters have on different occasions served 
on the agricultural board, usually a 
thankless task; S. Van Eii'd has been the 
obliging secretary for a number of years, 
H. L. Rockfield is president. The grounds 
being situate within the corporate limits 
of the city, are now quite valuable, and 
every once in the while some person sug- 
gests that they should be sold or convert- 
ed into a park. Neither of these sugges- 



tions has, however, at any time struck a 
popular chord, and the probability is that 
it will remain for some time the property 
of the county, and that for years we will 
annually visit the "County Fair" in its 
old-time location, dating back to our child- 
hood days, and that the merry-go-round 
and the big snake and hairy man and 
armless child will amuse our children and 
grandchildren as they amused us in the 
years that are gone. Some criticism is 
annually dealt out to the directors on the 
charge that the fair has gone to horse- 
racing and that agricultural matters are 
largely forgotten; but if such is the case 
it is because the people themselves dis- 
play more interest in that direction. The 
fair is not supported in any manner by 
taxation and the management must pro- 
vide the kind of attraction that ensures 
attendance. The more that come, and the 
more the gate receipts are swelled, the 
more can be paid in pi*emiums and the 
better will be the exhibits. 

Officers (1907). 

H. L. Rockfield President 

C. W. Minnich Vice-President 

S. Van Bird Secretary 

F. J. Johnston Treasurer 

Board of Directors. 

F. J. Johnston, Pike 1909 

E. W. Xanders, German 1908 

J. S. Nicklin, Moorefield 1909 

N. W. Lemen, Pleasant 1908 

Chas. Snyder, Harmony 1909 

Geo. Reid, Springfield 1908 

H. L. Rockfield, Springfield City. . . .1908 

C. W. Minnich, Bethel 1909 

Silas Printz, Mad River 1908 

J. E. Johnson, Green 1909 

M. Cheney, Madison 1908 



CHAPTER X. 



PUBLIC ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. 

Boad Map of Ohio, 1810 — Condition of Roads Indicative of Advancement — Indian 
Trails, etc. — Early Roads — Military Routes — Corduroy Roads — National 
Roads — Toll Pikes — Stage Coach Trip Through Springfield in 1834 — Dick- 
ens' Ride Through Ohio in 1842. 



Condition of Eoads Indicative of Ad- 
vancement. 

Before the building of railroads all 
commerce carried on from place to place 
was necessarily transported over roads 
or highways, or lakes and rivers. Neces- 
sarily the construction of good highways 
became a matter of the supremest im- 
portance, and thus we find that it engaged 
the attention of our statesmen who gave 
their earnest efforts to the solution of the 
problem until the railroad came. Then 
for a time it seemed to be less a subject 
of public attention, but it has always been 
one that has received more or less atten- 
tion because of its affecting directly a 
larger number of people than almost any 
other as regards their welfare, comfort 
and happiness. Indeed the advancement 
that a community or people make in this 
respect has been taken to indicate the 
degree of their advancement in civiliza- 
tion. A distinguished writer has said: 
"If you wish to know whether society is 



stagnant, learning scholastic, religion a 
dead formality, you may learn something 
by going into universities and libraries; 
something also by the work that is doing 
on cathedrals and churches, or in them; 
but quite as much by looking at the roads. 
For if there is any motion in society, the 
road, which is a symbol of motion, will 
indicate the fact. When there is activity, 
or enlargement, or a liberalizing spirit 
of any kind, then there is intercourse and 
travel, and these require roads. So if 
there is any kind of advancement going 
on, if new ideas are abroad and new hopes 
rising, then you will see it by the roads 
that are building. Nothing makes an in- 
road without making a road. All creative 
action, whether in government, industry, 
thought or religion, creates roads." 

HOEACE BiTSHNELL. 

■ Indian Trails, Etc. 

It is a singular thing demonstrated in 
the modern building of railways, that the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



155 



pathways made by the great wild ani- 
mals that formerly roamed over our 
country are those which are best adapted 
for the building of roads required by 
modern civilization. Upon this point 
Archer Butler Hulbert in the introduc- 
tion of his "Historical Highways of 
America," says: "It was for the 
great animals to mark out what be- 
came Imown as the first thoroughfares of 
America. The plunging buffalo, keen of 
instinct, and nothing if not utilitarian, 
broke great roads across the continent on 
the summits of the watersheds, beside 
which the first Indian trails were but 
traces through the forests. Heavy, fleet 
of foot, capable of covering scores of 
miles in a day, the buffalo tore his roads 
from one feeding ground to another, and 
from north to south on high ground. 
Here his roads were swept clear of the 
debris in summer, and of snow in winter. 
They mounted the heights and descended 
from them on the longest slopes, and 
crossed each stream on the bars at the 
mouth of its lesser tributaries. * * * 
"But the greatest marvel is that these 
early pathfinders chose routes, even in the 
i-oughest districts, which the tripod of 
the white man cannot improve upon. A 
.rare instance of this is the course of the 
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Graf- 
ton and Parkersburg, West Virginia. 
That this is one of the roughest rides our 
palatial trains of to-day make, is well 
known to all who have passed that way, 
and that so fine a road could be put 
through such a rough country is one of 
the marvels of engineering science. But 
leave the train, say at the little hamlet 
of Petroleum, West Virginia, and find on 
the hill the famous old thoroughfare of 



the buffalo, Indian, and pioneer, and fol- 
low that narrow thread of soil westward 
to the Ohio River. You will find that the 
railroad has followed it steadily through- 
out its course, and when it came to a more 
difficult point than usual, where the rail- 
road is compelled to tunnel at the strategic 
point of least elevation, in two instances 
the trail runs exactly over the tunnel. 
This occurs at both 'Eaton's tunnel' and 
'Gorham's tunnel.' " 

There is no doubt but that the red man 
had a number of trails or paths over va- 
rious parts of this county. As he planted 
his villages generally along the river val- 
leys, his movements would be, as ours are 
today, from village to village, sometimes 
following the streams of water and at 
other times going across the table lands 
from one valley to another. 

We know from Simon Kenton's ad- 
ventures, when in captivity among the In- 
dians, that a trail came up Mad River, 
through what was then the Indian village 
of Piqua, to the city of Spring-field, prob- 
ably crossing Buck Creek not far from 
the present Limestone Street, thence 
north near the Urbana Pike leading on to 
the villages of Wapakoneta and Wapa- 
tomika. 

We know also that there was a trail or 
pathway leading from old Chillicothe 
down to about where Goes' Station is 
now, and up through Enon through the 
ancient village of Piqua, for it was over 
this route that General Clark and his 
troops came on their march to the famous 
battle there fought. Then no doubt there 
was also a trail or Indian path that led 
to the southeast, its ultimate object be- 
ing the Little Miami River further to- 
wards its source, and no doubt there was 



156 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



another trail or pathway leading from 
where the old village of Piqua was lo- 
cated, passing not far from the present 
location of New Carlisle to the Indian 
villages on the Big Miami, and possibly 
there may have been a trail southwardly 
from the city of Springfield reaching the 
Little Miami River and afterwards the 
Indian villages down on the Scioto. 
While we do not know that there were any 
other trails in the eastward direction, yet 
there may have been one running that 
way. 

Early Roads. 

Whether the Old Columbus Road or 
the road leading from here through the 
Yellow Springs is the oldest, is somewhat 
of a doubtful question. That there were 
roads leading from Springfield east to- 
wards Columbus or south through Yel- 
low Springs before any record of such 
roadways was made is unquestioned, for 
we know that Griffith Foos and his com- 
panions came to Springfield from Frank- 
linton. This Franklinton was a town laid 
out west of the forks of the Olentangy 
and the Scioto Rivers in 1797. It is there- 
fore older than Columbus and it is now 
absorbed by that city and is usually des- 
ignated as West Columbus. We also 
know that a great many of the settlers 
in this county came from Kentucky, either 
up the Big Miami from Cincinnati 
through Da3^ton, or by fording the Ohio 
River not far from the entrance of Eagle 
Creek in Brown County, and in close 
proximity to Maysville, Kentucky, and 
up north through Greene County. It 
seems that under our early laws the com- 
mon pleas judges had jurisdiction over 
road matters, and thus we find that one 



of the orders made, I think, in the No- 
vember term of the Court of Common 
Pleas sitting at Franklinton, viewers were 
appointed to lay out a road from Frank- 
linton west to Springfield. At what time 
of the year 1803 this order was made I 
do not know. Neither am I aware of how 
soon thereafter the order was carried into 
execution and a road laid out. 

In Beer's history it is stated that a 
wagon road was surveyed in 1803 between 
Dayton and Springfield, and that two 
years after the road had been located be- 
tween Spring-field and Dayton, Captain 
Moore and his brother Thomas taking the 
contract to open the road from Franklin- 
ton to Springfield. That the arrival of 
the construction corps was greeted with 
as much enthusiasm by the citizens of 
Springfield as when in after years they 
welcomed the railroad and locomotive; 
that when within a few miles the con- 
tractors made a frolic of the job and in- 
vited all the people to come and help 
them, so that they might g6 into Spring- 
field in one day, the event being celebrated 
by a supper and immense ball at Foos' 
Tavern. 

In the November term of the Court of 
Common Pleas, 1803, sitting at Xenia a 
view of the road was ordered commenc- 
ing from Spring-field and passing- through 
Yellow Springs. James Galloway, Jr., 
was surveyor. 

The old Clifton- Road was no doubt one 
of early date, as was the one leading- to 
Urbana and another one leading- south- 
west through the village of Piqua or New 
Boston. 

Some of these roads were afterwards 
laid out by direction of the county com- 
missioners, and there we find that the rec- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



157 



ords show that the Urbana Road was laid 
out in 1823, Yellow Springs 1821, Old 
Clifton 1830, Possum 1829, Springfield 
and New Carlisle in 1867, Garther Pike 
1867, Davidson Pike, 1880, Mad River 
Valley 1843. 

The old Boston road led west from 
Boston (Piqua) past the Paul mill, near 
New Carlisle, up past the farm of Horace 
W. Stafford to the Miami River, and was 
no doubt upon the route taken by the In- 
dians, when going from one village to an- 
other. At a very early day a road was 
laid out southeast through a point near 
S. Charleston to Chillicothe. (See Pike 
Township for route of Captain Black 
coming from Virginia.) 

Military Route. 

No very great armies have ever crossed 
the soil of this county. In the war with 
Great Britain in 1812, General Hull 
started from Dayton on the 15th of June 
and marched north to Detroit. At Ur- 
bana he received a considerable reinforce- 
ment. It has been contended by some that 
in his march from Spring-field to Urbana 
he came up the Mad River Valley, either 
on the east or west side, to some point 
between Donnelsville and Springfield, and 
then went up over the hill lands not far 
from Lawrenceville and up that way to 
Urbana. Indeed, there are persons liv- 
ing along this route who assert that old 
people have formerly told them that along 
here passed Hull's Army. It seems to 
the writer however that this is probably 
a mistake. In Lossing's history it is 
stated that General Hull moved north 
through Staunton and Urbana and that 
he was from there on four months hew- 



ing his way through the unbroken forests 
to reach his destination. We find that 
the Staunton mentioned was the name of 
the first platted town of Miami County 
and that it was located about one mile 
east of Troy. 

So, taking this statement, it would be 
next thing to an impossibility that Hull's 
army passed over any part of Clark Coun- 
ty. In addition to this, the writer has in- 
terviewed General Keifer, who was born 
near the route that is supposed to have 
been taken by Hull through Clark Coun- 
ty, and he says he is satisfied that Hull's 
army did not pass along the supposed 
route in this county ; that his mother who 
was about thirteen years old at that time 
told him frequently of her trip to Day- 
ton to see Hull's Army, and that his 
father, who was some fifteen years older 
than his mother and then living in the 
vicinity, had never seen Hull's Army at 
all. General Keifer further said "that 
if the army would have passed through 
that neighborhood he would surely have 
been told of the fact by his parents." 

Of course, in the battle of Piqua, 1780, 
General Clark's troops came as far north 
as the location of this battle, but after it 
was over they did not proceed further, 
but returned to their ' Kentucky homes, 
having been gone less than a month. 

Tradition has it that later in the year 
1812, General McArthur passed through 
the eastern part of the county, not far 
from Catawba, in his journey from Chil- 
licothe, then the capital of Ohio, to Ur- 
bana, which seems to have been a general 
starting point for the trip further north. 
It is probable, however, that McArthur 's 
trip did not occur until some time after 
Hull's. During the same war some Ken- 



158 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



tucky troops came up through the east- 
ern part of Moorefield Township, like- 
wise having IJrbana for their immediate 
destination. 

CoEDUROy EOADS. 

As a matter of course the early high- 
ways through the county were nothing 
more than passageways cleared of obstruc- 
tions, and naturally these ways would be 
laid out along the lines of least obstruc- 
tion, and likewise where the streams could 
easily be forded. Timber being very 
plentiful, it was used extensively in the 
construction of the early roads. If there 
was a bog or marshy place tO' be passed 
over, timber was cut down and dragged 
into such places, and usually laid cross- 
wise of the proposed road. This kind of 
a road received the name of corduroy. 
As civilization advanced, material of a 
more substantial character was used, and 
the corduroy road has now so completely 
passed out of existence that very few of 
the present generation know what the 
word means. You may rest assured that 
its surface was not one of extraordinary 
smoothness but possessed as large a pro- 
portion of "ups and downs" as one can 
well imagine. The writer well remem- 
bers driving when a boy over roads of 
this kind in various parts of the county. 

National Road. 

The old national pike which extends 
through this entire county was first con- 
ceived by Albert (xallatin. As early as 
1806 commissioners were appointed by 
President Jefferson to take the matter 
under consideration, and in 1811 a con- 



tract for the first ten miles west of Cum- 
berland, Maryland, was laid, and in 1818 
it was completed to the Ohio River at 
Wheeling. It was not, however, opened 
through Springfield until 1832. 

In locating this road, in many places 
Indian and Buffalo trails were followed, 
mostly because they afforded the best 
course and the shortest routes. The busi- 
ness done over this road was tremendous, 
often as much as twenty or thirty wagons 
following each other carrying immense 
burdens. The advent of steam and the 
growth of railroads, however, cut short 
the building of this thoroughfare to its 
western extremity, which was originally 
intended to be Indianapolis and, possibly, 
St. Louis. It was never worked up, how- 
ever, further than a short distance west 
of this county at a place called Brant. 
Indeed the grading stopped near the west 
line of Springfield Township. Bridges 
and other works of that kind were con- 
structed further west. Five good covered 
bridges built at that time are still stand- 
ing and in good order — at Donnels Creek, 
Jackson Creek — Mad River, Buck Creek, 
and Beaver Creek. Along this highway 
there soon arose a large number of small 
villages and hotels, or taverns as they 
were then called. Specimens of these 
still exist in this county, notably in the 
villages of Brighton, Vienna and Har- 
mony. For a number of years this road 
remained in the control of the United 
States Grovernment, afterwards it was 
ceded to the state and it in turn to the 
various counties through which it ex- 
tended. 

Toll gates were placed on this thorough- 
fare and toll collected until 1883. In the 
earlv eighties however all the toll roads 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



159 



were purchased by the county or were 
made free from this toll. 

Toll Pikes. 

About the tune of and after the con- . 
struction of the National Road private 
enterprise took up the question of build- 
ing roads in the various parts of the coun- 
ty. In 1843 John Minnich and others re- 
ceived a charter for what became the long- 
est toll road in the county leading from 
Dayton to Westville, about three miles 
west of IJrbana, being a total of thirty- 
four miles. At a later date a pike was 
built toward llrbana by E. B. Cassily and 
associates, and another road .was built 
from Springfield to South Charleston and 
one to New Carlisle. Parties using the 
public highways today hardly realize tlie 
amount of annoyance that has been done 
away with by abolishing the toll gate and 
making the roads free. No matter how 
short the distance travelled or how cold 
or inopportune the time, when you came 
to the toll gate you had to stop and pay 
the stipend demanded and it was not a 
' small amount. The writer remembers 
that the toll on the Urbana Pike, from 
Springfield to the County line, for a horse 
and buggy was 25c round trip, a sum 
which now would pay the fare on the 
electric line for the round trip over the 
same distance. Along in 1867, in pur- 
suance to laws that had been previously 
passed, a number of free turnpikes were 
constructed throughout , the county, the 
expense being met by taxing the land own- 
ers whose property lay on each side of 
said roads. Recently the travel by auto- 
mobiles has caused the question of good 
roads to be agitated more thoroughly 



than heretofore. Perhaps it is too much 
to say that this agitation is alone due to 
the automobiles, for even prior to the re- 
quirements of this class of travel, the sub- 
ject of good roads seemed to have new life 
infused into it, and the legislature has 
accordingly made provision for state aid. 
G-enerally speaking, however, it may be 
said that the roads of Clark County are 
in a reasonably good condition. Perhaps 
no locality in the state is blessed with a 
more plentiful supply of first class ma- 
terial both in the way of limestone rock 
and natural gravel than is our county. 
There is today about 320 miles of county 
turnpikes. Added to this may be some 
500 additional miles of township and coun- 
ty roads. 

In Mr. Hypes ' address at the City Cen- 
tennial he divides these roads up among 
the townships, as follows: Bethel Town- 
ship 39 miles; German Township 33 
miles; Green Township, 55 miles; Har- 
mony Township 50 miles ; Mad River 
Township, 47 miles ; Moorefield Township 
49 miles; Madison Township 66 miles; 
Pike Township 30 miles ; Pleasant Town- 
ship 45 miles; Spring-field Township 84 
miles. 

The Stage Coach. 

With the coming of steam there van- 
ished from our county one of the most 
picturesque conveyances of travel — the 
stage coae]]. It was a large lumbering 
wagon with springs, a good imitation 
of which most of the present generation 
have seen in Buffalo Bill's street parade, 
sometimes having as many as six horses, 
usually but four, however. The routes 
of these stages through Clark County 
were principally east over the National 



160 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Eoad, south over the road to Yellow 
Spring's or down by Enon and west over 
the National Eoad and north over the 
Urbana Pike. They ceased running on 
the National road in 1853. The ease with 
which travel was performed would hardly 
compare however with the Pullman coach 
of today. A poet has described it as fol- 
lows: 

Jolting through the valley, 

Winding up the hill, 
Splashing through the "branches," 

Eumbling by the mill ; 
Putting nervous "gemmen" 

In a towering rage; 
What is so provoking 

As riding in a stage? 

Feet are interlacing 

Heads severely bumped, 
Friend and foe together 

Get their noses thumped: 
Dresses act as carpets — 

Listen to the sage — 
"Life's a rugged journey 

Taken in a stage." 

As descriptive of a stage coach journey 
through this county, the following is taken 
from a tour that was made in 1834 by a 
Mr. Eeed, from Great Britain, who trav- 
eled from Sandusky south to Cincinnati. 
Commencing with that part of his jour- 
ney at Columbus, he says : 

"Columbus has a good location in the 
heart of the State. It contains about 4,000 
persons, and is in a very advancing con- 
dition. This indeed is true of all the 
settlements in this state and you will 
hardly think it can be otherwise, when I 
inform you that forty years ago there 



were only 500 persons in the whole ter- 
ritory, and that now there are about a 
million. 

"The inn at which we stopped is the 
rendezvous of the stages. Among others 
there were two ready to start for Cin- 
cinnati. On seeking to engage my place 
the inquiry was, 'Which will you go by, 
sir? the fast or slow line?' Weary as 
I was of the slow line, I exclaimed, 'Oh, 
the fast line, certainly ! ' I quickly found 
myself enclosed in a good coach, carry- 
ing the mail, and only six persons inside. 
In this journey we had but three. 

"Eough Traveling. — In demanding to 
go by the fast line I was not aware of all 
the effects of my choice. It is certainly a 
delightful thing to move with some rapid- 
ity over a good road: but on a bad road, 
with stubborn springs, it is really ter- 
rible. For miles out of Columbus the 
road is shamefully bad : and as our horses 
were kept on a trot, however slow, I was 
not only tumbled and shaken as on the 
previous day, but so jarred and jolted as 
to threaten serious mischief. Instead, 
therefore, of finding a lounge, or sleep, 
as I had hoped, in this comfortable coach, 
I was obliged to be on the alert for every 
jerk. And after all I could do, my teeth 
were jarred, my hat was many times 
thrown from my head, and all my bruises 
bruised over again. It was really an 
amusement to see us laboring to keep our 
places. 

"Jefferson. — About noon we paused at 
the town called Jetferson. We were to 
Avait half an hour; thei'e would be no 
other chance of dinner ; but there were no 
signs of dinner here. However, I had 
been on very short supplies for the last 
twenty-four hours, and considered it my 




AMERICAN SEEDING CO. 




SPRINGFIELD MALLEABLE IRON CO. 
(Superior Drill Co. Division) 




.METALLIC CASKET CO. 
THREE IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING PLANTS. SPRINGFILD 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



163 



duty to ecit if I could. I applied to the 
good woman of the inn^ and in a very 
short time she placed venison, fruit-tarts 
and tea before me, all very clean and the 
venison excellent. It was a refreshing 
repast, and the demand on my purse was 
only twenty-five cents. 

" 'How long have you been here?' I 
said to my hostess, who stood by me fan- 
ning the dishes to keep off the flies. ' Only 
came last fall, sir.' 'How old is this 
town?' 'Twenty-three months, sir — then 
the first house was built. ' 

"There are now about 500 persons set- 
tled here, and there are three good hotels. 
There is something very striking in these 
rapid movements of life and civilization 
in the heart of the forest. 

"Noble Forests. — On leaving Jefferson 
we plunged again into the forest, and to- 
ward evening we got on the greensward 
or natural road. This was mostly good 
and uncut, and we bowled along in 
serpentine lines, so as to clear the stumps, 
with much freedom. The scenery now, 
even for the forest, was becoming unusu- 
ally grand. It repeatedly broke away 
from you, so as to accumulate the objects 
in the picture, and to furnish all the 
beauties of light, shade and perspective. 
The trees, too, were mostly oak, and of 
finest growth. Their noble stems ran up 
some hundred feet above you, and were 
beautifully feathered with verdant foliage. 
There they ran otf in the distance, park- 
like, but grander far, in admirable group- 
ing, forming avenues, galleries, and re- 
cesses, redolent with solemn loveliness; 
and here, they stood before you like the 
thousand pillars of one vast imperishable 
temple for the worship of the Great In- 
visible. "Well might our stout forefathers 



choose the primitive forests for their sanc- 
tuaries. All that art has done in our finest 
Gothic structure is but a poor, poor imita- 
tion. 

"Yellow Springs and Springfield. — "I 
passed in this day's ride the Yellow 
Springs and Springfield. The former is 
a watering-place. There is a fine spring 
of chalybeate and an establishment cap- 
able of receiving from 3 50 to 200 visitors ; 
it is resorted to for the purpose of health, 
hunting and fishing. Springfield is a 
flourishing town, built among the hand- 
some hills that abound in this vicinity. 
It is one of the cleanest, brightest, and 
most inviting that I have seen. But all 
the habitations were as nothing compared 
with the forest. I have been traveling 
through it for two days and nights, and 
still it was the same. Now, you came to 
a woodman's hut in the solitudes; now a 
farm; and now to a village, by courtesy 
called a town or a city; but it is still the 
forest. You drove on for miles through 
it unbroken; then you came to a small 
clearance and a young settlement; and 
then again 3^ou plunged into the wide, 
everlasting forest to be with nature and 
with God. This night I had also to travel 
and, weary as I was, I was kept quite on 
the alert. 

"A Thunderstorm. — I had longed to 
witness a storm in the forest and this was 
to happen eai^lier than my anticipations. 
The day had been hot, but fine ; the night 
came on sultry, close and silent. The 
beautiful fire-flies appeared in abundance; 
summer lightning began to flash across the 
heavens. All this tim_e clouds were mov- 
ing from every part of the circumference 
to the center of the sky. At length they 
formed a heavy, dense, black canopy over 



164 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



our heads, leaving the horizon clear and 
bright. The lightning, which at first ap- 
peared to have no center, had now con- 
solidated their forces behind this im- 
mense cloud, and were playing round its 
whole circle with great magnificence and 
brilliancy; continually the prodigious 
cloud was getting larger and darker, and 
descending nearer to us, so as powerfully 
to awaken expectation. The splendid 
coruscations which played round its mar- 
gin now ceased and all was still. In an in- 
stant the forked lightning broke from the 
very center of the cloud; the thunder, 
deep and loud, shook the earth, and rolled 
and pealed through the heavens; the 
heavy rain dashed in unbroken channels 
to the ground, and the mighty winds 
burst forth in their fury and roared and 
groaned among the giant trees of the 
wood. There were we, in the deep forest 
and in the deep night and in the midst 
of a storm such as I had never witnessed. 
Oh, it was grand! God's own voice in 
God's own temple! Never did I see so 
much of the poetic truth and beauty of 
that admirable ode, 'The choice of the 
Lord,' etc. It ceased as suddenly as it 
began. The winds which bore the cloud 
away left all behind calm; and the fire- 
fly, which had been eclipsed or affrighted, 
reappeared and sparkled over us in the 
profound darkness, and presently the 
stars of a higher sphere looked forth 
benignantly on the lower elements and all 
was peace. ' ' 

DiCKEN^s' Stage Coach Eide, 

In 1842 Charles Dickens, the celebrated 
novelist, made a tour of some of the Amer- 
ican states goina* as far west as St. Louis. 



A description of this trip is given in his 
"American Notes." From Pittsburg he 
went to St. Louis and returned to Cincin- 
nati by boat. From Cincinnati he went 
to Columbus, and thence north until he 
struck the old Mad Eiver and Lake Erie 
Railroad, which was built as far as Tiffin. 
His description of this journey is cer- 
tainly interesting as regards the stage 
coach and the country through which he 
traveled. Nothing is said as to whether 
or not he came by way of Spring-field, but 
probably he did. In narrating his trip 
from Columbus to Spring-field he says : 

"Our place of destination in the first 
instance is Columbus. It is distant about 
a hundred and twenty miles from Cin- 
cinnati, but there is a macadamized road 
(rare blessing!) the whole way, and the 
rate of travelling- upon it is six miles an 
hour. 

"We start at eight o'clock in the morn- 
ing, in a great mail coach, whose huge 
cheeks are so very ruddy and plethoric, 
that it appears to be troubled with a 
tendency of blood to the head. Dropsical 
it certainly is, for it will hold a dozen 
passengers inside. But, wonderful to add, 
it is very clean and bright, being nearly 
new; and rattles through the streets of 
Cincinnati gaily. 

"Our way lies through a beautiful 
country, richly cultivated and luxviriant 
in its promise of an abundant han^est. 
Sometimes we pass a field where the 
strong- bristling stalks of Indian corn look 
like a crop of walking-sticks, and some- 
times an enclosure where the green wheat 
is springing up among a labyrinth of 
stumps; the primitive worm-fence is imi- 
versal, and an ugly thing it is; but the 
farms are neatly kept, and, save for these 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



165 



differences, one might be travelling just 
now in Kent. 

"We often stop to water at a road- 
side inn, which is always dull and silent. 
The coachman dismounts and fills his 
bucket, and holds it to the horses' heads. 
There is scarcely ever anyone to help 
him; there are seldom any loungers 
standing round ; and never any stable 
company with jokes to crack. Some- 
times, when we have changed our team, 
there is a difficulty in starting again, 
arising out of a prevalent mode of break- 
ing a young horse; which is to catch him, 
harness him against his will, and put 
him in a stage-coach, without further 
notice; but we get on somehow or other, 
after a great many kicks and a violent 
struggle ; and jog on as before again. 

"Occasionally, when we stop to change, 
some two or three half-drunken loafers 
will come loitering out with their hands 
in their pockets, or will be seen kicking 
their heels in rocking-chairs, or lounging 
on the window-sill, or sitting on a rail 
within the colonnade. They have not 
often anything to say, though, either to 
us or to each other, but sit there idly 
staring at the coach and horses. The 
landlord of the inn is usually among them, 
and seems, of all the party, to be the least 
connected with the business of the house. 
Indeed, he is with- reference to the tav- 
ern, what the driver is in relation to the 
coach and passengers; whatever happens 
in his sphere of action, he is quite indif- 
ferent, and perfectly easy in his mind. 

"The frequent change of coachmen 
works no change or variety in the coach- 
man's character. He is always dirty, sul- 
len and taciturn. If he is capable of 
smartness of any kind, moral or physi- 



cal, he has a faculty of concealing it which 
is truly marvelous. He never speaks to 
you as you sit beside him on the box, and 
if you speak to him, he answers (if at all) 
in monosyllables. He points out nothing 
on the road, and seldom looks at anything; 
being, to all appearance, thoroughly 
weary of it, and of existence generally. 
As to doing the honours of his coach, 
his business, as I have said is with the 
horses. The coach follows because it is 
attached to them and goes on wheels ; not 
because you are in it. Sometimes, to- 
wards the end of a long stage, he sud- 
denly breaks out into a discordant frag- 
ment of an election song, but his face 
never sings along with him ; it is only his 
voice, and not often that. 

"He always chews and always spits, 
and never incumbers himself with a 
pocket handkerchief. The consequences 
to the box passenger, especially when the 
wind blows towards him, are not agree- 
able. 

"Whenever the coach stops, and you 
can hear the voices of the inside passen- 
gers; or whenever any bystander ad- 
dresses them, or any one among them; 
or they address each other; you will hear 
one phrase repeated over and over and 
over again to the mofet extraordinary ex- 
tent. It is an ordinary and unpromising 
phrase enough, being neither more or 
less than 'Yes, sir;' but it is adapted to 
every variety of circumstances, and fills 
up every pause in the conversation. Thus : 

"The time is one o'clock, noon. The 
scene, a place where we are to stay to 
dine on this journey. The coach drives 
up to the door of an inn. The day is 
warm, and there are several idlers ling- 
ering about the tavern, and waiting for 



166 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



the public dinner. Among them, is a stout 
gentleman in a brown hat, swinging him- 
self to and fro in a rocking-chair on the 
pavement. * * * 

"The conversational powers of the com- 
pany having .been by this time pretty 
heavily taxed, the straw hat opens the 
door and gets out; and all the rest alight 
also. We dine soon afterwards with the 
boarders in the house and have nothing 
to drink but tea and coffee. As they are 
both very bad and the water is worse, I 
ask for brandy; but it is a Temperance 
Hotel, and spirits are not to be had for 
love or money. This preposterous forc- 
ing of unpleasant drinks down the re- 
luctant throats of travellers, is not at all 
uncommon in America, but I never dis- 
covered that the scruples of such wincing 
landlords induced them to preserve any 
unusually nice balance between the qual- 
ity of their fare, and their scale of 
charges; on the contrary, I rather sus- 
pected them of diminishing the one and 
exalting the other, by way of recompense 
for the loss of their profit on the sale of 
spirituous liquors. After all, perhaps, 
the plainest course for persons of such 
tender consciences, would be, a total ab- 
stinence from tavern-keeping. 

"Dinner over, we get into another ve- 
hicle which is ready at the door (for the 
coach has been changed in the interval), 
and resume our journey, which continues 
through the same Irind of country until 
evening, when we come to the town where 
we are to stop for tea and supper; and 
having delivered the mail bags, at the 
Post Office, ride through the usual wide 
street, lined with the usual stores and 
houses (the drapers always having hung 
np at their door, by way of sign, a piece 



of bright red cloth), to the hotel where 
this meal is prepared. There being many 
boarders here, we sit down, a large party, 
and a veiy melancholy one as usual. But 
there is a buxom hostess at the head of the 
table, and opposite, a simple Welsh school- 
master with his wife and child, who 
came here on a speculation of greater 
promise than performance, to teach the 
classics; and they are sufficient subjects 
of interest until the meal is over, and 
another coach is ready. In it we go on 
once more, lighted by a bright moon, un- 
til midnight, when we stop to change the 
coach again, and remain for half an hour 
or so in a miserable room, with a blurred 
lithograph of Washington over the smoky 
fire-place, and a mighty jug of cold 
water on the table; to which refreshment 
the moody passengers do so apply them- 
selves that they would seem to be, one 
and all, keen patients of Doctor Sangrado. 
Among them is a very little boy, who 
chews tobacco like a very big one; and a 
di'oning gentleman, who talks arithmetic- 
ally and statistically on all subjects, from 
poetry downwards; and who always 
speaks in the same key, with exactly the 
same emphasis, and with very grave de- 
liberation. He came outside just now, 
and told me how that the uncle of a cer- 
tain yoimg lady who had been spirited 
away and married by a certain captain, 
lived in these parts ; and how his uncle 
was so valiant and ferocious that he 
shouldn't wonder if he were to follow the 
said captain to England, "and shoot him 
down in the street, wherever he found 
him;" in the feasibility of which strong 
measure I, being for the moment rather 
prone to contradiction, from feeling half 
asleep and very tired, declined to ac- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



167 



quiesce; assuring him that if the uncle 
did resort to it, or gratified any other 
little whim of the like nature, he would 
find himself one morning prematurely 
throttled at the Old Bailey; and that he 
would do well to make his mil before he 
went, as he would certainly want it before 
he had been in Britain very long. 

"On we go, all night, and by-and-by 
the day begins to break, and presently the 
first cheerful rays of the warm sun came 
slanting on us brightly. It sheds its 
light upon a miserable waste of sodden 
grass, and dull trees, and squalid huts, 
whose aspect is forlorn and grievous in 
the last degree. A very desert in the 
wood, whose growth of green is rank and 
noxious like that upon the top of stand- 
ing water ; where i^oisonous fungus grows 
in the rare footprint on the oozy ground, 
and spouts like witches' coral from the 
crevices in the cabin wall and floor; it is 
a hideous thing to lie upon the very thres- 
hold of a city. But it was purchased 
years ago, and as the owner cannot be 
discovered, the State has been unable to 
reclaim it. So there it remains, in the 
midst of cultivation and improvement, 
like ground accursed, and made obscene 
and rank by some great crime. 

"We reached Columbus shortly before 
seven o'clock, and stayed there to re- 
fresh that day and night; having excel- 
lent apartments in a very large unfinished 
hotel called the Neill House, which were 
richly fitted with the polished wood of 
the black walnut, and opened on a hand- 
some portico and stone veranda, like 
rooms in some Italian mansion. The 
town is clean and pretty, and of course 
is 'going to be' much larger. It is the 
seat of the State legislature of Ohio, and 



lays claim, in consequence, to some con- 
sideration and importance. 

"There being no stage-coach next day, 
upon the road we wished to take, I hired 
'an extra' at a reasonable charge, to carry 
us to Tiffin, a small town from whence 
there is a railroad to Sandusky. This 
extra was an ordinary four-horse stage- 
coach, such as I have described, changing 
horses and drivers, as the stage-coach 
would, but was exclusively our own for 
the journey. To ensure our having horses 
at the proper stations, and being incom- 
moded by no strangers, the proprietors 
sent an agent on the box, who was to ac- 
company us the whole way through; and 
thus attended, and bearing with us, be- 
sides, a hamper full of savoury cold meats 
and fruit and wine, we started off again 
in high spirits, at half past six o'clock 
next morning, very much delighted to be 
by ourselves, and disposed to enjoy even 
the roughest journey. 

"It was well for us that we were in this 
humour, for the road we went over that 
day was certainly enough to have shaken 
tempers that were not resolutely at Set 
Fair, down to some inches below Stormy. 
At one time we were all flung together in 
a heap at the bottom of the coach, and at 
another we were crushing our heads 
against the roof. Now one side was 
down deep in the mire, and we were hold- 
ing on to the other. Now the coach was 
lying on the tails of the two wheelers; 
and now it was rearing up in the air, in 
a frantic state, with all four horses stand- 
ing on the top of an insurmountable em- 
inence, looking coolly back at it, as 
though they would say 'unharness us. It 
can 't be done. ' The drivers on these roads, 
who certainly get over the ground in a 



168 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



manner wMch is quite miraculous, so 
twist and turn the team about in forcing 
a passage, corkscrew fashion, through the 
bogs and swamps, that it was quite a 
common circumstance on looking out of 
the window to see the coachman with liio 
ends of a pair of reins in his hands, ap- 
parently driving nothing, or playing at 
horses, and the leaders staring at one un- 
expectedly from the back of the coach, ay 
if they had some idea of getting up be- 
hind. A great portion of the way was 
over what is called a corduroy road, whicJi 
is made by throwing trunks of trees into 
a marsh and leaving them to settle thert. 
The very slightest of the jolts with which 
the ponderous carriage fell from log to 
log was enough, it seemed, to have dis- 
located all the bones in the human body. 
It would be impossible to experience a 
similar set of sensations, in any other cir- 
cumstances, unless perhaps in attempting 
to go up to the top of St. Paul's in an 
omnibus. Never, never once that day was 
the coach in any position, attitude, or 
kind of motion to which we are accus- 
tomed in coaches. Never did it make the 
smallest approach to one's experience of 
the proceedings of any sort of vehicle 
that goes on wheels. 

' ' Still, it was a fine day, and the tem- 
perature was delicious, and though we 
had left Summer behind us in the west, 
and were fast leaving Spring, we were 
moving towards Niagara and home. We 
alighted in a pleasant wood towards the 
middle of the 'day, dined on a fallen tree, 
and leaving our best fragments with a 
cottager, and our worst with the pigs 
(who swarm in this part of the country 
like grains of sand on the sea-shore, to 



the great comfort of our commissariat in 
Canada), we went forward again, gaily. 

' ' As night came on, the track grew nar- 
rower and narrower, until at last it so lost 
itself by instinct. We had the comfort of 
knowing, at least, that there was no dan- 
ger of his (the driver) falling asleep, for 
every now and then a wheel would strike 
against an unseen stump with such a jerk 
that he was fain to hold on pretty tight 
and pretty quick to keep himself upon the 
bos. Nor was there any reason to dread 
the least danger from furious driving, 
inasmuch as over that broken ground the 
horses had enough to do to walk; as to 
shying there was no room for that; and 
a herd of wild elephants could not have 
run away in such a wood, with such a 
coach at their heels. So we stmnbled 
along, quite satisfied. 

"These stumps of trees are a curious 
feature in American travelling. The 
varying illusions they present .to the un- 
accustomed eye as it grows dark, are 
quite astonishing in their number and 
reality. Now, there is a Grecian urn 
erected in the center of a lonely field ; now 
there is a woman weeping at a tomb ; now 
a very common-place old gentleman in a 
white waistcoat, -wnth a thumb thrust into 
each ann-hole of his coat; now a student 
poring on a book ; now a crouching negro ; 
now a horse, a dog, a cannon, an armed 
man; a hunchback throwing off his cloak 
and stepping forth into the light. They 
were often as entertaining to me as so 
many glasses in a magic lantern, and 
never took their shapes at my bidding, 
but seemed to force themselves upon me, 
whether I would or not; and strange to 
say, I sometimes recognized in them 
counter parts of figiires once familiar to 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



169 



me in pictures attached to childish books, 
forgotten long ago. 

"It soon became too dark, however, 
even for this amusement, and the trees 
were so close together that their dry 
branches rattled against the coach on 
either side and obliged us all to keep our 
heads within. It lightened too for three 
whole hours, each flash being very bright 
and blue and long; and as the ^'ivid 
streaks came darting in among the crowd- 
ed branches, and the thunder rolled 
gloomily above the tree tops, one could 
scarcely help thinking that there were 
better neighborhoods at such a time than 
thick woods afforded. 

"At length, between ten and eleven 
o'clock at night, a few feeble lights ap- 
peared in the distance, and Upper Saii- 
dusky, an Indian village, where we were 
to stay till morning, lay before us. 

"They were gone to bed at the log inn, 
which was the only house of entertain- 
ment in the place, but soon answered to 
our knocking, and got some tea ?or u? 
in a sort of kitchen or common room, 
tapestried with old newspapers, pasted 
against the wall. The bed-chamber to 
which my wife and I were shown was a 
large, low, ghostly room, with a quantity 
of withered branches on the hearth, and 
two doors without any fastening, opposite 
to each other, both opening on the black 
night and wild country, and so contrived 
that one of them always blew the other 



open; a novelty in domestic architecture, 
which I do not remember to have seen be- 
fore, and which I was somewhat discon- 
certed to have forced on my attention 
after getting into bed, as I had a consid- 
erable sum in gold for our travelling ex- 
penses in my dressing-ease. Some of the 
luggage, however, piled against the pan- 
els, soon settled this difficulty, and ray 
sleep would not have been very much af- 
fected that night, I believe, though it had 
failed to do so. 

"My Boston friend climbed up to bed, 
somewhere in the roof, where another 
guest was already snoring hugely. But 
being bitten beyond his power of endur- 
ance, he turned out again and fled for shel- 
ter to the coach, which was airing itself 
in front of the house. This was not a 
very politic step, as it turned out, for the 
pigs scenting him, and looking upon the 
coach as a kind of pie with some manner 
of meat inside, grunted around it so hid- 
eously that he was afraid to come out 
again, and lay there shivering till morn- 
ing. Nor was it possible to warm him 
when he did come out by means of a glass 
of brandy; for in Indian villages the leg- 
islature, with a very good and wise inten- 
tion, forbids the sale of spirits by tavern- 
keepers. The precaution, however, is 
quite inefficacious, for the Indians never 
fail to procure liquors of a worse kind 
at a dearer price from travelling ped- 
lers. " 



CHAPTER XI. 



RAILROADS AND TRACTION LINES. 

Building of Railroads — First Railroad — N. Y. P. & 0. — Springfield, Jackson S 
Pomeroy — I. B. S W.— Present Railroad Systems — Traction Lines — Street 
Railways — Telegraph — Telephone; Bell Company, Home Company. 



Building of Railroads. 

"Singing through the forests, 

Rattling over ridges, 
Shooting under arches, 

Rumbling over bridges ; 
Whizzing through the mountains, 

Buzzing o'er the vale, 
Bless me ! this is pleasant, 

Riding on the rail." 

It has been observed by those who have 
made a study of such matters, that many 
of our great lines of transportation fol- 
low the "trail" made by wild animals or 
by the original inhabitants. There is no 
doubt but that one of these trails extend- 
ed from the Ohio River, at a point where 
Eagle River enters it in Brown County, 
north through the City of Spring'fleld, and 
to Sandusky City on the Lake. This trail 
may have been joined in or near our city 
by another one leading from Cincinnati, 
and thus we find that the earliest rail- 
roads in Ohio follow this trail from Cin- 



cinnati to Sandusky. About the time that 
railroads came into existence, the canal 
system of our state was being agitated. 
Several canals had been projected or 
partly built making connection between 
the Ohio River and Lake Erie at Cleve- 
land. 

Before the advent of railways to 
Springfield, goods were received in Cen- 
tral and Southern Ohio by way of the 
National Road running east and west 
through Ohio by way of ^Vheeling and 
Baltimore, by four-horse coaches. The 
time was four or five days, or, if that 
route was not taken, the other one pre- 
senting itself was by way of Lake Erie, 
using the Buffalo and Erie Canal. When 
Buffalo was connected with the Hudson 
River, both by canal and railway, it was 
at once seen that a railway from San- 
dusky to Cincinnati would furnish an ex- 
peditious method of transporting mer- 
chantable articles from the East to Cen- 
tral and Southern Ohio. 



AND REPEESENrATIVE CITIZENS. 



171 



As early as 1817 the legislature con- 
sidered a resolution relating to a canal 
between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, 
and on June 5, 1832, the Cincinnati, San- 
dusky and Cleveland Railroad, or, as it 
was then known, the Mad River & Lake 
Erie, was granted a charter, and in 1837 
the Little Miami Railroad was begun. 
The construction of the Mad River & 
Lake Erie Railway, like most railroad 
building of that time, did not progress 
very rapidly and the line did not reach 
Spring-field until 1848. 



Lake Erie Railroad at Springfield to 
form a continuous line from Cincinnati 
to the lake. 

In 1850 the Columbus & Xenia Railroad 
was built which now forms a part of the 
Pennsylvania system running through 
South Charleston and with which the 
Little Miami is connected. 

In the same year the Cincimiati, San- 
dusky & Cleveland Railroad was extend- 
ed to Dayton and we then had two com- 
peting railroads to Cincinnati, the latter 
road making connection at Dayton with 




' First Raileoad. 

The first railroad to enter Springfield 
was the Little Miami Railroad, and this 
event happened on Thursday, the 1st day 
of August, 1846, the "locomotive Ohio" 
being the one which drew the first train 
of cars into our city. The Mad River & 
Lake Erie entered on September 2, 1848. 
The locomotive bi'inging its first train of 
cars on this road was called the "Sen- 
eca. ' ' 

It was the aim of the Little Miami by 



making connection with the Mad River & 
the C. H. & D. The first train left for 
Dayton in 1851. In that year construc- 
tion of the railroad from Springfield to 
London was begun, which was completed 
in 1853. 

Likewise the railroad from Springfield 
to Delaware, which was then designated 
as the Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pitts- 
burg Railroad, had its inception in the 
same year, 1851. 

Afterwards the road from Springfield 
to London was continued under a charter 



172 



HISTOEY OF CLABK COUNTY 



of the Columbus, Springfield & Cincinnati 
Railroad, and the first train ran fiom 
Spi'ingfield to Columbus in 1871. 

N. Y. P. & 0. 

In 1864 the Atlantic and Great Western 
Railroad was constructed in Clark Coun- 
ty. The intention of its promoters was 
to form a through line from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific Ocean. It was built as a 
broad-gauge line, being one foot wider be- 
tween its track rails than the ordinary 
road. Those in charge of its construction 
did not look upon Spring-field as a city 
of sufficient importance to make the con- 
nection of their line with it a profitable 
enterprise, therefore they did not go 
through the city, a mistake which, long 
before this, has caused regret to those in- 
terested in its fortunes. Its gauge was 
afterwards changed to that of the stand- 
ard width, and its name to the New York. 
Pennsylvania & Ohio, and it is now known 
as the "Nypano" and is under lease and 
control of the Erie system. 

Springfield, Jackson & Pomeeoy. 

In September, 1874, the Spring-field, 
Jackson & Pomeroy Railroad was organ- 
ized and was intended to extend from 
Springfield to the Ohio River. It was one 
of the first narrow-gauge roads in the 
state. Quite a number of Springfield cit- 
izens invested in the stock of the compan}' 
and many of them found, after the rtiil- 
road was wound up by a receiver, that 
they were compelled to pay a second time 
under the constitution liability that then 
applied to a stockholder in a corpora- 
tion, the full amount of their original 



stock. This road was open in 1878 and 
had but a short life, for in 1879 it was 
sold at a receiver's sale and its gauge was 
changed to that of standard width, 'incl 
it was then called the Ohio Southern Rail- 
road. 

I. B. & W. 

In 1881 the railroad was finished be- 
tween Springfield and Indianapolis, be- 
ing a continuation of the road that ex- 
tended from Peoria to Indianapolis, and 
was known as the I. B. & W. This road, 
after going through the usual vicissi- 
tudes attending- new railroads, was finally 
merged into the present Big Four system. 
The last railroad that was built in Spring- 
field was an extension of the Ohio South- 
ern from Spring-field to Lima. This oc- 
curred in the year 1893. 

Present Railroad Systems. 

Out of these various originally con- 
structed railroads we now have but four 
systems entering the city — the C. C. C. & 
St. L., known as the Big Four, now con- 
trolling by lease or purchase the lines 
leading from this city to Sandusky and 
Cleveland by way of Columbus and by 
way of Delaware, Cincinnati and Indian- 
apolis; the Little Miami, forming- a part 
of the P. C. & St. L., or Panhandle sys- 
tem; the N. Y. P. & 0., which has freight 
connections in the city over the D. T. & I., 
and is a part of the Erie system ; and the 
D. T. & I. Railway, which is the old Ohio 
Southern with a northern termination of 
what was formerly the Ann Arbor & Lake 
Michigan Railway. 

The total mileage of railwavs in Clark 




THE ANSTED & BURK COMPANY- SPRINGFIF.T.D 




THE FOOS GAS ENGINE CO?iIPANY, SPRINGFIELD 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



175 



County is about 125 miles, with, an as- 
sessed value of $1,346,000. 

For a, number of years citizens of 
Springfield have been clamoring for bet- 
ter depot facilities, and at this writing it 
seems that proper buildings may be erect- 
ed in the near future. 

There are thirty-eight passenger trains 
in and out of the city daily over the C. C. 
C. & St. L. Railroad, four over the D. T. 
& I., four over the P. C. & St. L., and 
eight over the Erie. 

The following from Dicken's descrip- 
tion of a ride on the New England Rail- 
road in 1842, not inappropriately de- 
scribes some of the experiences on a rail- 
road train at this day. 

"The train calls at stations in the 
woods, where the wild impossibility of 
anybody having the smallest reason to 
get out, is only to be equalled by the ap- 
parently desperate hopelessness of there 
being anybody to get in. It rushes across 
the turnpike road, where there is no gate, 
no policeman, no signal; nothing but a 
rough wooden arch, on which is painted, 

' ' WHEN THE BEI-L RINGS LOOK OUT FOE. THE 

LOCOMOTIVE." On it whirls headlong, 
dives through the woods again, emerges 
in the light, clatters over frail arches, 
rumbles upon the heavi'' ground, shoots 
beneath a wooden bridge which inter- 
cepts the light for a second like a wink, 
suddenly awakens all the slumbering 
echoes in the main street of a large lown, 
and dashes on hap-hazard, pell-mell, neck 
or nothing, down the middle of the road. 
There — ^with mechanics working at their 
trades, and people leaning from their 
doors and windows, and boys flying kites 
and playing marbles, and men smoking, 



and women talking, and children crawl- 
ing, and pigs burrowing, and accustomed 
horses plunging and rearing, close to the 
very rails — there — on, on, on — tears the 
mad dragon of an engine with its train of 
cars, scattering in all directions a shower 
of burning sparks from its wood fire; 
screeching, hissing, yelling, panting, un- 
til at last the' thirsty monster stops be- 
neath a covered way to drink, the people 
cluster round, and you have time to 
breathe again." 

Tk.4Ctton Lines. 

The first traction or inter-urban line 
that entered Springfield was the Dayton 
branch of the D. S. & U., in 1899. Later 
this line was extended to Urbana and 
Bellefontaine, and in 1901 the line to 
Columbus, which is known as the C. L. & 
S., was completed. They were both a 
part of one system and were finally sold 
by receivers, and are now known as the 
I. C. & E. inter-urban line. 

In 1903 the traction line leading from 
Springfield to Xenia was completed, and 
in 1904 the S. T. & P., a road leading from 
Spring-field to Troy, was finished. 

In the same year a road was organized 
as the Springfield, South Charleston and 
Washington C. H. Railroad, which by 
lease enters into the city over the Xenia 
road, and was completed as far as South 
Charleston. It is now in the hands of a 
receiver, with great uncertainty as to 
what may be its future. 

A line has been projected leading from 
Springfield south to Clifton and Cedar- 
ville, with the object in view of ultimately 
reaching Cincinnati, which has been pro- 
moted by Mr. George H. Frey, Jr., of this 



176 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



city, and will probably be built sooner or 
later. 

Another line was i^rojected south to 
Clifton and Washington C. H., but this 
has been definitely abandoned. 

The result of construction of these 
various traction and railroad lines is that 
Springfield is one of the most accessible 
cities in the state and this fact has con- 
tributed very largely in securing the loca- 
tion of the fraternal homes now in our 
locality. 

Street Railways. 

The first street railway built in Spring- 
field was under an ordinance passed June 
8th, 1869, and was put in operation the 
following year. It extended from Foun- 
tain Avenue west on High Street to Isa- 
belle, and down Isabelle to Main, where 
it reached the power house ; i. e., a stable 
for the mules. 

To accommodate the State Fair, which 
was held here in 1870, a line was extend- 
ed west to and south on Western Avenue 
to the Fair Grounds. During fair times 
it was quite a success, but afterwards 
hardly had suflicient revenue to furnish 
horse feed. The mule and the empty car 
did not give much indication of what the 
street car service of Springfield some 
day might prove to be. 

During the winter months it will be re- 
membered that the donkeys had trouble in 
pulling the ears up the Limestone Street 
hill. To facilitate the handling of traffic 
an extra pair of mules was stationed at 
Pleasant Street and hooked on as the cars 
began to go up the long incline. 

About 1873 the entire line was sold, 
including horses and cars, for $2,000 to 



Charles H. Harris. By reason of George 
Silence being one of its early promoters 
it was given the name of "Spence's Short 
Line. ' ' It had a precarious existence un- 
til its final absorption by the Citizens' 
Street Railway Company, organized in 
December, 1882. 

On Febi'uary 16, 1883, at a meeting of 
the stockholders of the Citizens' Railway 
Company, Asa S. Bushnell was instructed 
to ascertain from the owners of the street 
car line what they would take for the 
property. The directors of the Citizens' 
Company were D. W. Stroud, B. H. 
Warder," A. S. Bushnell, W. A. Scott and 
Ross Mitchell. Mr. Bushnell reported at 
a subsequent meeting that the property 
could be secured for $14,000. He was 
authorized to make an offer of $13,000, 
and the owners, P. P. Mast and D. W. 
Stroud, accepted it and gave a deed for 
the property. This railway in the hands 
of the new owners commenced street car 
extension in earnest and made extended 
improvements in various directions. I. 
Ward Frey built the first electric line in 
1891, leading from an addition that he had 
laid out in the south and called Lands- 
downe, north on Center to High, then 
east on High to Fountain Avenue, and 
north on Fountain Avenue to McCreight 
Avenue. 

The Citizens' Street Railway was pur- 
chased by the S]5ringfield Railway sys- 
tem, which was organized in 1892. In 
Jnne of this year application was made to 
run all cars by electricity, and this com- 
pany absorbed the Frey line and now owns 
and controls all the street car lines in the 
city, having one central transfer station 
at the corner of High and Limestone 
streets. The mileage of this road in the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



177 



city is about thirty miles and it furnishes 
very convenient access to all parts of the 
city. Oscar T. Martin is president and 
John H. Miller manager of the company. 



ing located at No. 
Street. 



105 South Limestone 



TELEPHONE COMPANIES. 



Telegraph. 



Bell Company. 



The first telegraph system was in- 
stalled in Spring-field in 1848 by Ira An- 
derson, under the old Pittsburg, Cincin- 
nati and Louisville Company, generally 
called the O'Reilly Line. This line was in 
operation during the presidential canvass 
of 1848. George H. Frey, Sr., set up the 
next instrument in 1849. This was the 
Cincinnati and Sandusky Company's 
property, better known as the Morse Line. 
These two companies consolidated into 
the Western Union Telegraph Company 
in 1849. In 1864 Mr. John W. Parsons, 
now superintendent of the Masonic Home, 
took charge. Mr. Parsons was connect- 
ed with the telegraph business as a mes- 
senger boy from 1852. 

In 1863 the Atlantic and Pacific Com- 
pany opened an office, James P. Martin- 
dale, now a resident of South Charleston, 
conducting the atfairs of this company 
for a time. 

The American Union Telegraph Com- 
pany opened up in 1880, and in 1881 all 
these lines were consolidated with the 
Western LTnion, which controls the major 
part of the business to this day, George 
R. Carter being now manager and having 
been for a number of years. In connec- 
tion with the Western Union there is con- 
ducted the American District Telegraph 
Company and the Postal Telegraph Cable 
Company, and they have had an office at 
No. 110 South Limestone Street for some 
years, the other telegraph companies be- 



The first telephone company to operate 
in this city was organized July, 1880, and 
operates the Bell system. It is controlled 
by the Central ITuion, with its headquar- 
ters at Chicago. It has a long distance 
communication with almost every city in 
Ohio and pretty generally throughout 
Clark County, having branch exchanges 
at Enon, Harmony, New Carlisle, North 
Hampton, New Moorefield, Pitchin, South 
Charleston, Tremont City, Thackery and 
Vienna Cross Roads. The service of this 
company is now reasonably good. Major 
R. B. Hoover has been manager of the 
Bell System, with the exception of an in- 
terregTium of about five years, since 
1891. 

The Bell Telephone occupy nice quar- 
ters of their own on East High Street, 
next to the Lagonda Club Building. This 
company moved into their present build- 
ing, which cost, including ground, about 
$40,000, on March 4, 1900. 

SPRINGFIELD-XEISriA TELEPHONE CoMPANY. 

For a time the Bell system and service 
was subject to a great deal of complaint. 
Repeated efforts upon part of the citizens 
to have the company better the service 
seemed to have no effect. This resulted 
in the formation of what is now known 
as the Home Telephone System. This 
company was organized in 1900; Mr. 
Juvenal and John B. and S. F. McGrew 



178 



HISTOEY OP CLAEK COUNTY 



were very prominent in its organization. 
Afterwards it was purchased by the 
Springfield-Xenia Telephone Company, 
Governor Bushnell being interested in 
this line. This company has succeeded in 
securing a very large list of subscribers 
in the city and in various parts of the 
county. It is not so well equipped with 
branch offices throughout' the county as 
the Bell system, but at this time both sys- 



tems are offering and furnishing reason- 
ably good service to the citizens of 
Springfield and Clark County. Of the 
Home Telephone Company the officers for 
1907 were E. C. Gwynn, president; S. F. 
McG-rew, vice president; E. E. Mills, 
treasurer; Delos Odell, secretary. In 
1901 the office building for the company 
was erected on Center Street, between 
Main and High Streets. 



CHAPTER XII. 



MILLS. 



The Oi.d Mill — Mills of Mad River: Medivay Mills, Eagle City Mills, Rector's 
Mill, Kizer Mill, Hertzlers-Snyderville Mill, Woodbury Mill, Ross Mill, 
Nauman Mill, Croft Mill, Snyder's Mill, Grisso Mill, Leffel's Mill, Kneis- 
ley's Distillery, Rubsam's Mill, Enon Mill — Buck Cbeek: Lagonda Mill, 
Rennick-BecMel Mill, Kitt Mill, Hunter Mill, Datvson-Runyam Mill, Cart- 
mell Mill, Perrin Mill, Warder Mill, Croft Mill, Baldtvin Mill, Barnett Mill, 
Wilson-Moor efield Mill, Rabbitts-Olds Mill, Buckeye Works-P. P. Mast 
Co., Pitts Threshing Machine Shop, Snyder Hydratdic, Foos Oil Mill — Beavee 
Creek, Tributary op Buck Creek: Redmond's Mill, Taylor's Mill, Benson's 
Mill, Haney's Satv Mill, Smith-Baird Mill — Mii,l Run, Tributary of Buck 
Creek: Demint's Mill, Lingle Mill, Fisher Mill, Foos Mill, Lowry Mill, 
Filler MM— Mill Creek: Rebert Mill, Paden's Mill, Leffel's Satv Mill — 
DoNNELLS Creek : Donnells Mill, Lowrey Mill, Baisinger Mill — Rock Run 
— Chapman's Creek: Lance's Mill, Seitz Mill, Chatterlen Mill, Enoch's 
Mill, Libert's Mill — Honey Creek: Black's Mill, Rayburn Mill, Paul Mill 
— Little Miami River: Clifton Mills, Knot's Mill, Burke's Mill — Muddy 
Run : Shellabnrger Mills, Partington Mill — Miscellaneous. 

The Old Mill. And talked with Nelly, the miller's girl, 

TT p ,1 , ^ ,. -, ■., -r . ^ As T waited my turn at the door. 

Here irom the brow ot the hill 1 look, ajimix -, ^ ■ t j. ^ 

m, 1 1 _,j. p , 1 n , And while she tossed her ringlets brown, 

Through a lattice ot boughs and leaves, k i n- j. i i t j.± ^ ^ 

r. ,1 ,1 -n -xi •; 1 T J? And flirted and chatted so tree, 

On the old grav mill with its gambrel root, „, ^ -,.-,. , ,-, i i • i, 

.1,1 ., , , . The wheel might stop, or the wheel might 

And the moss on its rotting eaves. o i » o 

I hear the clatter that lars its walls, ^, '^ ' ■,, ,, 

. -, ,, 1 . , , -I it was all the same to me. 

And the rushing water s sound, 



And I see the black floats rise and fall 
As the wheel goes slowly round. 



'Tis twenty years since last I stood 
On the spot where I stand today, 
I rode there often when I was young. And Nelly is wed, and the miller is dead, 



With my grist on the horse before, And the mill and I are gray. 



180 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



But both, till we fall into ruin and wreck, 
To the fortune of toil are bound ; 

And the man goes and the stream flows. 
And the wheel moves slowly round. 

In the absence of facilities for trans- 
porting the necessities of life, the erec- 
tion of mills producing these necessities 
became one of the first industries in which 
the pioneer was engaged. In this age we 
can hardly conceive of the importance of 
an industry of this kind. 

Prior to the introduction of railways 
the means for transporting articles from 
one part of the country to another was 
either by water or by wagons drawn by 
horses, and when we consider further 
that the first railway that entered the city 
of Springfield did so in 1846, we begin to 
realize the importance of the various 
mills that had been erected up to this 
time upon Mad River and its triliutaries 
for the purpose of converting grain into 
flour to supply the necessities of the im- 
mediate neighborhood, and into whiskey 
to be in that condition more easily sold 
and transported to other communities. 
The average fall of the Valley of Mad 
River through Clark County is from 
eight to ten feet to the mile. Some of its 
tributaries have a much greater decline, 
and no doubt the fact that Mad River and 
its tributaries afforded favorable oppor- 
timities for the erection of mills contrib- 
uted largely to an early settlement of 
this county. Prior to the introduction of 
railways and the building of mills it was 
necessary to haul flour by wagon ways 
from Dayton and Cincinnati to the 
South, and as far as Sandusky to the 
North, to which place it was taken by 
boat from the place of its manufacture. 



A very large number of mills and dis- 
tilleries were erected along the streams 
in this county and a very few of them are 
in active operation to this day. At many 
places they have rotted down and have 
been taken away, and almost every sign 
of their former existence has disappeared. 

MILLS OF MAD RIVER. 

Mbdway Mills. 

Probably the first mill that was built 
on Mad River in Clark County was 
erected by Archibald Steele, who settled 
in the village of Medway in 1807. It was 
a grist-mill and nothing very definite is 
known at this time further concerning it. 
A few years afterwards a man by the 
uame of McQueen built a saw-mill and 
grist-mill a short distance above Medway, 
which was afterwards owned by Mr. Ja- 
cob Hershey. It was torn down in 1832 
and never rebuilt. 

Eagle City Mills. 

The second mill that was built upon 
Mad River in this county was a saw- and 
hemp-mill erected in 1808 by .laeob Kib- 
linger, where the present mill at Eagle 
CitV is located. About 1820 Daniel Kib- 
linger and Ira Paige built a grist mill at 
the same point, which they operated until 
1832, when it was purchased by Merri- 
weather and Clark, who ran it until 1837, 
when it was sold to Adam Baker. He was 
succeeded by Baker and Haroff and they 
by Kiblinger and Stoner, and afterwards 
it became the property of Bryant and 
O'Rourke, and was latterly owned by S. 
R. Hockman, who continued it as a grist- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



181 



mill until his death about 1900. It was 
operated for a few years afterwards by 
his heirs, then sold to W. S. Neese, who 
finally disposed of it to H. L. Detrick, 
who is conducting it at this time as a 
grist-mill. A saw-mill was until a few 
years ago operated at the same point. 
At one time whiskey was distilled here. 

Eectob's Mill. 

Prior to 1810 Charles Rector built a 
small distillery at the mouth of Storm's 
Creek in the northern part of German 
Township on Mad River. Later he put up 
a grist- and saw-mill at the same place. 
This mill was afterwards operated for a 
number of years by Gersham Gard. The 
mill has long since disappeared. A race 
running north into Champaign County is 
the only evidence of the use of mill power 
at a former period at this place. 

KizER Mill. 

In 1810 Phillip Kizer built a grist-mill 
on Mad River somewhere not far from 
Tremont City. As to any matters con- 
cerning it in detail, little is known of it 
at this time. Indeed its exact location 
cannot be determined. At a later time he 
aided a still. Many of the stills that weve 
added to these mills at an early date were 
of the very limited character. 

Hektzler's Snyderville Mill. 

About 1818 John and James Leffel 
erected a grist-mill at a point on Mad Riv- 
er, which has at various times been known 
as Hertzler's Mills, Tecumseh Mills and 
Snyderville. John Leffel died soon there- 
after, and it was continued by James un- 
til about 1831. He sold it to a Mr. Min- 



ard, who became embarrassed, and the 
property was sold at sheriff's sale to the 
late Daniel Hertzler, who ran the mill and 
distillery for about twenty years and 
amassed a large fortune. It changed 
hands afterwards on several occasions 
and is now the property of Henry Sny- 
der's heirs. It stands there, a monument 
of its former greatness, idle and inactive. 

WooDBUKY Mill. 

About 1830 John Shartle .built a grist- 
mill, to which was afterwards added a 
distillery, a short distance below Med- 
way. This mill was known as the Wood- 
bury Mill. It continued in operation as 
a grist-mill until some fifteen or twenty 
years ago when its active use was aban- 
doned. It is still standing. 

Ross Mill. 

Somewhere about the year 1830 Charles 
Ross built a mill a short distance south of 
where the Eagle City Mills are now lo- 
cated, in what is now a field a short dis- 
tance east of the St. Paris Pike and pret- 
ty nearly opposite the road leading east 
from the Valley Pike. This mill was af- 
terwards operated as a carding-mill by a 
man by the name of Shearer. All signs 
of the former location of this mill have 
been obliterated, the spot where it stood 
being now in the midst of a cultivated 
field. 

Natjman Mill. 

About the year 1830 a grist-mill and 
distillery was built on Mad River on the 
Nauman farm in Section 7. It is not 
known at present who built the mill. A 
few years afterwards it was purchased by 



182 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Andrew Seitz, Sr., tlie father of Jacob 
Seitz, a recent inhabitant of the city of 
Springfield. Nothing is known of its ojd- 
eration after the Seitz family left it. A 
depression in the ground where the for- 
mer races were located is all that is left 
to indicate its former location. 

Ckoft Mill. 

In 1830 George Croft built a grist- and 
saw-mill and distillery on the lands lately 
owned by Martin Snider, in Bethel Town- 
ship, on a race supplied from Mad River. 
This mill was operated by Mr. Croft and 
his sons for a number of years, and at a 
later period was operated as a grist-mill 
by Martin Snyder. It is now abandoned. 

Snyder's Mill. 

The flouring mill oiDerated now by 
William L. Snyder, west of the city of 
Springfield on Mad River, was erected by 
Elijah Harnett in 1825, and was after- 
wards sold to Henry Snyder, the grand- 
father of the present proprietor. Mr. 
Snyder, Sr., build a distillery, which was 
operated by the sons, J. and D. L. Snyder, 
up to 1862. Here the Snyders gathered 
the nucleus of their great fortune. The 
mill was destroyed by fire in 1854, and 
afterwards rebuilt. At present it is used 
as a grist-mill exclusively. 

Geisso Mill. 

This mill is located near Rock Run, 
where it enters Mad River southwest of 
the city. It was built in 1831 by Peter 
Sintz, Sr., and improved in 1880 by John 
and Samuel Arthur. After Mr. Sintz had 



managed it for some time he leased it to 
George Grisso. It experienced various 
vicissitudes, until it was finally purchased 
by the Arthurs, who ran it for some time, 
and then it ceased to perform its function. 
At odd times feed has been ground there 
ia recent years. It now is the property of 
the Springfield and Dayton Traction 
Company. . 

Leffel's Mill. 

In 1833 Andrew Leffel built a grist-mill 
a short distance above what is now known 
as the Rubsam Mill on Mad River and 
very close to the railway bridge. It was 
operated by Mr. Leffel for about ten 
years. He sold it to James Robinson, who 
attached a distillery to it, and both mill 
and distillery were destroyed by fire about 
1850, and were never rebuilt. There is 
no visible evidence of the place where 
this mill was located. 

Kneisley's Distillery. 

In 1839 Kiblinger and Kneisley built 
a mill east of Tremont City, and what 
was perhaps the largest distillery on Mad 
Rivor. A grist-mill and saw-mill were at- 
tached to it. The industry caused the 
building of quite a number of houses in 
the immediate vicinity and it afterwards 
received the name of Owl Town (see vil- 
lages). Not later than 1859 this establish- 
ment became the property of Daniel Blose, 
his son, John H. Blose, and his brother- 
in-law, Jacob Seitz. They conducted it 
for several years as a distillery and mUl 
with very great profit. 

About 1865 the distillery part was 
abandoned and afterwards a grist mill 




^/:^ ^-^ cffl=( <ii^ Q ^ 

- fmmlSimmi CMn/ (■d ^^ 






i 



r? 



V 



^kC 




AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



185 



•was carried on by Mr. J. H. Blose and 
C. F. Eohrer, but not for any great length 
of time, and now there is not a vestige 
of either distillery, grist- or saw-mill left 
upon the premises. Nothing there indi- 
cates the industry that formerly existed, 
excepting depressions where the water- 
ways were formerly located. 

Rubsam's Mill. 

This mill is located south of the rail- 
road bridge on Mad Eiver, west of the 
city. It was originally built by Daniel 
Hertzler in 1865 and was completed and 
ready for operation at the time that Mr. 
Hertzler was murdered. Samuel Huff- 
man, a son-in-law of Hertzler, ran it un- 
til 1869, when Mrs. J. W. Rubsam, a 
daughter of Mr. Hertzler, became the 
owner. It is still standing, but not in 
active operation and probably never will 
be. 

Enon Mill. 

Not far from Enon, fed largely by the 
spring that opens up on the Harshman 
farm, a mill was located at an early date 
by Mr. Layton, but this likewise has long 
since passed out of existence. A still was 
conducted there also. 

BUCK CREEK. 

Buck Creek seemed to afford mill pow- 
er for perhaps as large a number of mills 
as Mad River. 

Lagonda Mill. 

Probably the first use of the waters of 
Buck Creek for milling purposes was at 
Lagonda in 1806, when Simon Kenton 



established his mill there. This was a 
grist-mill, and had attached thereto a 
carding-machiae, which did not prove a 
success, owing to the want of perfect 
machinery. The grist-mill was small, and 
the machinery was run by hand. Kenton 
left this mill in 1812 and it afterwards be- 
came the property of Prickett and Beeze- 
ly and later on was purchased by Jere- 
miah Warder. 

Rennick-Bechtel Mill. 

Near where the spring is in Snyder 
Park Robert Rennick, in 1807, built a 
grist-mill. There is some divergence of 
opinion as to the date on which this mill 
was erected. Mr. Ludlow, in his history 
of Springfield, states that it was built as 
early as 1802, but Mr. Woodward, in his 
sketches, thinks it was probably built 
after Kenton built the mill at Lagonda. 
It was a flour- and grist-mill. It was 
either afterwards purchased by Mr. Hen- 
ry Bechtel or was destroyed, and Mr. 
Beehtel built a new one in practically the 
same place. There is nothing there now, 
to indicate a former mill site. 

KiTT Mill. 

In 1814, or possibly as early as 1812, 
Peter Kitt erected a distillery on the large 
spring on a farm of the late J. T. War- 
der, near Lagonda. How extensive a bus- 
iness this mill was engaged in is not 
known. 

Hunter Mill. 

The next mill that was erected on Buck 
Creek was built in Pleasant Township, in 
the year 1819, by William Hunter. This 
has been abandoned. This mill was lo- 



186 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



cated about one and a half miles west of 
Catawba. In later years it was run by 
John W. Yeazell. It has been abandoned 
for some time. It is now owned by a Mr. 
Tavener and occupied as a sheep stable, 
hay bam, etc. 

Dawson-Runyan Mill. 

Some time earlier than the Hunter MiU 
was that of the mill built by Mr. Dawson, 
near the present site of the grist-mill 
owned by J. M. Runyan on Buck Creek, 
south of Catawba. This was a small mill 
for grinding com. There was also a 
carding-machine in connection therewith. 
The present mill of J. M. Runyan was 
built by William Speakman. 

Cartmell Mill. 

In 1822 Nathaniel Cartmell built a 
grist-mill in Pleasant Township on Buck 
Creek. This was situated a short dis- 
tance further west than the Hunter Mill. 
There was afterwards added to it a wool- 
en-mill and distillery. 

Peeein Mill. 

About 1820 up near where the present 
power-house of the street railway is sit- 
uated Joseph Perrin built and operated 
a saw-mill. 

Wardee Mill. 

■ In 1830 Jeremiah Warder purchased 
the entire then existing village of Lagon- 
da, consisting of eight or ten buildings, 
saw-mills, woolen-factory and grist-mill, 
for $3,000. He erected a new large mill 



on the south side of the creek. The old 
mill was transformed into a distillery. 
This mill was finally taken down about 
the year 1867. 

Ceoft Mill. 

Not far from this time (1830) Mr. John 
Croft became the possessor of a mill or 
mill site located about a mile and a half 
up the stream from Lagonda, conducting 
it as a mill and distillery, in a small way, 
for a good many years. Latterly a saw- 
mill was at this place. Both now have 
gone out of existence. This mill was 
originally built by a man named Ross. 

Baldwin Mill. 

Somewhere about 1836, possibly at an 
earlier date, a mill which was afterwards 
known by the name of the Baldwin Mill, 
was erected on the west branch of Buck 
Creek not far south of the county line. 
It derived its name from the Baldwins, 
who became its owners and who ran it for 
many years. It was a grist-mill, but has 
long since ceased operation. Its location 
was close to where the Machanicsburg 
Pike crosses this branch of the stream. 

Baenett Mills. 

In 1840 Samuel and James Bamett 
purchased the waterway ujjon which were 
afterwards built the Barnett mills, now 
owned and operated, by Anstead, Burk 
& Co. The Barnetts operated this mill as 
a grist mill for more than a half-century. 
It has been enlarged and the business has 
been very much extended by its present 
owners. Where the present Buckeye 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



187 



Shops are, a linseed oil mill was oper- 
ated at one time. 

WiLSON-MoOKEFIELD MlLL. 

In 1840 Hugh Wilson started a still- 
house where the grist-mill is now located 
in the village of New Moorefield. This 
was operated in 1861. The grist-mill 
was afterwards built here and for a long 
time went by the name of the Yeazell Mill. 
It is still in active operation, John W. 
Yeazell being the present owner. 

Rabbitts-Olds Mill. 

In 1847 Charles Eabbitts and Mr. Olds 
built a woolen-mill, which they operated 
until 1874. The building was afterwards 
occupied by Blount and Wilson and was 
taken down a few years ago. 

Buckeye Woeks-P. P. Mast Co. 

In speaking of the mills of Buck Creek 
it is in order to say something about what 
is now known as the P. P. Mast Company, 
as this corporation uses part of the mill 
power of the creek in the operation of its 
works. In 1841 the Barnetts sold James 
Leffel one-twelfth part of the watei*- 
power and the same amount to Richard 
Rodgers. Leffel started a saw-mill and 
foundry, and afterwards he and An- 
drew Richards built and operated a cot- 
ton-mill and machine-shop, which aft- 
erwards passed iato the hands of the 
P. P. Mast Company. Richard Rodgers 
sold his power back to James Barnett, 
who built a linseed oil mill, which he sold 
to John Foos. This mill was also ab- 
sorbed by P. P. Mast Company, and in 



1847 the Barnetts leased land and power 
to Muzzey & Andrews, who operated a 
planing mill. This was afterwards sold 
to Samuel Kindelbarger and then sold to 
the P. P. Mast Company. In 1846 the 
Barnetts leased land and power to Oily 
Taylor, who built a linseed oil mill, which 
afterwards became the property of Smith 
& Dew, then passed to Smith & Boucher, 
then to Steele, Layman & Co., and finally 
to the P. P.^Mast Company. 

Pitts Theeshing Machine Shop. 

In 1842 John A. Pitts, inventor of the 
Pitts Separator, came to this city from 
Rochester, New York, and bought land 
and power from the Barnetts and built 
shops for the manufacture of the Pitts 
Separator, which is now the property of 
0. W. Kelly Company. It was operated 
after his death by his sons, and then 
passed into the hands of James W. Rein- 
hart, Charles P. Ballard and L. H. Pur- 
sell. 

Snyder Hydeaulic. 

In 1865 J. and D. L. Snyder constructed 
a hydraulic for the purpose of utilizing 
the waters of Buck Creek. This hydraulic 
commenced at the east end of the present 
park and ran down along the south and 
east lines of said park near Main Street. 
Part of it is utilized now for park pur- 
poses. The boating-pond and other 
features of the park are located on this 
hydraulic. Their intention was to build 
a mill and distillery, but just about that 
time the governmental tax became so high 
on whiskey that the original purpose 
was abandoned ; and steam power having 
become more universal in its use the 



188 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



water power was never developed to its 
full extent. The same was leased for 
some time by Mr. John Foos and the St. 
John Sewing Machines were manufact- 
ured at a shop not far from Main Street. 
This burned down along in the early 
eighties and some time thereafter the 
water was turned off of the hydraulic. 

Foos Oil Mill. 

Perhaps the most recent mill con- 
structed on Buck Creek is what is known 
as the old Foos Oil Mill on the cliffs im- 
mediately west of Factory Street. It is 
now occupied by a laundry. 

Mr. John Foos in 1861 purchased the 
Barnett Oil Mill which had been erected 
in 1842 on Warder Street and in 1863 he 
bought the Steele, Layman & Company 
Oil Mill, which was built by Oily Taylor 
in 1846, and was also located on Warder 
Street. The machinery from these mills 
was removed in 1870 to the mills on the 
cliffs. This was operated by him until 
about 1890. 

BEAVER CREEK. (Tributary of Buck 
Creek.) 

Redmond's Mill. 

Undoubtedly the first mill erected on 
Beaver Creek is that which is known at 
present by the name of Redmond Mill and 
is located about four miles east of Spring- 
field and half a mile north of the National 
Road. The first mill built at this place 
was erected about the year 1808 by John 
Foster. A man by the name of Buckles 
was the next owner. He connected a dis- 
tillery with it. Buckles sold it to John 



Ree, and Ree in 1835 sold it to Robert 
Rodgers, who built a saw-mill in connec- 
tion in 1837. In 1839 the whole premises 
were destroyed by fire. The grist-mill 
was rebuilt by Mr. Rodgers in 1840. In 
1847 Thomas McCormick bought a half 
interest. About the year 1858 Lewis 
Huffman bought the mill, and in 1866 it 
was sold to Judson Redmond for $8,000. 
This mill is still in active operation. It 
is sometimes called the Junction Mills, 
because it is situated at the junction of 
Beaver Creek and Sinking Creek. 

Tayi.oe's Mill. 

The next mill that was built on Beaver 
Creek was built by James Taylor in 1830. 
At first it had a carding and fulling-mill 
in connection with it. This was operated 
up to 1845, when it was abandoned. In 
1849 it was remodeled by Charles Mor- 
gan, who purchased it of Taylor's ad- 
ministrators, who owned it until 1869. It 
was then purchased by Samuel Taylor, 
who occupied it until its abandonment a 
few years ago. In 1875 it was burned 
down, being struck by lightning. The 
next year it was rebuilt. It is not in use 
at this time, having been completely aban- 
doned. 

Benson's Mill. 

Shortly after the erection of the Taylor 
mill, Oliver Armstrong and Pierson 
Spinning, in the year 1832, built what 
was afterwards known as Benson's Mill. 
This mill was situated on the east side of 
the old Columbus Road, where Columbus 
Avenue now touches that road. Arm- 
strong and Spinning operated it until 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZEiXS. 



189 



1852, when it was purchased by Mr. J. M. 
Benson. He made improvements and op- 
erated the mill until the eighties, when it 
was abandoned. It afterwards was de- 
stroyed by fire. There is nothing at pres- 
ent to indicate its former location, which 
was about one mile down the stream from 
Taylor's Mill excepting the indications 
of the former race-bed. A still was car- 
ried on here. This mill was burned 
in 1885. These mills were about the only 
mills on Beaver Creek that assume the 
position of grist-mills. There were a 
large number of saw-mills. 

Haney's Saw-Mill. 

In 1830 James Haney on Beaver Creek, 
south of Vienna, erected a saw-mill which 
was operated for about 35 years. In 1839 
James Goodfellow and Zephania Sexton 
built a saw-mill on Beaver Creek about 
two miles down the stream from the 
Haney Mill. This mill was operated for 
a number of years latterly by Mr. Eras- 
tus Bennett, but it is not now in opera- 
tion. 

Smith-Baied Mill. 

In 1845 Eobert Smith built a saw-mill 
about a mile further down the stream and 
immediately south of the National Eoad, 
between that road and the Springfield 
and Columbus Traction Line. This mill 
was operated until about the year 1890 
when it was likewise abandoned. 

MILL EHN. (Tributary of Buck Creek.) 
Demint's Mill. 

The first mill to be erected in Clark 
County of which we have a reliable date 
was the one erected by James Demint, 



the founder of Springfield, in 1803, at the 
mouth of Mill Eun. It was a grist-mill, 
as stated in Beers' History and was of 
small proportions, but was a very great 
convenience to the settlers of the neigh- 
borhood. It seems to the writer, how- 
ever, that he has seen it elsewhere stated 
that a still was conducted in connection 
with this mill; but if so it was no doubt 
in a limited way. The capacity of this 
mill was about twenty-five bushels of 
corn every twenty-four hours. 

LiNGLE Mill. 

In 1809 John Lingle built a mill for 
the making of gun powder and not far 
from where Mill Eun enters into Buck 
Creek. 

FisHEK Mill. 

In 1814 Maddox Fisher built a mill not 
far from the mouth of Mill Eun. Wheth- 
er it was a grist- or cotton-mill, or both, 
is not known. It was destroyed by fire 
in 1834. It was probably a cotton-mill. 
In the lower part of this mill Ira Paige 
about 1814 started a woolen factory, and 
continued it for fifteen years. 

Foos Mill. 

In 1817 Griffith Foos had a small mill 
in operation where the shops of the Foos 
Gas Engine are now located. This mill 
was, as far as we know, an oil-mill and 
was afterwards removed to East Street, 
about where the Common Sense Engine 
Works were built, now occupied by the 
Herb Medicine Company, and was used 
as a cotton manufactory and afterwards 
as a flax-mill. 



190 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



LowKY Mill. 

In 1827 on Mill Run between OolumMa 
and North Streets, James Lowry, J. W. 
Kills and Dr. Ambrose Blount built a 
paper-mill. It was run until 1836 as a 
hand paper-mill when it was changed into 
a machine mill and so run until 1861, 
when it was purchased by William D. 
Hill. In 1864 Marshfield Steele pur- 
chased this property and remodeled it in- 
to a tobacco factory, which was operated 
under the name of J. W. Kidder & Co. 
until 1869. It was afterwards used as a 
foundry and machine-shop and general 
job shop until 1880, when it was re-built 
by J. B. Blister for the manufacture of 
tables. It was afterwards torn down and 
the ground is now occupied by dwelling 
houses. 

I'tller Mill. 

In 1834 a flouring-mill was built on the 
ground where the Foos Oil-Mill formerly 
stood on the corner of Linden Avenue and 
Monroe Street. It was operated until 
1871, when it was bought by E. R. Hot- 
tenspiller & Co., and used by them as a 
hominy-mill in 1873. The mill was de- 
stroyed by fire and the ground afterwards 
purchased by the Champion Bar & Knife 
Company, it being at present occupied by 
the Foos Gas Engine Company. 

Mill Creek. 

Mill Creek enters Mad River from the 
south, opposite the Masonic Home 
grounds, west of the city of Springfield. 

Rebert Mill. 

This mill was formerly located on Mill 
Creek opposite the present farmhouse 



of George Left'el and at the junction of 
Possum Road and the Rebert Pike. It 
was the location of a mill early in the 
history of this county, as pioneers nar- 
rate that they went to that locality to 
get flour, but the history of that mill has 
passed into oblivion. By whom it was 
built or operated is not known. The mill 
operated by Mr. Rebert, from whom it 
took its name, was erected in 1838 by 
Samuel Todd. He was succeeded by Ed. 
Swope, and he in turn by John Rench and 
Henry Baker. In 1852 it was purchased 
by Andrew Rebert from John Rench. Mr. 
Rebert conducted a general milling busi- 
ness there for about twenty years. It 
was afterwards rented to Aaron Reasor, 
then to Frederick Creamer, afterwards to 
Samuel Louk. For more than fifteen 
years past, it has been out of operation 
and has been taken down and the material 
utilized for other purposes. At one time 
it had a capacity of about thirty barrels 
of flour per day. 

Paden's Mill. 

In 1844 James Paden built a woolen- 
factory on Mill Creek, not far from where 
the Enon Pike crosses this stream and 
Possum Road. He carried on a carding, 
spinning, and weaving industry up until 
1868. The business was afterwards con- 
ducted by his son Paden until about the 
year 1880. It has been abandoned. It 
was a factory about two stories high with 
a Leffel wheel. 

Lefpel's Saw-Mill. 

About 1840 William Harris erected a 
saw-mill on Mill Creek, which was on the 
Fairfield Pike about half a mile west of 





• AfAST, FOOS & CO PLANT, SPRINGFIELD THE P. P. MAST PLANT, SPRINGFIELD 





THE NEW SL'N TIIEATRI'. SPRINGFIELD 





OLD BRICK HOUSE, W. MAIN ST., SPRINGFIELD BRETNEY TANNERY, E. MAIN ST., SPRINGFIELD 



AND EEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



193 



Beatty. It was afterwards owned and 
run by Reed Wright, finally it was pur- 
chased by the late James P. Leffel. At 
one time a steam-engine was attached to 
it, thus giving it steam power. This mill 
has also been abandoned. 

DoNNELs' Creek. 

Donnels' Creek empties into Mad River 
about six miles below the city of Spring- 
field, and flows north through Bethel & 
Pike Townships not far from the villages 
of Donnelsville and North Hampton. 

DoNNEi^s' Mill. 

The first mill that was erected on this 
creek was by Jonathan Donnels as early 
as 1804. It was swept away by a freshet. 
It was a rudely constructed building of 
logs and was used as a saw-mill. This 
mill was located about half a mile north 
of the mill afterwards erected by David 
Lowry. 

LowRY Mill. 

In 1808 David Lowry built a grist-mill 
on Donnels' Creek. This mill was located 
about half a mile north of the Valley Pike 
and was close to Mr. Donnels' mill. The 
dam erected in the stream backed the 
water up and interfered with Donnels' 
power. They had a law suit about the 
matter and Donnels recovered damages. 
Mr. Lowry added a frame saw-mill some 
time aftenvard, and in 1820 he put up a 
frame grist-mill. This mill was run until 
1846, when the dam was washed out and 
he retired from business. His son David 
W. continued it for about five j^ears when 
it was abandoned. Some evidence of its 
former existence may still be seen op- 



posite the present residence of County 
Commissioner J. Ed. Lowry. 

Baisingee Mill. 

In 1820 Peter Baisinger erected a saw- 
mill on Donnels' Creek, not far from the 
village of North Hampton. It was later 
converted into a steam mill by G-eorge 
Cost and afterwards owned and operated 
by Jacob K. Minnick. It is not now in 
active operation. 

ROCK RUN. 

Rock Run is a tributary of Mad River, 
emptying into that stream a short dis- 
tance below the first bridge over Mad 
River on the Valley Pike. It extended 
north into German Township and had 
more feet of fall than any other stream 
of the county. A number of mills were 
located on this stream, the history of 
which cannot be accurately given. 

CHAPMAN'S CREEK. 

Chapman's Creek enters Mad River 
about a mile and a half south of the 
Champaign County line. It is a rapid 
little stream, not affording very great 
water-power at this time, but at an early 
date quite a number of mills were locat- 
ed there. This creek was named after 
William Chapman, who erected in 1802 
a grist-mill about where the village of 
Tremont is now located. What the ca- 
pacity of this mill may have been or how 
long it was operated, or by whom, is not 
now known, but it was probably located 
upon or near the site of the present Seitz 
Mill, where in 1836 John Ross erected a 
small distillery. 



194 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Lance's Mill. 

About the year 1830 a Mr. Lance built 
a distillery between Tremont City and 
Mad Eiver, about where the residence of 
Michael Sullivan stands now. This was 
operated for a number of years in a limit- 
ed way as a distillery. David Enochs, still 
living in this vicinity, operated it at one 
time. Some of the milling they had done 
for them elsewhere. The malt was 
stirred by hand in a tub. It was taken 
down about 1860. 

Seitz Mill. 

The present Seitz Mill was eretced by 
Andrew Seitz and cost about $5,000. It 
was operated by him, together with his 
sons Henry and Amos, until his death, 
since which time it has been carried on 
by Amos Seitz and is still in active op- 
eration. It was purchased by the Seitzes 
from a man by the name of Hoefer. 

Chatteklen Mill. 

At a very early date about three- 
quarters of a mile west of Tremont City, 
opposite the present residence of Samuel 
Magart, an Englishman by the name of 
Chatterlen had a carding mill. This was 
destroyed by fire and it was never re- 
built. 

Enoch's Mill. 

On the south side of the creek, not far 
from the residence of J. S. Peneten and 
William Funkliouser, was erected in 1820 
by Henry Enoch, father of David Enoch, 
who is still living and residing near Tre- 
mont, a grist-mill. There was conducted 
with it a still. How long this was op- 
erated is not now known, but it has many 



years been abandoned. Some time after 
the construction of the mill William 
Enoch, a brother of Henry, built a grist- 
mill nearly opposite the present residence 
of Michael Shawver. This was operated 
for some time but has long since been 
abandoned. A depression in the ground 
near the saw-mill conducted there at this 
time by the Shawvers indicates the ex- 
istence of a mill in that vicinity at one 
time. 

Dibeet's Mill. 

About three-quarters of a mile west of 
these Enoch's mills (the exact date is not 
known), a mill of some kind had been 
erected. About 1860 Jacob Dibert erected 
a large fiouring-mill, which was operated 
by him until his death. It was after- 
wards for a time operated by John H. 
Blose and Johnson P. Weaver. It is at 
present the property of McClellan Ballen- 
tine. It has not for some years been in 
operation as a flouring-mill, although at 
times feed has been milled. Steam power 
has been added. The mill, however, at 
this time is practically abandoned. In 
former times there was a small saw- and 
grist-mill operated at this place. Still 
further up the stream on this creek at an 
earlier date were several saw-mills which 
are not in operation at this writing. 

HONEY CREEK. 

This creek is not a tributary of Mad 
River, but flows into the Big Miami. It 
has its source in Pike Township, flows 
south in Bethel and around New Carlisle 
and leaves the county to the west of that 
village. In earlier times it afforded con- 
siderable water-power. However, not 



AND BEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



195 



so many mills were located on it as on 
some other streams of less magnitude. 

Black's Mill. 

In 1814 James Black constructed a 
grist-mill on the east fork of Honey- 
Creek, in the locality that has recently 
been designated Dodo. It is still, I think, 
in the Black name but not in operation. 

RAyBUEN Mill. 

In 1836 William Eayburn built the old 
mill still standing on Honey Creek a short 
distance northeast of New Carlisle. At 
one time there was both a grist-mill and 
saw-mill here in operation ; now it is only 
used for milling grain and is known as 
the McKee Mill. 

Week's Mill. 

At one time there was a mill located 
where Charles Smith & Son now operate 
a steam- mil] for grinding. For a long 
time it was in the name of Weeks. As a 
grist-mill it has ceased operation for 
many years. Just when it was built, or 
by whom, is not known to the writer at 
this time. 

Paul Mill. 

There is some tradition that when John 
Paul located up near the forks of Honey 
Creek above the Eayburn Mill, some kind 
of a mill was erected by him at that point, 
but this, as above said, only rests on tradi- 
tion, and nothing more at this time is 
known. However, Paul lived in this vicin- 
ity and like most early settlers he may 
have had a diminutive mill, if nothing else. 



LITTLE MIAMI EIVEE. 

This river has its source in this county, 
not far northeast of Charleston, and 
leaves it at the village of Clifton. 

Clifton Mills. 

As early as 1800 Mr. O. Davis built a 
grist-mill where the present mill is now 
located at Clifton. This mill afterwards 
became known as Patterson's Mill and 
later on was the property of Mr. E. E. 
Stewart, and for the past ten years was 
conducted by a Mr. Armstrong. It is still 
in active operation. 

Knot's Mill. 

About 1836 Peter Knot had a tanyard 
in operation along this stream north of 
Clifton and a saw-mill was conducted in 
connection therewith. 

Bueke's Mill. 

In 181.5 a man by the name of Burke 
erected a grist-mill on the Little Miami, 
about a mile south of Plattsburg. There 
may have been a distillery connected with 
this, for we find that in 1831 George 
Weaver conducted a distillery near Lis- 
bon and at one time Thomas Stites man- 
aged a distillery one and a half miles 
north of Lisbon. There were probably 
some other mills located on this river of 
which we have no knowledge at this time. 

MUDDY EUN. 

This stream flows through Mad Eiver 
Township, entering Mad Eiver in the 
southwestern part of the township. 



196 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNT f 



Shellabarger Mills. 

This mill is located about a mile and 
a quarter south of Enon. This mill was 
built by Jacob Shellabarger who came to 
this locality in 1814 and the mill was 
erected shortly thereafter. At one time 
there was a distillery attached, and a 
saw-mill was also located there. In early 
times it was of very great importance to 
the community, and was an important 
place of business. Jacob Shellabarger 
sold it to John Fisher, brother of Mad- 
dox Fisher, and Fisher sold it to Ben 
Myers, and he to Daniel Hertzler, and 
then it became the property of Hostetter, 
and for some time was called the Hos- 
tetter mills. It afterwards came into the 
possession of John Shellabarger, brother 
of Samuel, the ex-member of Congress, 
and distinguished statesman, and later 
Ephraim Shellabarger became the pro- 
prietor. It could well be called the Shel- 
labarger Mills, as on three different oc- 
casions it was in the Shellabarger family. 
It has been abandoned for some time. 

Partington Mill. 

The Partington Woolen Factory was 
located on the north fork of Muddy Run, 
not far from the present residence of 
Mr. Jenkins. It was principally pro- 
pelled by the water from a very large 
spring which had a fall of about twenty- 
five feet. A paper-mill was formerly 
erected at this place by Samuel Siming- 
ton. The dates of the erection of these 
various mills are not known at this time ; 
thev have long since been abandoned. 



Miscellaneous. 

We find that some other mills of vari- 
ous kinds were conducted in the county. 
In 1812 David Hanna had a distillery on 
Sinking Creek, and in 1824 Henry Wolfe 
built and operated a distillery on Sec- 
tion 6 on Sinking Creek and at one time 
a distillery was operated by Adam Clark 
north of the Israel Everhardt farm in 
Pleasant Township. At one time a mill 
was erected on the Crain farm ia Section 
33 in Bethel Township. Asa Rice erected 
a saw- and grist-mill near Vienna in 1854. 
A tannery was erected by Robert Wat- 
kins on what is now the J. E. Bowman 
farm (formerly belonging to Israel Hol- 
lingsworth), in Green Township in 1815, 
and was run up until about 1830. In 
various places throughout the county 
saw-mills have been erected and conduct- 
ed until the timber ran out, and then 
abandoned. There was such a mill one 
time on the Urbana Pike on the E. B. 
Cassily farm. The waters were probably 
conducted through the old race construct- 
ed by Simon Kenton for a grist-mill in 
1799. There was also a saw-mill on the 
old Staley farm now belonging to Mr. 
Drum, east of Tremont City and east of 
Mad River at a point where the old 
Moore's Run Channel emptied into Mad 
River. 

In 1829 Abraham Smith built a saw- 
mill at Donnelsville which was conducted 
for many years ; there was also a saw-mill 
for a time on the John Detrick farm in 
Bethel Township. 



CHAPTER Xlll. 



FRATERNAL HOMES AND PHILANTHROPIC 
INSTITUTIONS. 

Be Kind — Ohio Masonic Home — Odd Fellows Home — Knights of Pythias Home- 
Oesterlen Orphans' Home — Clark Memorial Home. 



Be Kind. 

Be kind to thy father, for wheii thou wast 
young, 
Who loved thee as fondly as he? 
He caught the first accents that fell from 
thy tongue, 

And joined in thine innocent glee. 

Be kind to thy father, for now he is old, 

His locks intermingled with gray, 
His footsteps are feeble, once fearless 
and bold ; 

Thy father is passing away. 

Be kind to thy mother, for, lo! on her 
brow 

May traces of sorrow be seen : 
Oh, well may'st you cherish and comfort 
her now, 

For loving and kind hast she been. 

Eemember thy mother, for thee will she 
pray 

As long as Grod giveth her breath; 
With accents of kindness then cheer her 
lone way, 

E 'en to the dark valley of death. 



The charitable teachings of the lowly 
Nazarene are nowhere better exemplified 
than in the three fraternal homes that 
overlook the city of Springfield from its 
surrounding hill-tops. Neither in any 
way could the three great fraternal or- 
ders of the Masons, Odd Fellows, and 
Knights of Pythias, better exemplify 
their teachings than in the founding of 
these homes, carried, on as they are for 
the shelter and protection of those who 
are not able to care for and protect them- 
selves. No other community has been so 
distinguished as to be chosen by three 
such prominent and influential orders as 
a fit and satisfactory place in which to 
exemplify their teachings of charity on 
so large and practical a scale. Such an 
honor might well be coveted by any com- 
munity. In time, the city of Springfield, 
with all its commercial and manufactur- 
ing industries, will not receive more last- 
ing renown or benefit from any of these 
industries than from these benevolent in- 
stitutions. It is hard to explain why this 
community should have been so favored, 
except by taking into consideration what 



198 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



may be due to the beauty of its natural 
surroundings and to the enterprise of its 
people. But with due allowance for these 
reasons that Springfield has not been se- 
lected also by the great state of Ohio as- 
a proper location for some of its insti- 
tutions is likewise difficult of explana- 
tion. Possibly in the past some one may 
have been negligent in failing to present 
its claims upon a favorable opportunity. 
One of the strongest arguments present- 
ed to the committee that selected the sites 
for these fraternal homes lay in Spring- 
field's fine railroad facilities, bringing all 
parts of the state within easy reach — 
facilities surpassed by no city in the 
state and equalled by but one — Colum- 
bus. If that argument was sufficient to 
cause these fraternal homes to be located 
here, it should have had some influence 
in securing the location here of some 
state institution; but usually such state 
institutions are located at certain par- 
ticular places by reason of some political 
"piTll." We did not have the "pull." 

Ohio Masonic Home. 

The first one of these fraternal homes 
which was located in our county is that 
belonging to the Masonic fraternity, al- 
though the Knights of Pythias erected 
one cottage before the Masonic building- 
was erected. At the meeting of the Grrand 
Chapter of Eoyal Arch Masons in Ohio, 
in 1888, a home to care for the old Ma- 
sonic brethren and their wives was sug- 
gested by "W. B. Hillman, who was then 
Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter. 

A committee was afterwards appointed 
to visit various localities throughout the 
state and select a suitable location for the 
building of a proposed home. 



Governor Bushnell, although at that 
time not a Mason himself, saw the pos- 
sibilities of Spring-field in that direction 
and the great benefit an institution of 
that kind would confer upon the city, and 
with his characteristic liberality proposed 
a subscription of $10,000 for the purpose 
of buying a suitable site, in that way 
bringing a strong influence to bear upon 
the location of the home. An option was 
secured on what was then kno"RTi as the 
Leffel farm of 154 acres, immediately 
west of Mad Eiver, on the National Pike 
west of the city. This farm had a beauti- 
ful natural location, permitting the build- 
ing to front to the "east," to which 
quarter every Master Mason looks for 
authority, and which would overlook the 
Mad Eiver valley and have in plain view 
the spires and steeples of the city of 
Springfield. 

Along the National Pike, upon this 
farm, there was located an old brick 
building used in stage coach days as a 
hotel. Over the doors of this old hos- 
telry there were painted the magic let- 
ters 0. K., "Oil Korrect." Suffice it 
here to say, that sufficient money was 
raised by the citizens to purchase this 
tine tract of land. In 1895 with appro- 
priate Masonic ceremonies, which were 
witnessed by a large concourse of people, 
perhaps never surpassed in magnitude 
in our city, the corner stone of the build- 
ing was laid and the latter was dedicated 
to the benevolent purposes for which it 
was intended. It was opened for the re- 
ceipt of patients in 1897. Our honored 
townsman, John W. Parsons, was select- 
ed as superintendent and his estimable 
wife as matron. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



199 



The entire cost of this large stone 
castle, resembling nothing else so closely 
as the typical medieval structure of the 
feudal barons, was about $125,000. Since 
that time the surroundings have been 
further beautified, and its location gives 
it a view not surpassed in the state of 
Ohio. 

In 1905 a hospital cottage costing $14,- 
000 was erected. The number of resi- 
dents of this institution at present is 161 
— sixty-five males, forty-two females and 
fifty-four children. The home is sup- 
ported by per capita tax of the Grand 
Lodges and voluntary contributions, and 
the cost per capita is $160 per annum. 
Edward Harford of this city is treasurer 
of the Board of Directors. 

The total disbursements for the year 
past were $.35,890.46 ; receipts $39,756.71 ; 
balance on hand $3,866.25. There is $74,- 
149.33 in the endowment fund. 

Odd Pei.TjOws Home. 

To the Daughters of Rebekah may be 
given the credit of starting the work that 
ultimately resulted in the erection of a 
home for Odd Fellows' orphans and mem- 
bers. In 1891 the Rebekah Assembly de- 
cided that such a home should be estab- 
lished, and the president of the assembly 
wrote long letters to each representative 
of the Grand Lodge, wherever located in 
the state, urging him to do what he could 
for the establishment of such a home, as 
the favorable vote of the Grand Lodge 
was necessary before the enterprise qould 
be undertaken. In April, 1892, the Rebe- 
kah Assembly decided to send their presi- 
dent, in company with two other sister 
Rebekahs. to the Grand Lodge to obtain 



permission for this, or rather, to present 
clearly the needs of the homeless children, 
and point out the duty of the brethren to 
them. The Grand Lodge had a recess and 
listened carefully and attentively to the 
pleadings of this sister, and before they 
adjourned they voted for the establish- 
ment of a home. 

Committees were appointed to select 
a location. The Masonic Home having 
been located in this city, the interest of 
our people had been aroused upon the 
subject of fraternal homes, and through 
local representatives the task of securing 
this home also was gone at with a vim. 
The Fay farm immediately north of the 
Clark County Infirmary had some time 
previously come into possession of a per- 
son who was now desirous of disposing 
of it and who offered it at a very moder- 
ate figure. The natural elevation upon 
which it stood, commanding a beautiful 
view to the south, impressed itself upon 
the committee, and our citizens having 
raised sufficient money to purchase the 
site, the home was located there. The 
land consists of seventy-nine acres, some 
having been bought in addition since the 
original purchase was made. The present 
building was dedicated October 27, 1898. 
It cost $73,000, the money being raised by 
an assessment of one dollar upon each 
Odd Fellow. Since that time, in 1898, a 
new power-house and laundry building, 
at a cost of $10,000, have been added. 

The original design was to make the 
institution a home for children only. The 
Grand Lodge was caring for aged mem- 
bers in a small home down near Cincin- 
nati, which was known as the Royssmoyne 
Home, but they had no place for the wives 
and widows, hence arrangements were 



200 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUxVTY 



made for the erection of an addition of 
sixty-one ]-ooms to the original building. 
This addition cost $55,000 and was com- 
pleted in 1904, representing a total cost 
in buildings of $138,000. The home is 
supported by a per capita tax upon the 
Odd Fellows of the state, which is now 
forty cents each, or ten cents per quarter. 

The Rebekahs are not assessed for any 
certain amount, yet they have furnished 
four out of every five rooms in the build- 
ing. The present number of residents is 
218, there being forty-three adult males, 
twent^'-three adult females, eighty-nine 
boys and sixty-three girls. 

The cost per capita for running the in- 
stitution is $120. E. B. Turner is the 
present superintendent and his wife is 
matron. The buildings are of red pressed 
brick, with terraces and cupolas and a red 
tile roof, presenting a very imposing 
picture. 

Knights op Pythias Home. 

Oh ! what shall I do when the night comes 
down 
In its terrible blackness all over the 
town? 
Shall I lay me down 'neath the angry sky? 
On the cold hard pavements alone to 
die? 
When the beautiful children their prayers 
have said. 
And mammas have tucked them up 
snugly in bed. 
No dear mother ever upon me smiled — 
Why is it, I wonder, that I 'm nobody's 
child! 

That this young and growing fraternal 
order should have built the first home for 



the care of its orphans, erected in the 
state of Ohio by fraternal orders, is an 
honor of which it may be duly proud. The 
idea had suggested itself to several of 
the prominent members prior to the meet-, 
ing of the Grand Lodge in 1892. To no 
one however did it present itself so force- 
ably as to "Bob" Love, and everyone 
who knew this whole-souled genial "K. of 
P." recognized at once that when he took 
hold of anything there would be some re- 
sult. A resolution was passed by the 
Grand Lodge and appropriate committees 
were appointed to select a site for the lo- 
cation of a home to take care of the 
orphan children of the members. At this 
time the old McCreight homestead, im- 
mediately north of the city, was placed 
upon the market bj^ the heirs and all that 
part north of McCreight Avenue and west 
of Fountain Avenue was otfered for 
Knights of Pythias Home purposes at the 
price of $25,000. The fact that two homes 
had already been located in the city and 
that our citizens had been taxed by volun- 
tary contributions to a large extent, might 
have prevented a less vigorous organiza- 
tion than the Knights of Pythias, or hav- 
ing less enterprise among its membership 
than is the case in this town, from under- 
taking the task of raising sufficient money 
for the purchase of a site for another 
home. But it seems that the spirit of giv- 
ing was abroad, and the enthusiasm of 
our citizens in favor of these fraternal 
buildings was so great that the money was 
finally raised, though not without effort. 
The plan of buildings adopted by the 
Grand Lodge of the Knights of Pythias 
was entirely different from that of the 
Masons and Odd Fellows, in that it con- 




KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS' HOME, SPRINGFIELD 




ODD FELLOWS' HO.AIE, SPRINGFIELD 



AND EEPRESENrATIVE CITIZENS. 



203 



templated, when completed, a number of 
buildings and was based very largely up- 
on what is known as the cottage plan. 
The first cottage was erected in 1894,^ at 
a cost of $8,000. To this eight additional 
buildings have been added; the main ad- 
ministration building costing $75,000, the 
dining room and auditorium $25,000, two 
cottages each $17,000, power house and 
coal cellars $6,000, barn $4,000, employees' 
cottage $2,000, hospital building $4,000, 
making a total of $146,000. The last of 
these buildings was completed and dedi- 
cated in June, 1904. 

The site of this home is equal in beauty 
to that of either the Masonic or Odd Fel- 
lows institutions. Within the corporate 
limits, immediately north of the main part 
of the city, it has all the advantages of a 
city location, while the ground is so 
situated as to give it plenty of country air. 
On the north end of the tract of eighty- 
four acres is a beautiful natural grove of 
forty-four acres. The number of resi- 
dents at present is 214, boys 109, and girls 
105. 

The first superintendent was Mr. 
Thomas H. Collins, his wife being inatron. 
Afterward the present very able and aif- 
able E. M. Le Fevre and his helpful wife 
were made superintendent and matron 
respectively. Even since its organization 
until the present year Zac Taylor, who 
was very attentive to his duties, was a 
member of the board of directors. 

The total value of the grounds, build- 
ings and equipments at this time is not 
far from $.300,000. 

The question of a home for aged and 
infirm members, has been brought up, and 
no doubt, in the not far distant future 



some action will be taken in this direc- 
tion. Whether or not this home will be 
located here and carried on in connection 
with the present orphan's home, is a mat- 
ter not yet decided, but it is not unlikely 
that such may be the case. 

Much of the credit for securing the lo- 
cation of these fraternal homes in our 
vicinity is due to two men — Governor 
Bushnell, through his generous subscrip- 
tion to the Masonic Home, and P. M. Cart- 
mell, who in a thorough and painstaking 
inanner collected and presented statistical 
information showing the ready acces- 
sibility of this city to and from all parts 
of the state, with other weighty considera- 
tions calculated to influence favorable ac- 
tion in behalf of Springfield. 

Oesteelen Orphans' Home. 

Not only have fraternal orders foimd 
Springfield a desirable place in which to 
locate homes, but the Lutheran Church 
has also come to the same conclusion. In 
1904 Mrs. Amelia Oesterlen, a wealthy 
Lutheran lady of Findlay, Ohio, by her 
last will and testament left a fund of 
about $30,000 to be used in the erection 
and maintenance of a home for orphan 
children of Lutheran parentage. Wlien 
this bequest became available, those in 
authority began to seek a proper site for 
the home. The large Lutheran following 
in Springfield, together with the influence 
of Wittenberg College, no doubt, had 
miich to do with the committees' selec- 
tion of Springfield, but the fact that the 
three great fraternal organizations had 
f oimd Springfield to be a suitable place 
in which to locate their respective homes, 
no doubt had its ei¥ect with the Lutherap 



204 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



committee in coming to the conclusion it 
did. 

Several locations in and about Spring- 
field were suggested to the committee, but 
finally it was decided to purchase the old 
Zimmerman farm just beyond the city 
limits, north of Lagonda. This farm is 
very nicely situated and had upon it very 
commodious buildings. It contained 108 
acres and was purchased in 1905 at a 
cost of about $12,000. The Home is of- 
ficered and managed by a board of trus- 
tees selected by various Lutheran bodies, 
and supported by the Lutheran Synods 
of Wittenberg, Miami, Eastern Ohio, 
Northern Indiana, and Olive Branch. 

It was opened for the acceptance of in- 
mates on June 6th, 1905. The house has 
been remodeled and a number of other 
improvements made, involving an expen- 
diture of about $3,000. 

The first superintendent was Rev. A. 
J. Kissell and Mrs. Delia Etta Kissel, his 
wife, was matron. In December, 1905, 
the matron died, and in the following- 
April the superintendent resigned his po- 
sition, and the present efficient official. 
Rev. W. M. Havey, of Spencerville, In- 
diana, was selected as superintendent and 
his wife as matron. The present number 
of inmates is twenty-two, fifteen males 
and seven females. 

As at present arranged the members 
of this "Home" family attend Sunday 
School and church sei'vices in the Fifth 
Lutheran Church. The home is pros- 
perous and bears ample evidence that in 
time it will fulfill the generous expecta- 
tions and hopes of its founder. 

Rev. S. E. Greenewalt is president. Rev. 
J. H. Zinn vice-president. Rev. H. S. 



Lawrence secretary, and John L. Zim- 
merman, Esq., treasurer, respectively, of 
the Board of Directors. 

Claek Memorial Home. 

This home is designed for aged women 
who are willing to comply with its con- 
ditions and who wish to have a pleasant 
home for the remainder of their lives. 
It is a substantial brick building at No. 
616 North Limestone Street. It was 
founded in 1899 by Mrs. Charlotte S. 
Clark in memory of her son. The prop- 
erty was purchased and remodeled and 
on the 16th of November in that same 
year, it was opened for inspection by 
the public and has been occupied ever 
since for the purpose it was intended. It 
cost $3,000 to remodel the house and 
$2,000 to furnish it. At one time Hon. 
John W. Bookwalter, who has just re- 
cently sent a check for $2,500 to be dis- 
tributed to the poor of this city, sent a 
like check for $2,500 to cancel the in- 
debtedness on this home. Money and en- 
dowments from other sources have been 
also received until a small but substan- 
tial fund of that character is now held 
by the institution. 

Mrs. Winger, widow of Capt. Amaziah 
Winger, has given very substantial aid 
to the home and no doubt will continue 
to do so during her lifetime. Mrs. 
Charles Stout has also been very atten- 
tive to the wants of this institution. Ev- 
ery few years the home adopts a novel 
way of raising funds. Having interested 
in its behalf all the pretty girls in town, 
they designate a certain day as "Tag 
Day," on which the girls set out to catch 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 205 

every wayfarer, insisting that he pur- the wiles of the first one he meets, and 

chase a tag. The men recognize that the purchase a tag. As high as $1,500 has 

easiest way to get rid of the importuni- been raised in this way on a certain day. 

ties . of these fair ladies is to succumb to Elmina Shaffer is matron of the home. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



MILITARY HISTORY OF SPRINGFIELD AND 
CLARK COUNTY, OHIO. 

Paper Read hy Gen'l J. Warren Keifer at First Centennial of Springfield: — Rev- 
olutionary and Territorial Times. War of 1812-1815 — Mexican War, 1846- 
1848 — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Second Ohio Infantry — Third Ohio Infantry — 
Sixteenth Ohio Infantry — Thirty-first Ohio Infantry — Forty-fourth Ohio 
Infantry — Seventy-first Ohio Volunnteer Infantry — Eighty-sixth Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry — Ninety-fourth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Tenth 
Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Tiventy-ninth Ohio — One Hundred and 
Forty-sixth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Fifty-second Ohio Infantry — 
One Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio Infantry — Sixteenth Ohio Independent 
Battery — Seventeenth Ohio Independent Battery — Squirrel Hunters, 1862 
— First Kentucky Infantry — United States Navy — United States Military 
Academy — Spanish War, 1898. -,, ". 



Paper Read by Gten. J. Waeren Keifek 

AT the Febst Centennial, op 

Springfield. 



( In this paper Clark County will be referred to 
as though it had an organized existence from the 
earliest times, although its territory was a part of 
Hamilton County prior to 1800 ; then of Greene until 
1S05 ; then of Champaign until 1817, when it was or- 
ganized.) 



My Friends 'and Neighbors : 

The duty of summarizing the military 
history of Clai'k County has led me to 
study the annals of her people — a people 
springing, originally, from all national- 
ities and tongues, with varied race char- 
acteristics, but "who, in time, became so 
composite, in blood and character, as to 



be able, if occasion required, to deny any 
national or race origin, or to boast that 
the blood of all nationalities run in the 
veins of its citizens. 

How impressive is the history of her 
people. They early came here with ex- 
alted hopes and high ambition; they, with- 
in the limits of their aspirations, succeed- 
ed in the main, then passed to the great 
beyond, leaving to us a heritage of ex- 
ample and valor. Our blood-kindred and 
earliest friends were of these. What sad 
reflections might we summon; but this is 
not the time nor the occasion. The priva- 
tions, struggles and sufferings of the 
early settlers were largely forgotten by 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



207 



their descendants, they being almost 
selfishly willing to enjoy the fruits of 
what they accomplished for education, 
civilization and Christianity, without 
awarding to them full credit. 

But this is not a day for sad rem- 
iniscences and serious reflections, but 
for cheerfulness and hopefulness, for re- 
joicing — even for boasting. 

The task assigned me is an inspiring 
and a pleasant one, because of the splendid 
history Clark County has made in all the 
wars in which our country was engaged 
in the nineteenth century. Her people, 
willingly and loyally, responded to all 
calls of danger and duty, and went forth 
to uphold constitutional liberty and the 
natural rights of man. Her sons fought 
and died on every important campaign 
and in every great battle in the last one 
hundred years in which our country was 
engaged. 

The blood of her sons has crimsoned 
the soil of, and their bones have bleached 
on the great battlefields of the Republic. 
They have heroically borne on high the 
starry flag of Washington, the purest and 
proudest emblem of human liberty, both 
on land and sea; only lately participating 
in carrying its protecting folds to the re- 
lief of endangered and imprisoned Christ- 
ians in far-otf imperial China's walled 
capital. Wlierever glory in the cause of 
humanity has been won throug'h deeds of 
valor and by bloody sacrifice, Clark Coun- 
ty's soldiers and sailors must justly be 
awarded a share, and so as to this na- 
tion's standing in first place among the 
greatest powers of the world. 
. This day marks the end of a century in 
the existence of our city, covering the 
most eventful epoch in the history of the 



world, having reference to the advance- 
ment of science and the fine arts, to ma- 
terial and moral progress, and wealth; 
to the liberation of man and the elevation 
of woman, and the best growth of a purer 
civilization. All these things seem, in 
the providence of God, to have required 
hmnan sacrifice. As a purer atmosphere 
succeeds violent electrical storms, so 
purer liberty succeeds overthrown op- 
pression. 

In the nineteenth century (substantially 
the period of Springfield's existence) the 
map of the world has often changed, and 
our new nation, inspired by liberty for 
m.an, has developed in usefulness and 
taken its place among the controlling 
powers of the earth. That which was 
protected by law and by public sentiment, 
sometimes claimed to be maintained by 
Divine sanction — the slave trade, since 
Springfield was settled, became piracy 
(1820) and the whole institution of 
slavery, upheld by Christian nations 
through the centuries, has passed away, 
in large part, throughout the civilized 
world. A war for humanity has been de- 
clared and successfully terminated. A 
list of controlling events is too long for 
production here. 

Wliat part did the citizens of this city 
and Clark County have in determining 
these great questions'? Small as Clark 
County is, in comparative area and num- 
bers, it has had her soldiers and sailors 
ready to rush to battle and sacrifice wher- 
ever duty and country called in all our Re- 
public's wars. 

Springfield was born amid savageiy, 
and her earliest settlers were in constant 
'danger of the tomahawk and scalping 
knife. The battle at Piqua Indian vil- 



208 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



lage, on Mad River (six miles west of 
Springfield, August 8, 1780), drove back 
the federated Indian tribes for a few miles 
only, leaving them to roam over this coun- 
try for a third of a century longer. 

The early inhibitants of what is now 
Clark Comity were, perforce, soldiers for 
the defense of their homes, and were sub- 
ject to be called into temporary service 
at any time. The region round about here 
was, on account of its healthful perennial 
springs, rich pastures, quantities of fish 
in the pure waters, wild fruits, berries 
and nuts, abundant deer, bear, turkeys 
and other wild game necessary to sustain 
man in a savage state, much coveted by the 
Indian tribes, and they fought for it with 
a desperation seldom witnessed in other 
parts. It was the ancestral home of more 
than one fierce tribe. At the Piqua Shaw- 
nee Indian village, Tecumseh and the 
Prophet, sons of a Shawnee chief, were 
born. They became the most famous of 
the Indian war chiefs, and they waged 
war on the frontier settlers longer than 
others of the wild tribes. 

Simon Kenton, a spy, guide, scout, 
hunter, and Indian fighter for forty-five 
years, resided for a time within the pres- 
ent limits of Springfield. 

"Within these limits have been held 
councils with Indians to settle real or 
pretended grievances, notably one attend- 
ed by TecTmiseh and other great Indian 
war chiefs in 1807. 

Revoll^tionary and Tereitorial Times. 

There came to what is now Clark Coun- 
ty, as to other parts of the "West, some 
Revolutionary soldiers, bringing with- 
them their patriotism and generally their 



poverty. Their love of liberty was, how- 
ever, put in practice, and, by example, 
these veteran soldiers did much to build 
up peaceful communities. "William Baird 
(Harmony ToTvmship), Merrifield Vicory 
and Andrew Pinneo (Springfield Town- 
ship), Abraham Rust (German Town- 
ship) and "William Holmes (Bethel Town- 
shijD) are of the soldiers of the Revolution 
who settled, lived and died in Clark Coun- 
ty, and who left descendants to honor 
their names by a life of usefulness. There 
were, doubtless, others of the Revolution- 
ary "War, whose names are unknown to 
me, who did likewise. 

Some of those who were with General 
Anthony "Wayne (Mad Anthony) in his 
campaign to the Maumee and in the bat- 
tle of Fallen Timbers (1794) and at the 
Treaty of Greenville (1795), and who 
were in other Indian expeditions, settled 
and died in Clark County. 

In territorial times, and long after the 
State of Ohio was admitted (1802) into 
the Union, it was a requirement of law 
that all able-bodied men within certain 
ages should muster, at least annually, un- 
der officers, generally of their own selec- 
tion, thus to familiarize them with move- 
ments in organized bodies and with arms 
in their hands. These musters were gala- 
days, and were not always conducted, in 
the then wild state of society and free- 
dom of habits, with that regard for peace 
and propriety conducive to military 
discipline.. As the militia were not gen- 
erally armed, save with their own rifles, 
or, for want of them, with sticks and corn- 
stalks, the training in the manual and use 
of .arms for war was little. In time these 
militia musters fell into disrepute, be- 
came unpopular, and were by common 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



209 



consent discontinned, then abolished by 
law. Some distinguished citizens had 
rank in the militia as brigadier-general, 
notably Samson Mason and Charles 
Anthony, both of whom were distin- 
guished lawyers of Springfield, and each 
left sons who liaA'e served in the. United 
States Army in time of war. 

Passing, for want of detailed informa- 
tion, too lightly over the worthy pioneers, 
who almost constantly acted in the semi- 
capacity of soldiers, being on gTiard with 
rifles in hand, whether in field, at church, 
or home, to guard against Indian mas- 
sacres, we go to the history of wars on a 
large scale. 

We must remark that the annals of our 
young Eepublic are surpassingly bloody. 
From Lexington to Appomattox (1775- 
1865), almost one year ,out of five, not 
counting our constant Indian wars, was, 
on an average, a year of war. 

Wae or 1812-1815. 

The War of 1812 became necessary to 
secure commercial and maritime rights 
denied to this nation by Great Britain. 

The incomplete list of names of sol- 
diers and sailors of Clark County of that 
war is still too long to be here given. 
Colonel John Dougherty, Major James 
Neely, Captains John McPherson, Arthur 
Layton, Samuel Black, Philip Kizer and 
Samuel Stewart, and Lieutenants Will- 
iam Ward, Nathaniel Williams and Will- 
iam Lamme, of the cavalry and infantry, 
and Captain Benjamin Hathaway, of the 
navy, from this county, were in that war ; 
and among others who served from Clark 
County, principally on the then extreme 
Western frontier, fighting the English 



and their savage allies, may be mentioned 
(Pleasant Township) Charles Botkin, 
Jonathan and William Curl, A. McCon- 
key, William H. Hunter, Joseph Coffey, 
Amos Neer; (Moorefield Township) Ho- 
ratio Banes, William Hunt, James Foley, 
John Humphreys, Andrew Hodge, Simon 
Kenton, and Abraham Yeazell; (Pike 
Township) Andrew Black, James Black, 
Obediah Lippencott, James Fuller, 
Thomas Stafford; (G-erman Township) 
Benjamin Frantz, G. Gard, David Kizer 
(father of Thomas Kizer, long County 
Surveyor of Clark County), Jacob Kib- 
linger, David Jones, Benjamin Morris, 
John Ross, John Pence, John, Philip, and 
Samuel Baker; (Bethel Township) El- 
nathan Cory, James and Jonathan Don- 
nell, John Forgy, Jacob Fross, William 
Hustler, John Hay, Peter Sheets, Will- 
iam Layton, Benjamin P. Gaines, Abra- 
ham Smith, George Lowman, David 
Lowry, W. G. Serviss, Michael Minnick, 
William Crawford, John Paul (supposed 
to be the first settler of this county), 
John Wallace, Sr., Hugh Wallace, and 
Henry Williams; (Spring-field Town- 
ship) Louis Bancroft, John Kelly (father 
of Oliver S. Kelly, a successful manufac- 
turer, now an honored citizen of Spring- 
field), Samuel Lisle, David Hughes, Jo-" 
seph Keifer (father of J. Warren Kei=- 
fer). William Minach, J. W. Ross (killed 
at the Battle of Thames), Andrew Pinneo 
(probably the same who served in the 
Revolution), and Nathan Reddish; (Har- 
mony Township) John and Peter Baird, 
Hamilton Busby, William Foreman, John 
Judy, Edward Rice, Nathan Smith, Will- 
iam Osborn and Jacob dinger; (Madison 
Township) Conrad Critz, Isaac David- 
son, Philip Hedrick, Enoch Jones, John 



210 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



McCoUum, and David Vance; (Greene 
Township) George and Samuel Albin, 
Jacob Garlough, Thomas Mills, John T. 
Stewart (father of Captain Perry Stew- 
art, of the Civil War), 0. S. Stewart, 
George Sronfe, James Todd, Joseph 
Weller, and Benjamin AYliiteman; (Mad 
River Township) Melyn Baker, Samuel 
Davis, Richard Hughel, Daniel Mead, 
Daniel Jenkins, and Rule Peterson. 

We have named but few, for as many 
as five hundred are reported to have en- 
listed in the War of 1812 from Clark 
Coimty, and many more who served hon- 
orably in that war, later settled in the 
county and were of its best citizens. 
Among whom were Archibald Mitchell 
(father of Captain James A. Mitchell, 
killed in the Civil War), the ancestor of 
distinguished soldiers of later wars ; also 
Adam Rockel,* Benjamin Wilson, Peter 
Sager, William Donovan (buried at 
Bethel Church), and Christian Overhalt- 
zer. 

Mexican Wae, 1846-1848. 

The enlistments fi'om Clark County for 
the Mexican War — a war to acquire ter- 
ritory to devote to slavery — were but 
few, Andrew F. Biddle and Edward 
Boggs, George Cox, Isaiah Cheney, Dan- 
iel Harsh, and Adam Evans are of the 
number. Vincent Nowotay and others 
who served in that war later settled in 
the county. Captain Simon H. Drum, a 
graduate of West Point, appointed from 
Springfield, was killed fighting a battery 
of the Fourth Artillery, U. S. A., just in- 
side of Belen Gate (Garita de Bel en) in 
the final assault and capture of the 



"Grandfather of the editor. 



walled City of Mexico (September 13, 
1847). His body is buried in Ferncliff 
Cemetery. 

Civil Wak, 1861-1865. 

The number of residents of Clark 
County who, as officers, soldiers and sail- 
ors in the regular and volunteer service, 
joined the army or navy on the Union 
side in the Civil War, and who, having 
joined from other places, afterward be- 
carde residents of the county, can only be 
approximately estimated. This number 
will reach about twenty-five hundred and 
fifty (2550), not counting double enlist- 
ments. Those included in this number 
who enlisted elsewhere will hardly ex- 
ceed the large number, residents of the 
county, who were credited elsewhere, still 
leaving about 2550, the actual number of 
residents of the county who joined the 
army or navy in that war. Some of these 
were found in the regular army or navy, 
but for the most part they belonged to 
volunteer organizations, principally the 
following : 

Second Ohio Infantry. 

Captain Edwin C. Mason's company, 
enlisted here within twenty-four hours 
after President Lincoln's first call for 
volunteers (April 15, 1861), became Com- 
pany F of the Second Ohio Infantry 
(three months), and it fought under Cap- 
tain David King at the first Bull Run 
(July 21, 1861) and many from this coun- 
ty served with the regiment in the South- 
west in the three-years' sei-vice. Edwin 
C. Mason later became Colonel of the 
Seventh Maine, then still later of the One 




THE KELLY PLANT, SPRINGFIELD 




INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER CO., CHAMPION 
WORKS, SPRINGFIELD. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



213 



Hundred and Seventy-sixth Ohio. He 
was appointed (1861) captain ta the reg- 
ular army, and was retired a few years 
before his death with the rank of Colonel 
and brevet brigadier-general. Mason dis- 
tinguished himself in the Civil War, then 
in the Modoc Indian War. 

Captain James R. Ambrose, of this 
city, commanded a company in the Sec- 
ond Ohio in the three-years' service. 
This regiment did much heavy tighting 
and hard camj)aigning. 

Third Ohio Infantry. 

Captain James C. Vananda enlisted 
here, about April 20, 1861, what became 
Company D, Third Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, a three-months and three-years 
regiment. This company fought at Rich 
Mountain (July 11, 1861), in about the 
first battle of the war ; at Elk Water and 
Cheat Mountain, in West Virginia, and 
campaigned and fought in Kentucky, 
Tennessee and Alabama, notably at Per- 
rysville, Kentucky (October 8, 1862), and 
at Stone's River, Tennessee, and it was 
captured on the Streight raid in Ala- 
bama in 1863. 



Thirty-first Ohio Infantry. 

Captain William H. Wade (since for 
several terms in Congress from Mis- 
souri) took from this county Company K, 
Thirty-first Ohio Infantry, and it saw 
much hard service and fighting in bloody 
campaigns and battles, principally in the 
Southwest, including Corinth, Perrysville 
and Stone's River (1862), Chickamauga 
and Missionary Ridge (1863), and the At- 
lanta campaign, etc., in 1864. 

Captain William H. H. McArthur, of 
this county (grandson of General and ex- 
Governor Duncan McArthur), was of 
this regiment. 

Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry. 

This regiment was organized on this 
Fair Ground in 1861, and it contained 
many Clark County men (Hugh Blair 
Wilson, its Lieutenant-Colonel, was of 
Springfield), and it saw service in West 
Virginia, Kentuclcj^ and Tennessee. Later 
it became the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, and 
as such served with distinction in Vir- 
ginia campaigns and battles. Major 
Charles H. Evans was of this regiment; 
also Lieutenant-Colonel August Dotze. 



Sixteenth Ohio INPANTRY^ 

Captain Philip Kershner took a Spring- 
field comjDany into the Sixteenth Ohio 
Infantry, where it saw much service in 
West Virginia and in the Southwest, par- 
ticipating in many battles and sieges. 
This regiment came to be commanded by 
Colonel John D'Courcey, of royal En- 
glish blood, afterward sitting in the 
House of Lords as Lord Kinsale. 



Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. 

, The Seventy-First Ohio was organized 
in 1861. Colonel Rodney Mason, of 
Springfield, was its first commander. 
Company I, commanded by Captain Sol 
J. Houck, was organized in this county. 
Captain William S. Wilson (New Car- 
lisle), now of Spring-field, commanded a 
company in this regiment. It fought at 
Shiloh and in many battles and campaig-ns 
under Grant and Sherman. 



214 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Eighty -SIXTH Ohio Volunteer Infantry. 

Howard D. John, of Springfield, en- 
listed Company B of this three-months' 
regiment, organized about June 1, 1862. 

Ninety-fourth Ohio Infantry. 

Companies A and G of this regiment 
were of Clark County, commanded re- 
spectively by Captains Perry Stewart and 
Charles C. Gibson. David King (once of 
the Second Ohio) was first Major, then 
Lieutenant-Colonel of this regiment. 
Captain Amaziah Winger succeeded Cap- 
tain Stewart in the command of Company 
A. Lieutenants Hezekiah Kershner and 
Henry C. Cushman were of this com- 
pany; also George and Eobert N. Elder, 
Jacob A. Hinkle, Eichard Leedle and 
other excellent soldiers and citizens. 
Nathan M. McConkey succeeded Gibson 
as Captain of Company G. George W. 
Wilson (since a dis'tinguished lawyer, 
London, Ohio, and two terms in Congress) 
was a First Lieutenant in Company G of 
this regiment. The regiment fought in 
Kentucky and Tennessee (1862-1863) and 
was in Sherman's Atlanta campaign and 
with his army from "Atlanta to the Sea" 
(1864) ; then m.arched and fought up the 
Atlantic coast through the Carolinas and 
to the end of the rebellion. 

One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Infantry. 

This regiment (Colonel J. Warren 
Keifer) had two companies (I and C) un- 
der Captains Luther Brown and Nathan S.' 
Smith enlisted from Clark County. They 
saw much service in the Virginias and 
in Maryland, and participated in many 



battles and campaigns. The regiment 
was in. the battles at Winchester, and 
in New York City to put down riots 
and to enforce the draft, and in the battle 
of Orange Grove, Virginia (1863) ; and it 
was in the Wilderness campaigTi under 
Meade and Grant; in the battle of 
Monocaey, and imder Sheridan in the 
Shenandoah Valley (1864), and it was en- 
gaged in the sieges of Eichmond and 
Petersburg; in the last assaults at the 
latter place, and it fought and partici- 
pated in the last general field battle 
(Sailor's Creek) and campaigTi of the 
war, resulting in the surrender of Lee 
at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. Captain 
William A. Hathaway, of this county, was 
killed and buried at Monocaey. Captain 
Thomas J. Weakley (now of Dayton) was 
of Company I. 

One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio. 

This (a' six-months regiment) was com- 
manded by Colonel Howard D. John, of 
this county. Its Company C was com- 
manded by Captain Eichard Montjoy. 
William J. Irwin and Charles Anthony 
were Lieutenants in that company; 
Charles H. Pierce was its orderly ser- 
geant. These and others of that company 
are well known as of our best citizens. 
This regiment performed valuable and 
hard service, and did fighting, chiefly 
(1863) at and about Cumberland Gap, 
Kentucky. 

One Hundred and Forty-sixth Ohio In- 
fantry. 

Two companies (D and I) of this one 
hundred dav regiment were enlisted and 



AND EEPEESBNTATIVE CITIZENS. 



215 



officered from Clark County about May 2, 
1864, and Thomas W. Bown was its Ma- 
jor. Captain Alfred Miller, First Lieu- 
tenant Thomas E. Stewart and Second 
Lieutenant Harvey H. Tuttle were the 
officers of Company I), and Captain Al- 
fred "Bown, First Lieutenant Valentine 
Newman and Second Lieutenant Elijah 
G. Coffin were the officers of Company I. 
The officers and men of these companies 
were mostly from South Charleston and 
vicinity, and their service was mainly at 
Fayetteville, West Virginia. 

One HtTNDKED and Fifty-second Ohio In- 
fantry. 

In this regiment were a part of the one 
hundred days men from Clark County, 
wlio patriotically responded (May, 1864) 
to an emergency call for troops. Many 
of our citizens went to the field under this 
call. This regiment saw hard service and 
did good campaigning in Virginia and 
West Virginia. It was in the memorable 
Hunter raid, up the Shenandoah Valley 
in June, 1864. Captains Asa S. Bushnell 
and Charles A. Welch each commanded 
companies (E and K) from Clark County 
in this regiment. Benjamin H. Warder 
was a first lieutenant in K Company. In 
E Company were A. P. Linn Cochran, 
John C. Miller, Clifton M. Nichols and 
George C. Eawlins, together with others 
of our most distinguished citizens. 

One Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio In- 
fantry. 

Colonel Israel Stough (once Captain 
Fortj'-Fourth Ohio), from Clark County, 
commanded this (a hundred day) regi- 
ment, which was organized in May, 1864, 



on the same call with the One Hundred 
and Fifty-Second, and, like it, contained 
many of the county's best citizens. Cap- 
tains James I. McKinney and Harrison 
C. Cross commanded companies (E and 
F) made up of men of this county. The 
regiment did duty along the Baltimore 
& Ohio Railroad. A detachment of it en. 
gaged the enemy at Hammack's Mills, 
North River, West Virginia, and was cap- 
tured; some were held as prisoners, and 
a few died in Andersonville, Georgia, and 
Florence, Alabama, prisons. 

Sixteenth Ohio Independent Battery. 

This battery was enlisted and mustered 
in (1861) from Clark County. It was 
commanded by Captain , James A. 
Mitchell, of Spring-field, who descended 
from the Revolutionary and War of 1812 
soldier stock, already mentioned. This 
battery served principally along the Mis- 
sissippi. Captain Mitchell lost his life in 
the Vicksburg campaign (Champion Hill) 
while serving under Grant. 

In this company served Lieutenant Ed- 
ward H. Funston (since a Representative 
for several terms in Congress from Kan- 
sas), of New Carlisle, the father of now 
Brigadier-General Frederick Funston, U. 
S. A., famed for, among other things, the 
recent capture of Aguinaldo in the Phil- 
ippine Islands. General Funston was born 
in New Carlisle, this county, his mother 
being a Mitchell. 

Seventeenth Ohio Independent Bat- 
tery. 

This battery was composed, principally, 
of Clark County men. Besides its Captain, 
Ambrose A. Blount, Lieutenants William 



216 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Hunt, Jr., Absalom H. Mattox and 
Jeremiah Yeazell, of the county, were its 
officers. This battery campaigned and 
f ought chiefly down the Mississippi, at 
Arkansas Post, on the Vicksburg cam- 
paign, and at Mobile, Alabama. 

Squibeet. Hunters, 1862. 

When Cincinnati was threatened (Sep- 
tember, 1862) by the Kirby Smith raid, 
Clark County furnished her full share of 
those patriotic citizens who, without mili- 
tary training and poorly armed, rushed to 
camp and were thence taken to Cincin- 
nati to aid in the defense of that then im- 
periled cit^^ Among those who thus went 
to war were the most estimable and promi- 
nent of our citizens. 



At one time (1864) during the Civil 
War, three-fourths of the men of the re- 
quired age, fit for duty, and above fifty 
per centum of the voting population of 
Clark County were in the military and 
naval service of the United States. 

There were many who enlisted in the 
Union Army from other places, even 
other states, who, after serving valiantly 
in the Civil War, came to live among us. 
These we love to adopt, honor and claim 
as our own. Colonels R. L. Kilpatrick, 
Aaron Spangler (One Hundred and Tenth 
Ohio), James E. Stewart (each now de- 
ceased), and Captains Edward L. Buch- 
walter and R. A. Starkey and Rev. 
George H. Fullerton, D. D. (Chaplain 
First Ohio Infantry) are among this 
number. 



FiKST Kentucky Infantry. 

Captain Ralph Hunt, early in 1861, en- 
listed in Clark County wliat became Com- 
pany C of the First Kentucky Infantry, 
in which it performed heroic and valuable 
service in many battles and campaigns in 
West Virginia and in the Southwest. 



Others, as officers, soldiers and sailors, 
of Clark County's sons served with great 
credit in vohmteer organizations not men- 
tioned, and in the regular army and navy. 
Of those from Clark County who were 
distinguislied as surgeons, may be men- 
tioned Majors Henry H. Seys, of the 
Third and Fifteenth, and John H. Rod- 
gers, of the Forty-fourth and One Hun- 
dred and Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry 
regiments, still living. 



United States Navy. 

There have been at least two sons of 
Springfield who have, through education 
and distinguished services, reached high 
rank in the United States Navy. 

Reed Werden and Joseph N. Miller 
each graduated at the Naval Academy, 
each served with distinction on many 
seas and in the Civil War, and each was 
rewarded with the rank of Rear- Admiral. 

Admiral Werden also did good service 
in the Mexican War (1846-1848) and Ad- 
miral Miller in the Spanish War (1898) ; 
the former died in 1886, and the latter is 
still living. 

Others of Springfield who were grad- 
uated at the Naval Academy hold good 
rank and deserve mention for their high 
attainments and successful career. Lieu- 
tenant Clarence Williams, now in the 
United States Navv, is of this number. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



217 



United States Military Academy. 

A number from the county have been 
graduated at West Point, but none, how- 
ever, have reached high rank in the army. 
One, John (Jack) Williamson, was grad- 
uated in the same class with U. S. Grant, 
and he shortly after enjoyed at his home 
here a personal visit from Lieutenant U. 
S. Grant, since the most distinguished 
soldier of any age. Williamson resigned 
from the army and died comparatively 
young. 

We do not jDretend to exhaust the list 
of men from Clark County, who fairly 
won lasting fame in the military and 
naval service. Among the rank and file 
were some of the best and bravest; and 
the Ohio rule of claiming great men ap- 
plies to Clark County. All persons born 
or who have ever lived -in the county, 
however short the time, and regardless 
of where they lived, when, or the circum- 
stances under which they reached distinc- 
tion, are, under this rule, Clark County 
men. 

From Big Bethel to Appomattox, 
wherever bloody sacrifices were to be 
made, on river, sea or land, men of Clark 
County were found ready to make them. 

,They fought and fell under McClellan, 
Rosecrans, McDowell, Thomas, Sheridan, 
Sherman, Meade and Grant, and under 
the many other equally brave comman- 
ders of the Union Army. These volun- 
teer citizen-soldiers shed their blood at 
Bull Run (1861-1862), at Antietam, at 
Winchester (1862-1863), at Gettysburg, 
Orange Grove (1863), and in the many 
other large and small engagements in 
Virginia and on the eastern theatre of 
war prior to 1864; and they fought and 



died at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, New Or- 
leans, luka, Corinth, Perrysville, Stone's 
River (1862), Vicksburg, Missionary 
Ridge and Lookout Mountain (above the 
clouds), Chickamauga, Knosville (1863), 
Resaca, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, 
Jonesboro, and in the battles around At- 
lanta and on the march from Atlanta to 
the sea; at Franklin and Nashville, and 
on other sanguinary and bloody fields in 
the West and Southwest (1864) ; again, 
in the East, in the battles of the Wilder- 
ness, at Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and 
around Richmond and Petersburg, Vir- 
ginia; at Monocacy, Maryland; Opequon, 
Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, in the 
Shenandoah Valley (1864), and at Five 
Forks and in the assaults on the fortifica- 
tions and over the ramparts around Rich- 
mond and Petersburg; at Bentonville, N. 
C. ; at Sailor's Creek (the last general 
field engagement of the Civil War) ; at 
Appomattox and Mobile (1865), and on 
the hundreds of other fields of carnage, 
all to preserve the integrity of the Union 
of Washington and his patriot compeers 
of the Revolution of 1776, and the Con- 
stitution, resulting, under the providence 
of God, in destroying slavery (the curse 
of the ages) in our Republic, where it 
had existed for two hundred and fifty 
years. 

The number of soldiers and sailors of 
the Civil War from the county, killed or 
who died of wounds and disease contract- 
ed in the service, cannot be ascertained. 
For the most part they were buried 
where they fell, and many were subse- 
quently transferred to National Ceme- 
teries. In each of these cemeteries will 
be found the names of soldiers or sailors 
from this county, marked by a grateful 



218 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



country on headstones, and recorded in 
registers. 

Any attempt at a list of soldier dead, 
buried in private cemeteries and grave- 
yards, must be a failure, and will prove 
unsatisfactory. 

I have seen a fairly complete list of 
such dead, showing the names of about 
one hundred and seventy buried in Bethel 
Township; about one hundred and sixty 
in Madison Township, and I have seen 
only an imperfect list from Mad River 
Township. From other townships no lists 
have been accessible to me. 

A still incomplete list of fifty soldiers 
buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Spring- 
field, shows many once familiar names of 
worthy men, among whom I can here men- 
tion only Lieutenant Jerry Klinefelter, 
Major James C. Vananda, Captains Will- 
iam E. Monroe and David Sparks ; a like 
incomplete list of about two hundred sol- 
diers and sailors buried in Ferncliff 
Cemetery shows still other familiar, hero- 
ic names, among which are : Lieutenant- 
Colonel E. M. Doty, Colonel Howard D. 
John, Colonel J. P. Sanderson, Major 
Luther Brown, Major Andrew J. "Will- 
iams (TJ. S. A..), Captains Hezekiah Win- 
ger, Levi M. Einehart, W. P. Cummings 
(U. S. A.), W. A. Stewart, Thomas P. 
Clarke and William H. Drum, U. S. A. 
(killed at City of Mexico), and General 
Edwin C. Mason, TJ. S. A. 

The soldiers buried in Clark County 
belonged to many of the volunteer regi- 
ments of the Union Army; to many in- 
dependent companies or batteries, and to 
the regular army or navy, and to all arms 
of the service; generally they died where 
they fell or in military hospitals of 
woimds received in battle, or of disease 



contracted in war service; some, there 
buried, died of starvation in Southern 
prisons. They sigTiify the full measure 
of self-sacrificing loyalty, heroism, su- 
preme effort, suffering and death, entail- 
ing upon family and friends an untold 
measure of sacrifice, suffering and sor- 
row. 

Have not the good people of Springfield 
and Clark County patriotically performed 
their highest duty to establish, preserve, 
perpetuate and advance the cause of polit- 
ical and civil liberty in our whole coun- 
try 1 

Without the bloody sacrifices and hero- 
ic achievements of the Civil War, by which 
human slavery was overthrown and the 
rights of man were up-built, and the 
spirit of Christian love was more uni- 
versally spread throughout the civilized 
nations of the earth, a war for humanity 
(Spanish War) would not have been pos- 
sible. 

Spanish War, 1898. 

On the call (1898) of President William 
McKinley for vohmteers for the war to 
compel Spain to surrender her sovereig-n- 
ty over Cuba, because of her long-con- 
tinued inhumanity to its inhabitants 
(Spanish subjects). Springfield and Clark 
County contributed their full share of sol- 
diers and sailors, and many more of their 
young men were impatient because they 
were not accepted. Colonel Charles An- 
thony commanded the Third Ohio Volun- 
teen Infantry in the Spanish War. 

Captain William H. Bradbury's com- 
pany (Ohio National Guard) became Com- 
pany B, of the Third, and Captain Horace 
E. Smith's became Company E, of the 
Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Captain 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



219 



E. R. Rudd's became Company A, Ninth. 
Battalion (colored) of Infantry, and a sec- 
tion of Company — , Second United States 
Volunteer Engineers (Lieutenant Arthur 
Balentine) also went from this county. 
Large numbers of others went to the 
Spanish War from this county, as officers 
and soldiers or sailors in the army or 
navy, joining other organizations or the 
volunteer staff departments. Carl K. 
Mower became a Captain and Commis- 
sary of Subsistence and served with credit 
in Porto E-ico and elsewhere; later he be- 
came Captain in the Forty-First United 
States Volunteers and served with distinc- 
tion in the Philippine Island, and he 
now holds an appointment in the United 
States Army. 

Horace C. Keifer was appointed (June, 
1898) by the President a Captain in the 
Third United States Volunteer Engi- 
neers, and he performed, by assignment 
of the War Department, the duties of an 
aide (often other staff duties) on the 
staff of Major-General J. Warren Kei- 
fer, in Florida, Georgia and Cuba, for 
about one year. Many of the Spanish 
War soldiers, and others of the county, 
enlisted in volunteer organizations in 
1899 for service in the Philippines, and 
they have there performed excellent and 
hard service; some went into the regular 
army and others into the United States 
Navy. 

In the above eleven years of war (ex- 
eluding all Indian wars) of the nineteenth, 
century, Clark County has valiantly 
borne her full part in bearing the flag 
of our country to victory on land and 
sea. No sacrifice has been too great for 
her citizens to willingly make. We may 
be justly proud and boastful of Clark 



County's war history, and we can feel 
sure that if exigencies arise which again 
bring war, that, inspired by high and 
worthy example, her sons will valorously 
do their duty in a just cause, in uphold- 
ing our blood-baptized stars and stripes, 
long so sacredly emblematic of organized 
liberty to mankind. 

With all the significant things accom- 
plished at the cost of blood and treasure 
in the nineteenth century, future genera- 
tions will not be contented to "mark 
time" over the grave of the past, but, in- 
spired by the great deeds and discov- 
eries and progress made manifest to 
them, will "quick step" forward and at- 
tain to yet other, higher, more useful and 
better things. 

Would to God we could foretell the 
events and the progress of the twentieth 
century, and write with the pen of proph- 
ecy Springfield's history as it will be on 
her second centennial. 

Thus, briefly and imperfectly, we have 
presented you Clark County's military 
history, believing it equal, all things con- 
sidered, to that of any other county in 
this State or Nation. 



rin the address delivered by General Keifer he has 
modestly refrained from speaking of himself, save in 
a brief foot note, yet he is the most conspicuous figure 
in the military history of our county, and should, 
therefore, have some notice in this volume. At the out- 
break of the war. in 3861. General Keifer was a law- 
yer in Springfield, having been admitted to the bar m 
1S5S He volunteered at the beginning of the war 
and was appointed Ma.ior of the Third Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry. In the first year of the war he was 
in a number of battles in West A^rgmia. In lebru- 
ary tsr>2. he was made Lieutenant-Colonel and was 
on "active duty in Kentucky and other states In Sep- 
tember lSr)2, he was appointed Colonel of the One 
Hundred and Tenth Ohio. His regiment was trans- 
ferred to Virginia, where he fought in many battles, 
suffering severe wounds and many hardships m the 
service' He was brevetted a Brigadier-General in 
ilS(i4 and in 1SG.5 Maior-General for "gallant and dis- 
tinguished services." He served altogether four years 
and two months. After his return to Springfield he 
entered upon his profession, in which he was emi- 



220 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



nently successful. He became a member of the State 
Senate for two years ; was sent to the National House 
ot Representatives for four terms, and during the 
third term served as Speaker. At the outbreak of the 
Spanish War he was appointed a Major-General, and 
faithfully discharged the duties assigned him. General 
Keiter is a conspicuous figure in all that pertains to 
the welfare of our city. — Editor Springfield Centen- 
nial.] 



Since the above was written, Capt. 
Carl K. Mower received a commission in 
the regular army and served but a short 
time in that capacity dying suddenly in 



the spring of 1904. The prospects of a 
brilliant military career were thus cut off 
in the early decease of this well-known 
young man of our county. His death was 
a severe blow to his father, then Com- 
mon Pleas Judge, who survived him but 
a few months. 

Arthur Ballentine received a commis- 
sion of Lieutenancy in the regular army 
and is still serving in that capacity. 



CHAPTER XV. 



TOWNSHIPS. 

Bethel — German — Green — Harmony — Madison — Mad River — Moorefield — 
Pike — Pleasant — Springfield. 



BETHEL TOWNSHIP. 

BOUNDAEIES AND CrEBKS. 

Bethel Township occupies the south- 
western part of the county west of Mad 
Biver. It is bounded on the west by its 
southern extremity for a distance of two 
miles by Montgomery County, and thence 
for a distance of seven miles by Miami 
County. On the north are Pike and Ger- 
man Townships; on the east a neck of 
Springfield Township, and diagonally in 
a southwestern direction it is bounded by 
Mad Eiver. It might not be an unjust 
comparison with the other townships to 
say that it has a higher per cent of ex- 
ceedingly fertile land than any other 
"ownship in the county and has more of 
niat might be termed bottom land. As 
before said, along its entire southeastern 
side it has the valley of Mad Eiver of 
varying width, then Donnels Creek, which 
goes throiigh the township north and 
south near Donnelsville. About one mile 
and a half west is Jackson Creek, like- 
wise extending through the township. In 
the southwestern part is Mud Creek. 



Honey Creek enters the township to the 
northeast of New Carlisle, circulating 
around that village to the south and west, 
and flowing thence into Miami County. 
Along this stream is some exceedingly 
fertile land. 

Chops. 

Along the Mad Eiver Valley down 
towards Medway and in some other parts 
of the township a considerable quantity 
of tobacco is grown. Up along the Na- 
tional Eoad and the old Carlisle Pike the 
growing of berries of various kinds forms 
quite an industry. Elsewhere the staple 
crops are grown. The township has 
three villages of considerable impor- 
tance — New Carlisle in the western part, 
Donnelsville toward the central eastern 
portion along the National Eoad, and 
Medway in the southern part. (See Vil- 
lages.) 

EOADS. 

The National Pike extends through the 
center of the township from east to west. 
Along the vallev of Mad Eiver is the Mad 



222 



HISTOEY OP CLARK COUNTY 



Eiver Valley Pike, built in 1847, and ex- 
tending east and west and north of the 
central part of the township, is what is 
known as the old Carlisle Pike. These 
roads are the principal thoroughfares to 
the City of Springfield. There are about 
forty miles of public roads in the town- 
ship. The township is provided with 
other roads of good quality. The In- 
dianapolis branch of the Big Four ex- 
tends through the township, having its 
principal stopping place at New Carlisle, 
and the Spring-field & Dayton Traction 
Company have a branch from their head 
lines at Medway, extending to New Car- 
lisle, the main branch following the Val- 
ley pike to Medway, thence across the 
river to Osborn. These are all the rail- 
roads in the township. The Dayton 
branch of the Big Four and of the N. Y. 
P. & 0. E. E. are just across the river in 
Mad Eiver Township. There are no man- 
ufacturing industries of any particular 
importance in the township at this time. 
Formerly the mills along Mad Eiver 
formed an industry of their own kind, 
to wit, distilling whiskey and making 
flour, the plentiful growth of timber also 
furnishing material for various saw- 
mills and cooper shops. (See Mills.) 

This township claims the distinction of 
having had the earliest settlers, as the 
former Indian village of Piqua and the 
later one of Boston were in its territory. 

Voting Peecincts. 

It is laid out into three voting pre- 
cincts designated by the name of the thi'ee 
prominent villages of the township. Not- 
withstanding the fact that it has these 
three villages, its population has not in- 



creased very rapidly in the last half cen- 
tury. 

Population. 

In 1850 its population was 2,898; in 
1870, 3,086; in 1880. 2,131; in 1890, 3,407; 
]900, 3,295. 

Acres and Assessed Value. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres, and the assessed valuation of 
the real estate and personal property of 
the township as divided into school dis- 
tricts : 

Acres. Real Estate. Personal. Total. 

Bethel Township 20,8.51 $926,490 .$.528,480 ?1,4.54,970 
Bethel & Springfield 

School Dist. . . 319 12,760 4,790 17,550 
N. Carlisle Sch. 

Dist 2,315 9.5.320 36.420 131,740 

N. Carlisle Town 162 215,600 128,610 344.210 

Donnelsville Town 39 29.230 14.7.50 43,980 



23,676 $1,279,400 $713,056 $1,992,450 

Politics. 

Bethel Township has at all times been 
either Whig or Eepublican in politics, 
except that in 1848 Cass had a majority. 
Lincoln carried the township by two hun- 
dred, and it has continued substantially 
Eepublican to about that extent. The 
Donnelsville precinct, however, is more 
Democratic than the others. 

Old Settlees. 

The date of the first settlement of 
Bethel Township is somewhat obscure, 
but from indubitable evidence we are able 
to say that John Paul was living at the 
forks of Honey Creek in 1790, and that 
some evidence points just as clearly to 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



223 



an earlier period. Relatives still remem- 
ber hearing Mr. Paul speak of crossing 
the Ohio Eiver at the point where Cincin- 
nati now stands, before any settlement 
was made there ; that his father was killed 
by the Indians soon after crossing the 
river. The remainder of the family es- 
caped. The same night Mr. Paul went 
back, found the body of his father (which 
had been scalped), and buried it. Mr. 
Paul wandered on with the rest of the 
family, himself the eldest, a brother and 
sister, they making their final stop on 
what is now i^art of Section 29. Mr. Paul 
died in 1853, aged ninety years. The older 
citizens well remember that the habits of 
caution and care necessarily acquired in 
the dangerous times, remained with him 
as long as he lived. 

David Lowry was the next settler in 
the township. He was bom in Pennsyl- 
vania in 1767, and in 1795 he settled in 
Section 3, Bethel Township. He after- 
wards bought the whole of Section 14, 
which he sold and then entered land in 
Section 9, where J. E. Lowry now lives. 
He was married in 1801 to Sarah Ham- 
mer, of Miami County, Ohio, who died in 
1810, leaving four children, viz., Sarah, 
Nancy, Susan and Elizabeth. All are now 
dead but Susan, who is the wife of John 
Leffel. In 1811, he married Mrs. Jane 
Hodge, whose maiden name was Wright, 
by whom he had four children — Martha 
S., David W., Robert M. and Sarah E., all 
are now living. He died September 9, 
1859, and his widow followed him to the 
grave AugTist 15, 1867. He was a robust, 
enterprizing Christian pioneer, and did 
much toward the growth and civilization 
of his adopted county. 

Jonathan Donnels, a native of Lycom- 



ing County, Penn., was the companion of 
David Lowry, and was a sui-veyor. He 
settled on Section 33, where Leander 
Baker now lives, in 1795. In 1797 he re- 
turned to Pennsylvania, brought out his 
brother James, who was then but eight 
years old, but was a great help to him in 
his cabin. Jonathan married and was the 
father of five cjiildren, of whom John 
moved to Oregon, where he died; Jona- 
than is living in Iowa ; Elizabeth married 
George Layton; and Lucinda, who also 
married and moved to Michigan. Mr. 
Donnels' last years were embittered by 
family troubles, and, in a fit of temporary 
insanity he hung himself on the Holcomb 
limekiln (now Moores) farm in Spring- 
field Township, whither he had moved 
after selling his old home. He was a man 
of sterling traits of character, generous 
and whole-souled, and was very well read 
for those early days, and was indeed one 
of the noblest of Clark County's pioneers. 
His brother, James Donnels, who came in 
1797, grew up under his care and married 
Mary Hopkins, settling where John Leffel 
formerly lived. He had eight children, 
among whom we may mention as the latest 
survivors — Susaji, the wife of Jesse Boyd ; 
Eliza, the wife of Lewis Huffman; and 
Jonathan. Mr. Donnels moved to the 
northeast corner of Springfield Township; 
thence to the Jesse Boyd farm in Har- 
mony Township: and finally to the farm 
where his son Jonathan formerly, resid- 
ed, and which is now owned by E. 0. Bow- 
man, where he and his wife died. 

Hugh Wallace was born in Kentucky 
August 14, 1778, came to Bethel Town- 
ship about 1798, and began working for 
David Lowry, with whom he stayed sev- 
eral voars. He was married to Margaret 



224 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Smith, who died in 1814, and he then mar- 
ried Eleanor Richison, who was born in 
the Northwest Territory in 1793, and had 
nine children, seven yet living. He was 
in the war of 1812, and died in 1864. , His 
widow died in 1875. 

Joseph Tatman was born in Virginia 
in 1770, and his wife Rebecca in North 
Carolina in 1772. They came to Brown 
County, Ohio, in 1798, and, in 1801, to this 
township. He was appointed Associate 
Judge after the county was organized, 
and held that office several years. He was 
also a member of the Legislature. They 
had thirteen children. He died in 1827, 
and his wife in 1864. 

Jacob Huffman, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, settled in the eastern corner of the 
township in 1802. He died December 1, 
1842, aged seventy-two years, and his wife 
Catherine, died in August, 1866, aged 
eighty years. They had ten children who 
grew up— five yet living, viz., Henry, 
Reuben, Martha, Rachael and Samuel. He 
built a fine stone house which is yet stand- 
ing and is now the property of Mrs. J. 
A. Myers. 

Greorge Croft was born in Pennsylvania 
in 1771, and was married in Virginia, in 
1799, to Mary Critz, of that State. In 
1804 they came to Bethel Township with 
two children, and seven were born to them 
afterward. Mrs. Croft died in February, 
1846, and her husband, after remarrying, 
died in October, 1855. George Croft and 
family, from Virginia, in 1808, settled near 
the valley pike. He began distilliag, and 
kept it up for forty years. Two sons as- 
sisted the father at that business, and 
George, a cripple, picked up a knowledge 
of shoemaking and went from house to 



house, stopping a week at a place, cob- 
bling and making shoes. 

Thomas Cory was born in Essex Coun- 
ty, N. J., in 1738. He came to Ohio in 
a very early day, and settled in Warren 
County, whence he came to Bethel Town- 
ship, this county, in 1803, bringing his son 
Elnathan, with whom he lived until his 
death in 1813. 

Elnathan Cory was bom in Essex Coun- 
ty, N. J., January, 1776. He came to this 
township with his father in 1803, and en- 
tered the northwest quarter of Section 
34. During the war of 1812, he was an 
extensive contractor for furnishing the 
Government with army supplies. He 
married Hannah Jennings in June, 1800, 
and by her had eleven children, of whom 
eight lived to adult age — Judge David J. 
Cory, Eliza Miller, Rhoda W. Cross and 
Sarah Smith, and three died in infancy. 
Mrs. Cory died August 20, 1834, and her 
husband June 8, 1842. 

Abraham Brooks Rail was born in Es- 
sex County, N. J., September 9, 1776, and, 
at the age of eleven years, ran away from 
home with an expedition bound to West- 
ern Pennsylvania. In 1789, he went to 
Cincinnati, where he worked with his 
uncle in a mill for three years, when he 
commenced learning the brick-layer's 
trade. In 1798, he returned to his 
Eastern home, where he married Eliza- 
beth Lambert. In October, 1804, he 
again came to Cincinnati with his wife 
and one child, and, in the December 
following, came to this township, where 
he entered the northwest quarter of 
Section 33. He continued to work at 
his trade during the summer months 
until 1825, when he retired to the quiet 
of his farm. He had eleven children. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



225 



nine of whom lived to be married. He 
died April 20, 1864, and his wife March 
28, 1844. 

William Layton, with a large family of 
children — Joseph, Robert, Arthur, John, 
William, Jr., Polly, Sally and Betsey — 
eame to this township in 1803, settling in 
Section 2, on the Mad Biver, not far from 
the mouth of Donnels' Creek. He was a 
Pennsylvanian, and died on that farm. 
The descendants of this family are among 
the most prominent people of the county, 
Joseph having been judge of the court, 
John being one of the first clerks of the 
county and a county commissioner, and 
John E., the son of John, was sheriff 
from 1856 to 1860. 

Henry Williams and his wife, Elizabeth, 
came from Virginia with four children 
in 1805, and settled on the land formerly 
occupied by their son. Rev. Henry Wil- 
liams, the father of J. C. Williams. They 
had nine children, five of whom were 
born after they came to this county. Mr. 
Williams was a soldier in 1812, and died 
in 1845, his wife having died in 1820. 

Greorge Keifer was born in Maryland 
in 1769, and was there married, in 1799, 
to Margaret Hivner, a native of that 
state, born in 1772. They came to this 
township in 1811 and bought a large tract 
of land, which was the birthplace of 
Tecumseh, the noted Indian chief. They 
had five children — Mary, Sarah, John, 
Catherine and Joseph (father of General 
J. Warren Keifer), who all grew up on 
this farm, and here the parents died, leav- 
ing descendants who have since become 
prominent in county, state and national 
affairs. 

John McPherson came about 1800, and 
settled on Section 21. John Forgy, James 



Forgy and Presly Forgy came in 1806. 
Their father, John Forgy, came much 
earlier and settled in Mad River Town- 
ship. Samuel McKinney came about the 
same time; he was a prominent music 
teacher in the early times. In about 1803 
came John Wallace, Sr., from Kentucky; 
he was the father of James Wallace, many 
years a prominent merchant, and Dr. 
Joseph Wallace, late of Springfield. 
Leonard Hains, Reuben Wallace and John 
Crain, Sr., came first to the county in 
1802, and settled in Bethel in 1806. 
George Lowman came in 1810; the next 
year he built the "stone house," which 
for many years was a wonder, and the 
only house other than wood in the west- 
ern part of the county. Joseph Reyburn, 
William Holmes, John Crue, Abraham 
Keever, Joseph Butler, Edward Riggs, 
Olivei- Walker, William McCoy, Jacob 
Bingerman, Benjamin Pursell, John Jack- 
son, Jacob Loofborow, John Whalen, 
Ezekiel Paramee, all came to Bethel prior 
to 1810. This list is doubtless incomplete, 
as at this late day it is impossible to get 
a full account of the early times. 

Among the old settlers who came later 
than the above, mention might be made 
of the following and their places of set- 
tlement: Jacob Fundex-burg, on Section 
9; John Richinson, on Section 9, and 
Jacob Leffel, who settled on Section 17 
about 1817. He was a native of Virginia, 
and had a large family, two of whom, 
John and Peter, noW deceased, resided in 
Bethel Township, and James in Spring- 
field. Jacob had the following brothers : 
Samuel, Daniel, Anthony, John, James P. 
and Thomas, who have all left descend- 
ants in this county, who are well known 
and respected; in fact, Leffel is a name 



226 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



that is a household word throughout the 
state, having gained a world-wide celeb- 
rity from the invention of the turbine 
water-wheel by James Leffel, who was 
long a resident of Springfield, and who 
died in 1865. 

William Taylor and family, from Penn- 
sylvania, settled in Bethel in 1795. The 
family consisted of his wife, Susan, and 
eleven children — five boys and six girls. 
Taylor bought three or four sections of 
land, and gave each of his family a farm. 
Daniel, a son, was a noted hunter, and it 
is said that during their first winter, him- 
self, father and oldest brother killed over 
four hundred deer. John Husted, a 
Virginian, arrived at Bethel about 1808, 
with a large family of boys and girls. 
The old man followed farming. Solomau 
Husted. a son, was one of the most skill- 
ful g-unsmiths in the country, and men 
came thirty to forty miles to have g-uns 
made for them. Moses, another son, was 
a chopper of cord-wood all his life, and it 
would have been in order to find that he 
died on a log. Michael Minniek located 
south of what is now Donnelsville; he had 
three sons ; one was a carpenter, and built, 
in 1825, the house in which Mrs. Minniek 
resides. 

Henry Brandenburgh, a settler on 
Jackson Creek about 1812, was the second 
distiller in Bethel. He was a trader in 
flour and bacon, and made several trips 
to dispose of his wares in the New Orleans 
market. Joseph McKinney and family 
located in 1804 or 1805 on the line of the 
National Road west of Donnelsville. 
Most of the families thus briefly noticed 
were more or less related, and formed a 
scattered colony. 

Thomas Williams came to this region 



in 1796, and entered on a hunter's life. 
He owned no land, and was regarded as 
a Western Arab, spending his time in the 
forest and visiting the settlement to dis- 
pose of furs and obtain supplies of am- 
munition. John, James and William 
Lamme settled between Medway and Don- 
nelsville. 

Eapxy Events. 

As before stated, probably the first set- 
tlements in the county were made in this 
township, there being a probability of a 
French settlement at Piqua, but even 
confining our investigations to white set- 
tlers, we find that John Paul came to 
Honey Creek in 1790. He had the dis- 
tinction of being the first white settler 
of this county, so far as is known. The 
probabilities are that the first mill on Mad 
River was built at Medway. The first 
schoolhouse was built as early as 1805. 
John Layton was the first Justice of the 
Peace, elected in 1804 and held office un- 
til 1830. Among the early marriages 
perform^ed by him was that of Joseph 
Keifer to Mary Smith. This was the mar- 
riage of General J. Warren Keifer 's 
parents. 

Melyn Layton was born in 1806 and 
Elisha Layton in 1804. 

The land of this township is all what 
is known as Congress lands. 

More Recent Inhabitants. 

Silas Trumbo was born in Virginia in 
1812, came to this township in 1814 and 
lived here until his death a few years 
ago. He was the father of J. B. Trumbo 
and kept a store in Donnelsville for many 
years. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



227 



Findlay Shartle was born in Montgom- 
ery County in 1S21, and came to Bethel 
Township in Mareli 1831, settling in what 
is now known as Shartle 's Hills, below 
Medway. He died a few years ago at an 
advanced age. 

Christian Brosey, who is still residing 
near Medway, was born in Germany in 
1831 and came to Clark County in 1841. 
J. C. Williams, a prominent resident of 
this township, is the son of Henry and 
Ellen Williams and was born seventy 
years ago south of New Carlisle and 
has resided in the township all his life. 
The late Judge II. H. Williams, of Troy, 
was his brother, as was also E. S. Wil- 
liams, who served as a member of Con- 
gress from the district in which Troy 
was at that time located. Mr. J. C. Wil- 
liams was recently mayor of New Car- 
lisle. 

J. V. Forgy was born in this township 
tM^o miles south of New Carlisle and now 
resides in the village of New Carlisle, be- 
ing connected with the bank there. His 
date of birth is March 4, 1833. 

Martin Snider was a long time resi- 
dent of this township, his farm being near 
Donnelsville station on the Big Four. 
He was born in York County in 1812, and 
died about the year 1903. His brother, 
Samuel, likewise a long time resident, died 
a few years later. 

William Wise was born in Montgom- 
ery Coimt)'' in 1840. Was a son of Felix 
and Martha Wise. William lives near 
Medway, Ohio, and has been Justice of 
the Peace for thirty or more years. 

Daniel Hertzler was formerly a well- 
known citizen of this township, residing 
on a farm lately occupied by L. J. M. 
Baker. He was murdered there in the 



fight with some burglars in 1867. Mr. 
Hertzler at the time of his death was prob- 
ably the wealthiest man in the township. 

County Officials. 

Bethel Township has furnished a fair 
proportion of the public officials of this 
county in early times. Reuben Wallace 
was a member of the Ohio Legislature. 
William G-. Serviss and Joseph Tatman 
were each associate judges. Dr. Benja- 
min Neff was a member of the legislature. 
John E. Layton, sheriff; Stephen B. Will- 
iams, treasurer, and William E. Lamme, 
county commissioner. At a later date D. 
(x. Cory, J. J. Scarft", J. B. Trumbo and 
J. B. Crain served in that capacity. 

J. E. Lowiy, who served one year by 
appointment, will take his position as a 
regularly elected official in the position 
of county commissioner this fall. 

People of this township pride them- 
selves a good deal upon the fact that 
General Keifer is a native, and recently 
they have felt proud of the distinction 
and honors conferred upon General Fred 
11. Funston, who was boi^n in the village 
of New Carlisle. Ed. H. Funston, his 
father, was a member of the legislature 
of Kansas, having been a former resident 
of that place. 

John S. Raybourn, a former member of 
Congress of Pennsylvania and now mayor 
of Philadelphia, is a native of New Car- 
lisle, and, as before mentioned, Judge 
Williams, of Miami County,' and his 
brother, E. S. Williams, were also natives-. 

Oi,D Persons. 

At the pioneer meeting held in New 
Carlisle on the 18th of August, 1907, the 
following pioneers were present: 



228 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



J. J. Scarff, 84; G. W. Gantz, 80; Mrs. 
Dr. Miranda, 86; Daniel Harnish, 84; 
Amos Aley, 74 ; Robert Black, 85 ; Samuel 
Brown, 72 ; Irvin Stockstill, 88 ; Mrs. S. S. 
Stockstill, 85; C. M. Maguire, 84; Peter 
Syler, 89; Jacob Kissinger, 74; Mrs. D. 
G. Cory, 78 ; B. fe. Scarff, 71 ; J. C. Kester, 
76; Mrs. Clias. Black, 80; Mrs. Sarah 
Wolf, 78 ; J. V. Forgy, 74; Jacob E. John- 
ston, 75; Mrs. C. M. Maguire, 84; J. G. 
Black, 87 ; Mrs. Newson, 88 ; Mrs. Annett . 
Kestor, 77; John Sibert, 72; Jacob Rail, 
78; John A. Collins, 80; J. I. Stafford, 
76 ; Dr. R. C. Hanover, 87 ; Andrew Monk, 
76; Walter Chamberlain, 86. 

Trustees of Bethel Township. 

J. I. Stafford, 1882-1890 ; J. B. Trumbo, 
1882-1891; Henry Harnish, 1882-1890; I. 
K. Funderburg, 1890-1893; T. 0. Quick, 
1890-1896; Thos. Swauger, 1893-1902; 
G. K. Schower, 1896-1902; W. S. Vale, 
1902 to present time ; J. D. Neff, 1902 to 
present time; C. W. Minnich, 1892 to pres- 
ent time; Jacob Mess (elect). 

Treasurer. 

B. Neff, 1882-1892; C. H. Neff, 1892- 
1894; H. S. 'Forgy, 1894 to present time. 

Clerks. 

H. N. Taylor, 1882-1890; B. M. Low- 
man, 1890-1892; A. R. Eshelman, 1892- 
1896; J. M. Pierce, 1896-1900; J. E. John- 
son, 1900 to the present time. 

Members of Schooi, Board. 

C. B. Wallace, J. B. Trumbo, Albert 
Koontz, Arthur Gerlough, W. N. Scarff. 



Justices of the Peace Since 1871. 

Silas Trumbo, 1871-1889; T. Wones, 
1872 ; William Wise, 1872-1899, 1902, 1904; 
T. B. McNeal, 1873; Cyrus Lowman, 1876- 
1879, 1885-1888, 1894; Charles Foster, 
1882; Thomas McKee, 1897; W. D. 
Lowry, 1892; George W. Brown, 1895; 
Adam Frantz, 1895; George W. Pierce, 
1898; George Patterson, 1898-1904; H. N. 
Taylor, 1901; A. P. Mitchell, 1904; T. J. 
Miranda, 1904. 

CHURCHES. 

Dr. Young, in Beers' History, has 
given very extended notice of the churches 
of this tcmiship, to which I am indebted 
for much that is herein given. 

The Christian Church at New Carlisle 
was probably the tirst of its kind that was 
established north of Dayton. The time of 
its formation is not known exactly, but it 
was probably as early as 1800. The 
building in the village was erected about 
1827. Among the early pastors were 
Revs. Stackhouse, Worley, Purveyance, 
McCoy, Potter, Symonton, Baker, Reeder 
and latterly Isaac N. Walker, William H. 
Daugherty, MeClain, Curley, T. W. Me- 
Kinney, Prof. A. L. McKinney, J. G. 
Bishop and present pastor Rev. Thomas 
Week. This church has a long and in- 
teresting history. 

Presbyterian Church, New Carlisle. 

The Presbyterian Church, or Honey 
Creek Church, as it was called at an 
early date, was also one of the land-marks 
of the early times. There was occasional 
preaching here prior to the time the 
church was erected. The first meeting- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



229 



house was built of logs in the cemetery 
south of New Carlisle about 1815. There 
the congregation continued to worship 
until 1828, when the present building was 
erected in the village. This building was 
remodeled in 1866. Rev. A. Steele was 
pastor until 1831 ; Rev. William Gray un- 
til 1841; Rev. E. R. Johnson until 1862; 
then came Rev. Lusk, Rev. Gr. Beatty, Rev. 
B. Graves, Rev. Thomas, Rev. G. M. 
Haerr, Rev. H. P. Corry. The present 
pastor is Rev. Dr. Wood. 

Methodist Episcopal Chxjrch, New 
Carlisle. 

The best information at hand is to the 
effect that the Methodists began to have 
meetings in this neighborhood at the 
house of Giles Thomas as early as 1812. 
A small church was built on the south- 
west comer of Pike and Jackson Streets, 
and the present meeting-house was erect- 
ed in 185.3, and improved in 1869. 

Among the early pastors may be men- 
tioned William Rapper, James Findlay, 
George Maley, Joshua Boucher, William 
Simons, Joseph Lawes. At one time it is 
said that Lorenzo Dow preached a ser- 
mon here. Among other persons who 
have served as pastors may be mentioned 
N. W. Newson, Rev. J. McKay Shultz, 
McDonald, McDowell, Elsworth, Tuff and 
the present pastor, Rev. J. W. Patton. 

Baptist Church, New Carlisle. 

The Bai:)tist Church was organized 
sometime prior to 1834. In 1850 a com- 
fortable brick church was erected. In 
1864 they purchased the old Presbyterian 
Church and refitted it for their own wor- 
ship. 



The pastors at this church have been 
the Revs. David Leatherman, David 
Pilbum and Henry Frantz. 

Mennonite Brethren i5r Christ Church, 
New Carlisle. 

Since 1898 or '99 a sect calling them- 
selves Saints or Mennonite Brethren in 
Christ, have built and sustained a church 
in this village. The pastors have been 
Rev. Andrew Good, Rev. Jasper Huffman, 
Rev. G. W. Grimes and Rev. T. A. Scott. 

Bethel Baptist Church. 

This church was located near the 
branch of Donnels' Creek, north of Don- 
nelsville. The elders of this denomina- 
tion convened on April 20, 1822. The 
first meetings of the church were held in 
the cabins of the members. In 1836 the 
question of building a church began to be 
agitated, and the building was completed 
in 1837, costing *700. In 1879 it was de- 
termined to build a new house, and the 
23resent structure was dedicated January 
25, 1880. Elder William Sutton was the 
first iDastor. Hezekiah Smith became 
pastor in 1824. In 1826 John Guthrie 
was pastor. He was succeeded by Wil- 
liam Tuttle, T. J. Price, Abram Buckles 
and Willis Hance, who continued until 
1843. In 1844 T. J. Price again became 
pastor and so continued until 1876. He 
was succeeded by W. R. Thomas. 

Old School Mennonite Church. 

This church began to be formed in the 
spring of ]'858, David and John Neff be- 
ing particularly prominent in its organ- 
ization. In 1862 John M. Kreider was 



230 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



the regularly ordained minister. The 
members worshiped in schoolhouses un- 
til 1867, when they built their church, 
which is located on the New Carlisle and 
Dayton Pike, three miles south of New 
Carlisle. Revs. Christ. Herr, John 
Mouck and Christ. Brenner officiated at 
this church. 

Methodist Episcopal Chuech, 
donnelsville. 

This organization was first formed at 
Donnelsville in 1815 by a meeting at the 
house of the father of Jeremiah Leffel, 
who lived about two miles north of the vil- 
lage. Shortly after the village was laid 
out the congregation erected their church 
in the village of Donnelsville. 

LuTHEEAN Church, Donnelsville. 

About 1830 members of this denomina- 
tion first met at the house of Jacob 
Snyder. Later a house was built on the 
Valley Pike and was known as Croft's 
Church, because it was on the farm of 
Geo. Croft, who was instrumental in its 
erection and support. Sometime in the 
seventies this congregation erected a sub- 
stantial and commodious house in the 
village of Donnelsville. 

Schools. 

The schools of this township are 
among the best in the county, New Car- 
lisle having had a very, very select school 
for a number of years. 

The township has a high school at Olive 
Branch and is now erecting a fine new 
building. 

The following is a list of the teachers 
for the coming year : 



Superintendent, H. H. Howet; music 
supervisor, G. W. Warner; high school 
principal, Alice L. Tate; No. 1, Medway, 
principal, J. E. Baruhart ; primary, Nellie 
Stafford ; No. 2, Helmer, principal, Madge 
Crane; primary, Bessie Fross; No. 3, 
Olive Branch, principal, Cora Souders; 
primary, Berdella Furray; No. 4, Valley, 
Julia Fail-child; No. 5, Tecumseh, Edith 
Brodbreck ; No. 6, Bethel, Walter Funder- 
burg; No. 7, Advance, Ida Frantz, No. 8, 
Mt. Pleasant, principal, E. C. Lohnes; 
primary, Ethel Horn ; No. 9, Donnelsville, 
principal, G. W. Mumford; primary, 
Bertha Knott; No. 10, Centennial, yet to 
elect ; No. 11, Union, W. K. Mumford. 

One room is dropped at Bethel and 
Walter Funderbui'g will take the pupils 
of both. 

The primary room at Helmer was re- 
opened after several years, with all pupils 
in one room. 

New CaeIjIsle. 

Superintendent, Alfred Ross; music, 
Mrs. Viola Dadon; principal, Ada Koontz; 
eighth and ninth grades, Miss Sylvia 
Timmins ; sixth and seventh, Miss Carrie 
Fissel; fourth and fifth, Miss Stella 
Soward; second and third, Miss Mary 
Morris; first grade. Miss Ella Gilbert. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 : Males, 
348; fern-ales, 312; total, 660. 

New Carlisle District: Males, 126; 
females, 127 ; total, 253. 

GERMAN TOWNSHIP. 

BOUNDAEIES. 

German Township is located in the 
northern tier of townships of Clark Coun- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



231 



ty, having Pike Township on the west and 
Moorefield Township on the east, Cham- 
paign County on the north and Spring- 
field and Bethel Townships on the south. 
Mad Eiver forms a part of its eastern 
boundary line. It is not known how it re- 
ceived the name of ' ' German. " It is sup- 
posed, however, that at an early time 
there was a considerable German popula- 
tion in the township and that this result- 
ed in the name of G-erman. We know 
that at a comparatively early date there 
was quite a German settlement in and 
around Lawrenceville, and almost all the 
Virginians were of German descent. 

Surface. 

A strip of a few miles in width at 
places along the eastern part is in the 
Mad River Valley. The remainder of the 
township is upland, covered originally 
largely with beech and poplar timber. A 
ridge "of hills leads along the Mad Eiver 
Valley to these uplands, and after the 
summit is reached the land is again com- 
paratively level. Some of the most fertile 
land in the county is found in the Mad 
Eiver bottom, in and around Tremont 
and on the uplands west of Lawrenceville. 

BOADS. 

The Mad Eiver Valley Turnpike was 
constructed in 1843-7 and goes through 
the entire township, following the course 
of Mad Eiver. It was constructed from 
Dayton to AYestville and for a long time 
was a toll-pike; afterwards the pike lead- 
ing from Springfield to Lawrenceville and 
known as the St. Paris Pike was built. 



Tliis was likewise for a time a toll-pike. 
It leads across the long bridge south of 
Eagle City. Other roads were after- 
wards constructed under the free turn- 
pike law. All told there are thirty-three 
miles of roads in the township. 

The only railroad is the D. T. & I., 
which follows the Mad Eiver Valley to 
Tremont City and then goes up along 
Chapman's Creek. The S. T. & P. trac- 
tion runs through Law^renceville and west 
to Northampton. 

Politics. 

The township is divided into two voting 
precincts, Lawrenceville and Tremont 
City. The political complexion of the 
township is Democratic, and, generally 
speaking, has been so since the birth of 
the party. During and immediately after 
the Civil War of 1861-5 it was largely so. 
The year 1848, when General Taylor, 
Whig, was elected, is the only time that its 
majority vote was not for the Democratic 
candidate. 

While some of the early settlers came 
from Kentucky, such as the Chapmans, 
Eosses, Rectors and McKinleys, the prin- 
cipal settlers of this township were Vir- 
ginians of German descent, with some 
Pennsylvanians. The township had an 
existence as a part of Champaign County. 

Popiii-ATioisr. 

The township has not made much prog- 
ress with respect to increase of popula- 
tion in the last half century. In 1850 the 
population was 1,904; in 1870, 1,908; 1880, 
2,100; ]890, 2,058; 1900, 1,995. 



232 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Acres and Assessed Value. 

The following shows the number of 
acres and assessed valuation of the real 
and personal property of the township : 

Real Personal 
Acres Estate Property Total 

Oprman Township 18,012 $677,450 $309,290 $ 986,740 
German and 
Springfield Town- 
ships ^School Dist. 408 17,660 6,010 23,670 
Tremont City 

School Dist ... 2,748 165,600 115.350 280,950 



21,168 $860,710 $430,650 $1,291,360 

Old Settlers. 

Archibald McKinley settled in Section 
17. His family was composed of Ms 
wife Polly, several daughters and sons — 
Archibald, Westley, William and James. 
Mr. McKinley did not live long, dying a 
few years after his emigration to the 
West. His children were associated with 
the early progress made in the, township. 
In 1798 William Chapman and William 
Eoss, with their families, came, the for- 
mer from Virginia and Ross from Mason 
County, Kentucky. Chapman, his wife 
and two or three children reared their, 
cabin on the farm now owned by E. 'E. 
Gard in Section 10, having entered that 
and several other sections in this vicinity. 
To this couple, in the year 1800, was born 
a son, Jesse Chapman, the first white 
child born in the territory now compris- 
ing this township. This was another 
Methodist family, with its head a local 
preacher, who, however, in later years, 
joined what was then called the New Light 
Church. 

The members of this church were gen- 
erally known as New Lights, which title 
did not suit Mr. Chapman, and some of 
the brethren, on meeting him for the first 



time after the change had taken place, ad- 
dressed him in substance as follows: 
"Well, so you are a 'New Light,' are 
you?" "No," says Mr. Chapman, "I am 
an old light newly snuffed." This man 
was one of the active and enterprising 
men of his day. He was well known over 
the county and highly esteemed by all, 
and whatever "Billy" Chapman said was 
thought to be "law find gospel." He left 
the township in 1818, going to Missouri, 
where he died in 1822. His son Jesse re- 
mained in this neighborhood until about 
1840, then going to the Pacific coast. 
The daughter of the son of the last named 
Chapman married U. S. Grant, Jr., son of 
the late President and great soldier. 
"Billy" CJhapman, as he was known far 
and wide, was one of the early inn or tav- 
ern keepers of this part of the county. 
Living on the direct road between Dayton 
and ITrbana, he had an extensive custom 
from the wagoners. 

William Ross, though not a native of 
the "Blue Grass" State, emigrated from 
Kentucky in 1797 to Ohio, stopping tem- 
porarily in Warren County, and remained 
about one year, thence moving to the 
vicinity of Tremont, entering a section of 
land just north of that village. At the 
age of thirty years, he was united in 
marriage with Winnef ord Rector, a sister 
of Charles Rector, above mentioned, 
which union was blessed with eight chil- 
dren, seven of whom were born in Ken- 
tucky, namely: William, Elijah, Nancy, 
Elizabeth, John, Presley and Mary, 
Charles having been born after their ar- 
rival. The father resided on what is now 
known as the north farm of Geo. W, 
Berry, where he built, in 1812, the first 
frame house in this region of the conn- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



233 



trj^ It was quite a modern house, two 
stories high, with a shingle roof, with tin 
spouting, tlie latter being put up by 
Daniel Harr, a son-in-law, of Urbana. 
This house was still standing until a few 
years ago. Elijah farmed this ground 
with his father until 1825, when he moved 
out of the township and Charles took his 
place. Later Presley bought out Charles' 
interest and there died in 1852. He had 
previously farmed the present J. S. Gard 
place, and John resided on the Blose 
land, and William, Jr., at one time on the 
same property. This pioneer. Father 
Ross, has a remarkable history. When 
but five years old, while fishing with a 
white man, he was kidnapped by two In- 
dians, and was about to be burned, having 
been sent to gather the fagots by which 
the burning was to be accomplished, 
when there happened along a French 
trader and interceded in the boy's be- 
half, giving- them each a blanket and 
thereby saving his life. Ross was taken 
by the trader to Detroit, where he was 
made a page to the trader's daughters. 
In those days it Avas fashionable for the 
French ladies to wear very long trails, 
which were carried by pages. He had 
been gone for years and given up his 
parents as dead, when during the French 
and Indian war, his brother John was 
among the soldiers at Detroit, and there 
seeing the boy, recognized him and 
took him home. Mr. Ross was a great 
Methodist, and his house was the preach- 
ing place for that denomination for years. 
He was a valuable man in the community. 
His sons settling around him and being 
industrious soon made a visible mark in 
the forest. His son John served in the 
War of 1812; was among the first to 



marry in the township, being united to 
Miss Rachel Wallace in the year 1806. 
He lived to the advanced age of four- 
score and four years. 

The settlement was increased in 1801 
by the coming of Jacob Kiblinger, a na- 
tive of Virginia, who purchased eighty 
acres of land and returned to his native 
state, and, between the years of 1801 and 
1805, made four trips to this vicinity, 
moving several families of the Kiblingers 
and Fences. Among the latter was a 
John Pence. These all became permanent 
settlers in Gennan Township. Jacob 
Kiblinger, Sr., father of the one above 
mentioned, erected the first saw and 
hemp mill, located on Mad River, near 
where the "Eagle Mills" now stand, in 
this section of the country. Another from 
the "Bhie Grass" region came in 1802, 
in the person of Elijah Weaver, a native 
of Virginia. In 1807 he married Mary 
McKinley, and settled in the northeastern 
part of the township. They had a son, 
Newton, born to them in 1810, who was 
the father of .Johnson P. Weaver, still 
living. Elijah died three years later. 
Virginia again responded to the call for 
emigrants, and, in 1804, sent forth David 
Jones and family, consisting of his wife, 
Margaret, and the following children: 
Mary, Margaret, James M., Lydia and 
Kiziah. Mr. Jones purchased land on 
Chapman's Creek, about one and a half 
miles west of the village of Tremont. 
Mr. Jones died in his ninety-fifth year; 
his wife died in 1850, in her seventy-third 
year. His mother lived to be one hun- 
dred and nine years old. At one hundred 
and three she walked a distance to attend 
church and at that age could knit nicely. 
James M., a child, died at Tremont 



234 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



August 16, 1880, and several are in this 
township. S. H., a son of James M., is 
still living in Tvemont. 

The following year emigrated from Vir- 
ginia Daniel Gentis, entering 160 acres 
of land in Section 23. He had a large 
family of children, the boys settling in 
the neighborhood, and did much to de- 
velop the country. Job Gard came about 
the year 1803, or perhaps a little later. 
He was a native of New Jersey, but had 
emigrated to Kentucky and from that 
State to the township of German, settling 
in Section 17. This family on their ar- 
rival was composed of eight persons, in- 
cluding the wife, Elizabeth, and six chil- 
dren — Gersham, Daniel, Simon, Rachel, 
Sarah and Phoebe. Quite a number of 
the descendants of this family are now 
living in the township, and are among the 
substantial men of the community. The 
father erected several mills along Mad 
River in an early day ; was in the War of 
1812; a very useful citizen, an active 
pioneer and business man. The settle- 
ment was augmented in 1805 by the fam- 
ilies of Philip Kizer, George Glass, Daniel 
Gentis and Abraham Zerkle. Kizer set- 
tled east of Tremont, having come from 
Virginia ; served in the "War of 1812 as a 
captain. Zerkle was from Virginia, and 
entered land in Section 9. The Weavers, 
William and Christopher, were very early 
settlers in this locality, coming about the 
beginning of this century. William 
Haller, from personal knowledge of sev- 
eral of these pioneers, speaks of them as 
follows: "William Ross was of medium 
stature and had wonderful strength and 
endurance. Charles Rector was larger, 
was strong and very hardy. These men 
and families were fitted for a new coun- 



try life and were valuable Christian men. 
Weaver was also a man of fine stature, an 
upright and Christian man." 

The pioneers of 1806 were Daniel Kib- 
linger and Thomas Nauman, Jr., the for- 
mer hailing from that State in after years 
designated as the "Mother of Presi- 
dents," whence so many of our pioneers 
came. Nauman, too, was a native of 
Virginia, and came to this vicinity on 
horseback and made his home with 
Matthias Friermood, who was a settler at 
a still earlier date. In 1809 Thomas 
Nauman, Sr., and family settled in the 
township. He was one of the patriotic 
men who, just prior to the War of 1776, 
assisted in throwing overboard the cargo 
of tea in Boston Harbor. In 1810 Felty 
Snyder, of Virginia, effected a settlement 
in this locality. Benjamin Morris, from 
the same State, came the year previous, 
and, in 1810, entered 160 acres in the 
southern part of the township. He 
served in the War of 1812. He died at 
an advanced age. Samuel Baker and 
John Keller were added to the colony in 
the year 1811 ; and the next year Rudolph 
Baker and Benjamin Frantz, the former 
being from Virginia and the latter from 
Pennsylvania. Frantz was another who 
served his country in the war then waged 
by the mother country. 

Virginia continued to send forth her 
sons, Samuel Meranda emigrating in 
1814, purchasing a tract of land where 
Jefferson Meranda now lives, and, in 
J 816, came Matthias Rust and Frederick 
Michael. Jacob Maggart, his brother 
David, and Philip Goodman are also 
numbered with the pioneers of the town- 
ship. At a very early day, Jeremiah 
Simms and familv came to this section of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



235 



the county, but the country was so new 
and thinly settled that they returned to 
Virginia and again came out in about 
1806, and entered a quarter-section of 
land in the southern part of the town- 
ship (Sintz neighborhood); He was a 
valuable man, being a blacksmith by 
trade, a mechanic then greatly needed in 
the settlement. One of his sons, Jere- 
miah, Jr., was a local preacher, and 
preached the. first sermon in Rector 
Church, which was delivered over the re- 
mains of Catharine Peck in the year 
1822. George Welchans and William 
Enoch, the former of Pennsylvania and 
the latter from Virginia, settled here in 
1808. John Kemp, of Virginia, and 
Thomas Hays, . a native of Kentucky, 
came in 1809, the former settling on Sec- 
tion 14, and the latter on Section 25. In 
1812 Oden Hays, a son of the one men- 
tioned, was lost in a snowstorm and was 
afterward found dead in a hollow log on 
Section 32. Joseph Perrin came from 
Virginia in 1810. Jacob, Henry and Mar- 
tin Baker were all early settlers of Ger- 
man Township, and natives of Virginia. 
Jacob settled on Section 14 in 1813, died 
in 1821, and is buried in the Lawrenceville 
Cemetery. His sons, Philip, Henry, 
Jacob, Martin, John and Samuel, as well 
as three daughters, i*esided in this town- 
ship. Andrew and Emanuel Circle set- 
tled in the southeastern part of German, 
on Mad Eiver, at an early day. They 
were natives of Virginia, and have de- 
scendants yet living in the township. 
Benjamin Eeam, of Pennsylvania, settled 
with his family on Section 32 after the 
War of 1812, in which he served; and, in 
3816, John Lorton and his wife, Rachel, 
natives of Kentucky, settled in this part 



of Clark County; also Matthias Staley, of 
Maryland, who was a carpenter by trade, 
came in 1S20, and each of these last men- 
tioned pioneer families have descendants 
now residents of German Township. 

Among others who we may well call 
pioneers wei'e Adam Eockel, a soldier of 
the War of 1812, and Philip Kern, natives 
of Pennsylvania, who settled on Section 9 
in 1822. Mr. Eockel married Polly Baker, 
daughter of Philip Baker, who had five 
children born to her, viz: Peter, Henry, 
William, Harriet and Mary. Mr. Eockel 
died at the advanced age of ninety in 1884, 
and his wife in 1886. Mr. Kern married 
the sister of Mr. Eockel, and their son, 
Adam, resided until his death, about 
1888, upon the old place. John Beamer 
came from Virginia, in 3816, settling on 
Section 13. His wife was Elizabeth 
Mulholland, and they had three children, 
viz: Thomas, Valentine and Eliza, 
the latter the wife of Dr. McLaughlin, of 
Tremont, died in 1892. Mr. Beamer 
and wife died on the old homestead. An- 
other family w^ell worthy of mention is 
that of William Ballentine, a native of 
Ireland, who came to Ohio in 1831, and in 
1832 settled in German Township, where 
he died in 1851. His wife, Nancy Nail, 
was also a native of Ireland, where they 
were married. Of their union were born 
twelve children, one of whom is living, 
James V., aged eighty-four. 

David Kizer was born in Shenandoah 
County, Virginia, December 20, 1779; 
married to Eva Nawman, June 23, 1806; 
died December 31, 1847, and was buried 
in Green Mount Cemetery. His wife was 
born July 11, 1787, and died September 
8, 1869. ' 

Mr. Kizer came to Clark County in the 



236 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



year 1809, and settled on Section 7, 
Town 4, Range 10, M. R. S., in what is 
now German Township (it was then 
called Boston), and took an active part 
in the public affairs of that day. He was 
chosen justice of the peace in 1811; was 
"out" in the War of 1812, and upon the 
establishment of this county in 1818 was 
appointed its first recorder, to which office 
he was several times re-elected. 

Mr. Kizer brought a small library of 
books with him, and, being inclined to 
scholarly habits, his house became the 
headquarters of the literary element of 
the neighborhood. 

The children of this pioneer were 
Phoebe, born May 20, 1807; Rebecca, 
born May 29, 1809; Lydia, born April 15, 
1811; Thomas, bom December 18, 1812, 
who was county surveyor for more than 
twenty years; Susannah, born August 17, 
1815, and Eli, born January 25, 1823. All 
are now deceased. 

First Events. 

Jesse Chapman, born in 1800, was the 
first white child born in this towmship 
and perhaps in the county. The first 
marriage recorded was that of Thomas 
Pence to Mary Ross in 1801. The first 
schoolhouse was erected about a mile 
west of Tremont in 1803. The first mill 
was built near the entrance of Storm's 
Creek into Mad River prior to 1810. 
(See mills.) 

Most of the early settlements of this 
township were made along Mad River 
and Chapman's Creek these streams af- 
fording the mill power, which was con- 
sidered of great importance to the early 
settlers to grind their wheat into flour 
and convert their corn into whiskev, there 



being no shipping facilities. So along- 
Mad 'River and Chapman's Creek there 
sprang up a large number of grist mills 
and distilleries, also carding mills, and 
as the land of the township was well cov- 
ered with timber, saw-mills were found 
, quite frequently on these streams. 

In addition to the settlers mentioned 
above, whose names are mostly included 
in Beer's History, others might be men- 
tioned with more or less particularity. 
Dr. Andrew McLaughlin was a citizen of 
Tremont for many years. Born in Con- 
cord Township, Champaign County, Ohio, 
of Scotch descent, he commenced the 
practice of his profession in Tremont in 
1836 and continued there until his death 
in the early eighties. Everybody in that 
vicinity knew Dr. "Mac," as he was 
familiarly called. He was a large, portly 
man, weighing 340 pounds. He was an 
expert in fever cases, his ability in this 
class of cases no doubt resulting from his 
large practice in that line in a newly in- 
habited country. One of his peculiar 
characteristics was his habit of whistling. 
While he whistled no particular tune, it 
was of such strong tone as to be heard 
for miles. He left no offspring. He died 
in the fall of 1882. 

Another doctor of that vicinity about 
the same time was Dr. Hiram Senseman, 
whose widow rectotly (1907) died. Dr. 
Senseman was a graduate of Jefferson 
University, Pennsylvania, and settled in 
Tremont in 1853 and continued there un- 
til he died in 1883. He was a learned 
man and successful in his profession. 

John Kiblinger, frequently called 
"Curly" Kiblinger, by reason of his curly 
hair, was long a well known resident of 
this township, ser^^ing upon the Agricul- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



237 



tural Board and in other positions of that 
character. He was born in 1816 on the 
farm where he died, near Eagle City, in 
the earlier part of the nineties. He was 
of very lively disposition and for some- 
time was owner of the Eagle City Mills. 

Long time residents of this township 
were Adam and Christian Neff, brothers, 
who came to this township from Virginia 
in 1832, settling south of Tremont City, 
and resided in this vicinity until their 
deaths. Adam was prominent in church 
and agricultural matters. His first wife 
was a daughter of an early settler, Isaac 
Turman. They were both honored cit- 
izens in their time, and died in recent 
years. Adam died in 1885 and Christian 
in 1894. ■ 

A very noted character at this time was 
the Rev. "Johnnie'' Pence, an ordained 
minister of the German Reform Church. 
He commenced preaching at about 1827 
and continued in that avocation until his 
death in the eighties, although more than 
eighty years of age. 

Jacob Mitzel was a Pennsylvanian, who 
emigrated to this township in 1852, and in 
1860 was married to Elnora, daughter of 
Adam Neff . He is still living a short dis- 
tance west of Tremont City and is one 
of the best farmers in the township. 

The Gard family is rather a noted one 
of this township, .the father, Gersham 
Gard, having come to this township as 
early as 1805. He had a large family, 
all of whom now are deceased except Eli, 
who still resides in Tremont. Silas H., 
deceased some years ago, lived south of 
this village, and Dr. John S. north. 
Emerson E., the owner of the Tremont 
City elevator, is a son of Silas H. They 
were an active, progressive family, inter- 

13 



ested in the welfare of the township gen- 
erally. 

John E. Lorton was township treasurer 
for some years and lived near Lawrence- 
ville, having been born there in 1827; he 
died a few years ago. 

C. F. Rohrer, an active member in local 
affairs in this township for a number of 
years, who lived a few miles north of 
Tremont City, died recently. 

Emanuel Hause was for many years a 
blacksmith and still lives in Lawrence- 
ville. He came from Pennsylvania in 
1848. He lived for a time in Lawrence - 
ville and afterwards moved onto a farm 
and again back to the village. 

Jesse Mead, a farmer, active in fine 
stock, lived east of Tremont City along 
Mad River until his death in 1880. 

The Adam Baker family came from 
Pennsylvania in 1836 and settled near 
Eagle City Mills. This family was prom- 
inent in Clark County. Two of their 
sons, William and Cornelius, and one 
grandson, A. J., having been sheriffs of 
the county. 

Some of the old pioneers of the town- 
ship now living are James V. Ballentine, 
84: Silas Baker, 84; George Ramsey, 80; 
David Enoch, past 82, and Henry Deam, 
over 80. 

Adam Rockel, the ancestor of the 
Rockel family of this county, came with 
his father, Peter Rockel, to this township 
in 1822 and settled one mile south of 
Tremont City, wh?re he lived until his 
death in 1884. His son Henry, now past 
seventy years of age, resides in Tremont. 

Politics. 

German Township being Democratic in 
politics did not furnish many county 



238 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



officials; liowever, the elder Adam Baker 
was a county commissioner in 1849. In 
1871 John H. Blose was elected a member 
of the constitutional convention, and in 
1874 he was elected as a Democrat for 
one term as county commissioner. Mr. 
Blose is still living, and perhaps we might 
say is one of the most, if not the most, 
distinguished residents of this township). 

Mr. Blose was born in Champaign 
County in 1838 and was married in 1857 
to Caroline, daughter of David Stein- 
barger. 

In 1903 Joseph H. Collins was elected 
county commissioner as a Republican. 
He was re-nominated for a second term 
in 1905, and died before he had tilled the 
full length of his first term. Mr. Collins 
was a Virginian by birth and came to 
this township in 1860, and in 1864 mar- 
ried Mary E. Rockel, daughter of Adam 
Rockel. 

The following persons have served in 
the past as .iustiee of the peace: John 
Goble, Hugh H. Frazier, John McCauley, 
Philip Kizer, William Enoch, Peter Min- 
nich, George Michael, Joseph Underwood, 
Elias Darnell, Samuel Bechtle, J. S. Gard, 
Thomas Elliott, Michael Bowman, Jacob 
Argobright, Peter McLaughlin, William 
W. Lee, Eli Kizer, Alexander Michael, L. 
Bechtle and James V. Ballentine. 

Justices of the peace since 1871 : 

Alexander Michael 1871-1S74 

.Tohn H. Blose 1872, resided 1878-1890 

Jacob Argobriglu 1872-1875 

John S. Gard 1873-1870 

Lafavette Bechtle 1876-1879 

James V. Ballentine 1880-1880 

John H. Hartman 1880-1892 

Jacob Hartman 1892-189."> 

W. S. Neese 1S93-1902-1905 

D. R. Shuman 189.0-1898 

Perrv E. Circle 1898-1901 

A. L. Rust lS99-190r> 

F. P. Blose 1904-1908 

J. B. Minnich 1904-190S 

C. E. Zerkle (elect) 



For a number of years past Dr. J. H. 
Reynolds, of Lawrenceville has been 
township clerk, D. Benton Jenkins was 
township clerk, 1894-1898, and Americus 
James, treasurer, 1895-1897, and the fol- 
lowing have served as township trustees : 

John E. Lorton 1881,1883,1884 

J. P. Weaver 1882, 

John Wilson 1883, 

Peter Snyder 1883-1892 

Michael Shawver 1883-1885 

Henrv Titer 1885-1893 

Samuel Arthur 1S86-18S8 

David Enoch 1889-1890 

Henrv Fisher 1891-1900 

C. H. Bailev 189.3-1901, 1905 

Harvey Bowers 1902-1904 ' 

H. C. Fisher 1902-1905 

(Resigned and C. H. Bailev appointed.) 

Emanuel Mitzel 1894- 

N. B. Wagoner 1905- 

Michael Rader 1905- 

Oscar J. Rockel (elect) 

Churches. 

Formerly churches were organized in 
various parts of the country districts, 
but in later years the tendency has been 
to abandon these country churches and 
centralize religious worship in villages 
and cities. Thus we find that at this 
time the principal churches of the town- 
ship are in the villages of Tremont and 
Lawrenceville. 

The congregations now controlling the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Tremont 
is the successor of that congregation that 
in 1820 built a log church just over the 
county line north. This church was after- 
wards succeeded by a frame building, 
which is still standing, not far from the 
Valley Pike, north of Tremont City. The 
congregation, however, moved itself to 
Tremont City in 1838 and there built a 
brick structure, which was taken down in 
1880 and replaced by the present struc- 
ture. It has recently been remodeled and 
is now in good condition, the Rev. Wiant 
being the present pastor. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



239 



Sometime before the log church above 
referred to was built, the Methodists in 
the southern part of the township had an 
organization and in 1852 they built a log 
meetinghouse. This structure was after- 
wards torn down and the present church, 
which is known as Simms Chapel, was 
erected in 1854. There is a cemetery ad- 
joining this church. 

The Lutheran and German Reform 
people built a union church at Lawrence- 
ville about the year 1821 and continued to 
use it jointly until 1844, at about which 
time the Lutherans built a church on the 
Valley Pike, opposite from the Eagle 
City Mills. This Lutheran church was 
afterwards destroyed by fire. There is a 
cemetery surrounding its former location. 
The German Reform Church at Lawrence- 
ville is in flourishing condition at this 
time, having recently been remodeled and 
reconstructed. The Rev. J. C. Paul is 
the present pastor. 

In 1863 the German Reform Church or- 
ganized a congregation in Tremont City, 
the Rev. Jesse Richards being the organ- 
izer. This church is still in flourishing 
condition, a cemetery surrounding its 
location, and the Rev. Woerner is pastor. 

About 1827 or '28 the Rev. John Pence, 
heretofore referred to, commenced preach- 
ing in the neighborhood a few miles this 
side of Dialton, and this resulted in the 
formation there of a church of the reform 
denomination. It was called Jerusalem. 
The first structure was a huge log one; 
this was afterwards torn down and a 
brick one built and this was likewise de- 
stroyed by fire, and a few years ago the 
congregation built a new church in the 
village of Dialton. There is a cemetery 



surrounding the location of this old 
church. 

Schools. 

The schools of German Township have 
been recognized for some time as being 
equal to any in the county. This town- 
ship was among the first, if not the first, 
to have a township high school, such a 
school having been established in 1874 at 
Lawrenceville. It still aifords advanced 
educational privileges for the pupils of 
the township. The first schoolhouse was 
built in this township a short distance 
north of Tremont City upon the lands of 
Mr. Sager. This was in 1803, and it is 
said that Peter Oliver, of Kentucky, was 
the first schoolmaster. In recent years 
the sub-district formerly comprising the 
locality in which Tremont City is situated 
has been laid off to itself as a special 
school district. The lower part of the 
township forms a joint sub-district with 
the schools of Springfield township. The 
following constitute the present school 
board of the township: Charles Smith, 
president; 0. J. Rockel, clerk; S. S- 
Snyder, E. Z. Zerkle and W. H. Shawver. 

The following are the teachers for the 
"present year: Superintendent, J. W. 
Coleman ; assistant high school teacher, 
Clyde Xanders; No. 1, Jackson, Orris 
Haulman; No. 2, Mt. Zion, F. P. Blose; 
No. 3, Eureka, Irwin Baker; No. 4, 
Lawrenceville, A. L. Rust; No. 5, "Willow 
Dale, G. W. Kohler ; No. 6, Beech Center, 
W. G. Griest ; No. 7, Beech Crossing, Miss 
Jessie Miller; No. 8, Beech Knob, Grover 
Circle; No. 9, Deers, A. W. Blose; No. 10, 
Fairview, Miss Carol Hutchinson. 



240 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Tkemont. 

Superintendent, T. J. Heck; high 
school, assistant and seventh and eighth 
grades, F. E. Peneton; fourth, fifth and 
sixth grades, AV. S. Neese; first, second 
and third, Mary Hutchinson. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 : Males, 
237; females, 186; total, 423. 

Tremont City: Males, 63; females, 
59; total, 122. 

GREEN TOWNSHIP. 

Boundaries. 

Grreen Township is located immediately 
south of Spring-field Township, west of 
Madison and east of Mad River Town- 
ships and north of Greene County. In the 
greater part of the township the land is 
laid out as Congress land, only that south 
of the Little Miami River being a part 
of the Virginia Military Reservation. 
The township was formed in 1818, upon 
the organization of the county. It takes 
its name from Greene County, it being 
territory that upon the formation of 
Clark County was taken from Greene 
County, the line between this and Spring- 
field Township having been the former 
line between Greene County and Cham- 
paign County. When the territory in this 
county was a part of Greene County it 
formed a part of Bath Township. 

Streams. 

Across the southeastern part of the 
county flows the Little Miami River. 
The valley is not A^ery wide, but is quite 
fertile. Not far from the Greene County 
line east of Clifton the Little Miami River 
forks, and a branch called the North Fork 



of the Little Miami flows up through the 
center of the township past Pitchin. 
Mill Creek flows in a northwesterly direc- 
tion through the northwestern part of the 
township. These streams cause the town- 
ship to be very well watered and suit- 
able for agricultural and grazing pur- 
poses. 

Timber. 

The land was originally very nearly all 
covered with timber, there being occa- 
sionally a small patch of prairie along 
some of these streams. This timber con- 
sists of white, black and burr oaks, hick- 
ory, walnut and ash. A very fine quality 
of timber was originally found on a great 
deal of the land. In the underbrush was 
found the hazel, plum, crab-apple, thorn 
and grajDevine. In addition to these 
streams of water there are some very fine 
springs. 

Crops. 

The land is adapted for the raising of 
those crops which are most familiar in 
Clark County, to-wit: Wheat, corn and 
oats. The village of Clifton on the south 
is partly located in this township and 
partly in Greene County. Pitchin is the 
principal village and is situated a little 
north and east of the center of the town- 
ship. Cortsville is located in the extreme 
southeastern part. (See villages.) Green 
has less mileage of railroads than any 
other township of the county, excepting 
Pleasant and Pike. 

Roads, Etc. 

The Columbus branch of the Panhandle 
crosses the extreme southeastern corner 
of the township, and the Springfield 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



241 



branch the northwestern corner. The 
Springfield and Charleston traction line 
touches the northern part of the town- 
ship. The township is well provided with 
ordinary roads. A good many of them, 
however, are laid out in a crooked line, 
seemingly following the course estab- 
lished by the old Indian trails. The Clif- 
ton Pike leads directly north and south 
about two miles west of the center, and 
the pike leading from Spring-field to Selma 
runs in a diagonal direction through the 
eastern part of the township. These two 
pikes furnish the chief avenues leading to 
the city of Springfield. There are fifty- 
five miles of roads in the township. 

Population. 

Like other townships in the county, 
Green has not increased in population 
very rapidly. In 1850 it had 1,386; in 
1870, 1,464: 1880, 1,524; in 1890, 1,532, 
and in 1900, 1,425. 

Acreage and Assessed Valxje. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres of land in the township and the 
assessed valuation of the real estate and 
personal property as the same is divided 
for school purposes : 

Real Personal 
Acres Estate Property Total 

Gi-pen l«,o61 $571,840 $296,900 $ 848,740 

„ „ ,, ™ r^ T^- ^ /./^rr trroon a oaCi •>-! Ron 



Gr. & M. T. Sc. Dist. 605 
Clifton School . . 2,374 
Clifton Town ... 19 
Selma School . . . 3,024 



17,830 

89,790 

8,090 

107,560 



6,860 
22,980 

3,870 
46,680 



24,690 
112,770 

11,960 
154,240 



Total 24,-583 $795,110 $377,290 $1,172,400 

Politics. 

A considerable number of the early 
settlers came from Pennsylvania others 
from Virginia and Maryland. Ever since 
the organization of the township its vote 



has been against the Democratic party. 
During Whig times the plurality in favor 
of the Whigs was usually about one hun- 
dred. After that party went out of ex- 
istence, and the Eepublican party came in, 
the majority ran as high as 250 at times 
in favor of candidates of that party. The 
township being of the same political com- 
plexion as the county, it has been enabled 
to furnish a large proportion of the pub- 
lic officials. 

Eakly Settlebs. 

It is supposed that settlements were 
made in Green Township as early as 
1800, but there is no evidence of any 
permanent settlement until 1804, at which 
date Abraham Inlow settled on Section 
6, Township 4, Range 8. He was born in 
Maryland March 25, 1777, and, in 1804, 
came with his father, Henry Inlow, to 
Donnelsville, where he remained a short 
time, then coming to Green Township. 
His parents returned to Kentucky, whence 
they had come, and there died. Mr. 
Inlow was married twice, and had four 
children by his first marriage, all of 
whom are dead; his second wife was 
Margaret Foley, who had eight children — 
Jemima, Catherine, Anna and Margaret 
grew to maturity, but Anna is now the 
only survivor. Mr. Inlow died October 4, 
1840, and his wife, who was a native of 
Kentuckj^ and the daughter of Daniel and 
Catherine Foley, died November 7, 1872. 

In 1805 Thomas Luse and his parents. 
Justice and Mary Luse, came to this 
township and settled on Section 32, where 
Justice and his wife died. Thomas was 
born in Kentucky in 1797 ; he was married 
to Nancy Funston, a native of the town- 
ship, born in 1816, and who is yet living 



242 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



here. They had eleven children, nine of 
whom are yet living. Mr. Luse died in 
1878, much respected. 

Ebenezer Wheeler settled on Section 
12, Township 4, Range 8, m 1806. He 
was born in New Jersey September 15, 
1782, and came with his father to Cin- 
cinnati in 1800. He married Joanna 
Miller in 1803 ; in 1810 or 1811 he removed 
to Urbana, Ohio; thence, in 1815, to In- 
diana, returning to his farm in this 
township in 1820, where he died in 1862, 
in his eightieth year. 

Jacob Hubble settled on the same sec- 
tion as Mr. Wheeler in 1806. In the same 
year Samnel and John T. Stewart settled 
on Section 15, Township 5, Range 8, 
where they bought and improved 500 
acres of land. They were natives of 
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The for- 
mer was born in 1775, and was married in 
1807 to Elizabeth Elder. He was at 
Hull's surrender as a captain of a militia 
company, and died on his farm in this 
township in 1854. John T. was born in 
1781; was married in 1815 to Ann Elder, 
who became the mother of ten children, 
nine of whom are living. He died in 
April, 1850, and his widow in September, 
1880. 

In 1808 James B. Stewart, a brother of 
the former two, settled in Section 6, 
Township 5, Range 8. He was also from 
Pennsylvania, born in 1777, and was mar- 
ried to Anna Beaty in 1807, in Butler 
County, Ohio. He lost his eyesight when 
a young man, and died in 1828; his son, 
John B., resided on a part of the farm, 
moving to Pitchin before his death. 

In the same year as James B. Stewart 
came, the whole of Section 18 was pur- 
chased by John H. Garlough, a native of 



Germany, who emigrated to Maryland, 
there married, and with his wife came to 
Ohio about 1790, and to this township in 
1808. His descendants still own nearly 
all of his purchase. He was killed in 
1820 by a vicious bull while engaged in 
building a grist-mill. His son Jacob fell 
heir to the homestead; he was born in 
1796; married Nancy Luse, daughter of 
Justice Luse, about 1821, and died in 1878, 
aged eighty-two, leaving many descend- 
ants who do credit to his name. The fam- 
ily are noted for longevity, all living to 
ripe old age, much beyond the allotted 
time of man. 

Samuel Kelly and Timothy Stratton 
came in 1808, the former settling on Sec- 
ton 30, Township 5, Range 8, and the lat- 
ter on Section 29. 

Grabriel, George and William Albin 
came about 1810, settling in the western 
part of the township. George was in the 
War of 1812, and died in 1872. 

In 1811, Seth Smith located on Survey 
615. His son Seth was born in Tennes- 
see in 1798, and died on the farm his 
father purchased seventy years ago, in 
1876, leaving four children. The whole 
family were peace-loving Friends, and did 
much for the moral welfare of this com- 
nmnity, their descendants being- now 
prominent in social and business circles. 

Arthur Forbes, a patriotic Irishman, 
who fled from English oppression, set- 
tled on Section 27 about 1811. He reared 
a large family and lived to a ripe old age, 
dying about 1848. Like all Irishmen, he 
loved liberty and hated tyranny. 

Thomas Mills settled on Section 23, 
where his son John now resides, in 1812. 
He was born in Virginia, in 1785, and in 
1790 came with his parents to Kentucky, 



.■tx% 




SINKIXf; CRl'll'K CFlURCtr, SPRTNGFIKLD 
'lOVVNSilll' 




HOUSE BUILT BY JOHN PAUL, FIRST SET- 
TLER IN CLARK COUNTY 
(The spot on which man and woman are standing 
was the site of his first cabin, Ijnilt in 1780) 




(;i'N. W'illTI'iMAN'S OLD STOXI': IfOUSIC 
CLd'TON' 




THE OLD CARTMELL RESIDENCE, PLEAS- 
ANT TOWNSHIP 
(Over 100 years old) 





HOiVri': OF JOHN THRASHER, LAGONDA, 
SPRINGFIELD 



OLD MILL AT NEW CARLISLE 
t Built 1)y Mayor Reyburn's grandfather) 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



245 



where lie was married, thence to Ohio at 
the date above mentioned, dying in 1865. 
He was prominent in township affairs at 
an early day. 

Early settlers in this township were 
William and John Gondy, who came in 
1808 ; they were natives of Pennsylvania, 
who first settled in Hamilton County, 
Ohio, in 1803, whence they came to Clark. 
Many of their descendants are living 
thronghont the coimty. 

Eobert Elder, Sr., came from Dauphin 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1813, and bought 
from Mr. Funk fractional section No. 10, 
which contained about six hundred acres, 
on which he and his family settled; this 
land is yet owned in the family. Mr. 
Elder died October 3, 1825, and his wife 
September 20, 1827. Two of his sons yet 
reside in the township — Robert and John, 
the former being in his eightieth and the 
latter in his seventy-fourth year, and the 
name is largely represented by worthy 
descendants. 

James Stewart, a cousin of those pre- 
viously mentioned, came in 1813, and 
bought the land upon which his sons, 
Elijah, James F. and David, now live. 
He was bom in Pennsylvania about 1782, 
and there married to Jane Elder, a sister 
of Samuel and John T. Stewart's wives, 
and died on the homestead in G-reen Town- 
ship, in 1852, aged seventy. 

In ]816, William Estle settled in the 
township; he was born in New Jersey in 
1791, and there married in 1813, eight 
children being the fruits of this union. 
He died in 1859, and his wife in 1877. 

Stephen Kitchen, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, settled in Warren Connty, Ohio, 
at an early day, and in 1818 came with his 
family to this township, settling on the 



farm where his son Abraham has resided 
for more than half a century. Stephen 
went to Illinois, and was there drowned 
in the Illinois River. 

James Todd came in 1818; was ma;r- 
ried in 1819 to Betsy Garlough, of 
which union four sons and five daughters 
are the fruits; the sons are John 
H., W. Brand, Samuel A. and James, 
and the daughters are all living near 
the old home. Mr. Todd was born 
in Pennsylvania in 1797, and his wife 
in Maryland in 1799. He came with his 
parents to Ohio in 1806, settling on a 
stream in Warren County, which has since 
been known as Todd's Fork. Thence he 
came to this township, where he was mar- 
ried, and settled on Section 18, in the 
northern part of the township. He died 
in 1863. His widow is yet living on the 
old homestead, being now in her eighty- 
third year. He was a soldier in the war 
of 1812; was a millwright and carpenter, 
and had an extensive acquaintance. 

Thomas Tindall was born in England 
in 1786, and came with his family to 
Green Township in 1819, where he died in 
1856, his widow dying in 1872. -They left 
a large family of children, who are well 
known in the count;^''. 

In 1824, James and John Anderson, na- 
tives of Scotland, but claiming no re- 
lationship, came here from Greene Coun- 
ty, where they had settled in 1819. James 
settled on section 33, and John on 28, both 
living to a ripe old age, leaving large and 
prosperous families. James died in 1864, 
aged eighty -four; his son "Squire" 
James Anderson died in 1906, and was a 
man of moral worth and strict integrity. 

"Among the other early settlers of 
Green were William Barnes, on Section 



246 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



33; George Weaver and George Hemple- 
man. on Section 10; David and Thomas 
Littler, Robert Laing, Lewis Skillings 
(wlio lived but a short time in this town- 
ship, moving across the line to Spriug'field 
Township), John Baldwin, Gideon, and 
Charles Bloxain, Josiah Bates, William 
Marshall, John Wade, Wesley and Jack- 
son Allen, John Nagley and James Mason, 
nearly all of whom were from Virginia, 
and came for the purpose of making a 
home in the then dense forest of Ohio. 
Those men must have had rare courage, 
to undertake such a task, and posterity 
will ever honor their memory." 

Early Events. 

The death of John H. Garlough in 1810 
was the first and his grave is the oldest 
in the Garlough Graveyard. A Mrs. Wil- 
son, of a family run in by the Indians, 
who killed one child, died by over-exer- 
tion and fear in 1813. 

The first frame house raised iu the 
township was Seth Smith's in 1817. The 
mill at Clifton was built about 1800. John 
Stewart built the first brick hoiase in 1823. 
Other brick houses were built by James 
Stewart in 1828, Gabriel Albin in 1830 and 
Ebenezer Wheeler in 1833. 

The Baptist organization built a rough 
log church house in 1807, on the north 
bank of the Little Miami, a short distance 
from Jolm Whiteman's house. The In- 
dians vacated the township about the com- 
mencement of the War of 1812. Their 
last camping ground around here was on 
the south bank of the Little Miami just 
below where the north fork entered that 
stream. 

Verv little of manufacturing or mill in- 



dustry appeared at any time in this town- 
ship. At one time there was a saw-mill 
over at Allentown, also one at Pitchin and 
on the Little Miami. 

The market for the farmers' products 
at this time is principally in Springfield 
although in the southeastern part some 
of the products are taken to Selma, and 
in the southwestern part to Yellow 
Springs. 

Recent Inhabitants. 

Among the present old pioneers of the 
township are Mrs. Eichelberger, aged 
88; John G. Hatfi.eld, S6; John Weller 
aged 90. 

The persons active in the affairs of this 
township to date are descendants of the 
pioneers that are mentioned in the ac- 
count above given, which is taken from 
Beers' History and was complied by 
Perry Stewart, son of John T. Stewart, 
tJian whom no one was better prepared 
to write such a history. Perry Stewart 
was bom in Green Township on June 6, 
1818, and was the eldest son of John and 
Anna (Elder) Stewart. His father came 
to this township from Pennsylvania in 
1806. His mother the daughter of Robert 
and Ann Elder who came to this town- 
ship in 1813. This Stewart family was 
a remarkable one in more than one re- 
spect, there having been born as brothers 
and sisters of Perry Stewart (Perry be- 
ing the eldest), E. R. Stewart, still liv- 
ing aged 86; Samuel Stewart, Charles 
Stewart, James M. Stewart, still living, 
Thomas E. Stewart, Julianna Stewart 
Anderson, Oscar N. Stewart, still living, 
and W. C. Stewart, still living. Perry, 
or, as he was usually called, Captain 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



247 



Perry Stewart, died in the fall of 1906. 
He was married in 1844 to Miss Rhoda 
Wheeler who was also born in this town- 
ship and had a large family of children, 
Charles F. being the present township 
clerk, and Pearl having been treasurer 
of this county. Captain Stewart acquired 
his military title in the War of the Re- 
bellion, having been eommdssioned cap- 
tain of the ninety-fourth 0. V. I. He was 
afterwards, in 1S65, chosen county com- 
missioner, and in 1867 representative to 
the General Assembly from this county. 
His brothers were all good citizens, James 
having been probate judge of Greene 
County, and Charles in his lifetime a 
member, for a number of years, of the 
County Agricultural Board. 

Chase Stewart, an attorney in the city 
of Springfield, is the son of Samuel, who 
moved to Hardin County. Earle, the 
present representative from this county 
to the Legislature, is the son of Thomas 
E. . 

Descendants of the Stewart family are 
inter-married in this township, so that 
there is a very large family connection, 
the present representative, James Hat- 
field, and CovTuty Commissioner R. N. 
Elder, recently deceased, having married 
daughters of Captain Perry Stewart. 

Another family that has left a very 
large connection in this township was the 
Garlough family. John P., a life-long 
resident of this township and for many 
years squire, died in 190.5. James T., son 
of Jacob Garlough, born in 1834, having 
held numerous township positions, died in 
1904. 

The Kitchen family, of which Abraham 
was the ancestor, is still represented in 
the township by the children of E. J. 



Kitchen, the brother I. N., who died in 
]898, having lived near Selma in the 
southern part. J. S. Kitchen is still liv- 
ing and resides in the City of Springfield. 

Robert Tindall, born in this township 
in 1825, the son of James and Sarah Tin- 
dall, is still living and in good health; so 
is John Weller, who was born in Mary- 
land in 1817, and came to this township in 
1836. 

Squire James Anderson, who was born 
in 1815 in Scotland, came to this town- 
ship when four years of age and lived 
here until his death in 1906. He was one 
of the recognized prominent farmers of 
The county. He held a number of public 
positions in the township and was known 
to be a careful, shrewd, thoughtful man. 
He was particularly prominent in the or- 
ganization of the Farmers' Mutual In- 
surance Company, of which he was presi- 
dent for a number of years. He left a 
large fortune Imt no direct descendants. 

The Elder family is another family 
which has a large connection in this town- 
ship, R. N. Elder having been county com- 
missioner. The Todd family is another 
one of distinction in this township. 
James Todd, the father of Captain S. A. 
Todd, who was county recorder, came to 
this township in 1818. Captain Todd was 
born in 1836; his mother was Elizabeth 
Garlough. Mayor James M. Todd, of this 
city, is connected with the Todds of this 
township. 

James R. Littler was likewise a lifelong 
resident of this township, having been 
born in Clifton in 1837. 

He is still living, is a veteran of the 
Civil War, and for the last thirty years 
has conducted a blacksmith shop in the 
village of Pitchin. 



248 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



POLITICAL. 

By reason of the township being strong- 
ly in accord in political matters with the 
majority of this county, a large number 
of the public officials have come from this 
township. 

County Officials. 

In 1838 Stephen M. AVheeler was coun- 
ty auditor and was likewise representative 
in 1840 and 41. John T. Stewart in 1837- 
8 was associate judge of the Common 
Pleas Court. Perry Stewart was county 
commissioner in 1866-1867, and repre- 
sented this county in the legislature in 
1868-1869. "William D. • Johnson was 
county commissioner in 1869-1875. J. S. 
Kitchen was county commissioner 1880- 
1886. R. N. Elder was commissioner, 
1889-1895. Samuel Todd, recorder 1883- 
1891; George Elder, representative 1894- 
1S98. Others closely connected were 
Chase Stewart, prosecuting attorney 
1889, and later representative; Earl 
Stewart, at present representative ; James 
M. Todd, treasurer 1895, and at pres- 
ent mayor of the city; P. M. Stew- 
art, treasurer in 1889; James Hat- 
field at present member to the General 
Assembly. In addition to these, while not 
living in the township at the time of their 
election yet generally recognized as Green 
Township products, were T. E. Lot, 
sheriff 1892-1896, and Thomas Shocknes- 
sey, 1896-1900. 

Township Offici.u.s. 

Clerks — In township affairs Thomas E. 
Stewart was township clerk from 1882- 
1889 and C. F. Stewart from that time to 
the present date; S. G. Stewart (elect). 

Treasurers — Oliver Gaiiough, 1883- 



]889; James Hatfield, 1889-1893; and M. 

A. Hatfield to this date. S. T. Luse, elect. 
The following is a roster of trustees 

from 1882— R. N. Elder, 1882-1885; D. 

B. Shaffer, 1882-1883; B. P. Garlough, 
1882-1884; H. C. Johnston, 1884-1889; C. 
F. Stewart, 1885-1889; R. F. Marshall, 
1885-1888; M. E. Hatfield, 1886-1891; 
Michael- Shocknessy, 1888-1899; James 
Cowan, 1889-1895; James T. Garlough, 
1891-1902; N. H. Wright, 1895-1897; Sam- 
uel Harris, 1897-1903; H. C. Johnston, 
1899-1905; E. K. Nave, 1903-1907; 0. D. 
Estle, 1903-1907; C. F. Tindall, 1905- 
1907; Chas. Wise (elect). 

Justices of the Peace from 1871 — J. F. 
Stewart, 1871-1877; J. S. Kitchen, 1871- 
1879; Thomas E. Stewart, 1877-1880, 
1894-1903; J. P. Garlough, 1879-1900; 
John B. Patton, 1880-1886; William H. 
Shafer, 1884-1887; R. T. Kelley, 1885- 
1891, 1900-1906; Wm. 0. Paden, 1903- 
1906; Wm. H. Coon, 1903-1906; E. W. 
Stewart, 1905-1908. 

Churches. 

The first church that was organized was 
of the Baptist denomination. Assisted 
by Presbyterians, the Baptists built a 
church for a meeting house in 1807 a 
short distance north of the old Gen. Ben- 
jamin Whiteman's house. This was a log 
structure. The Baptists occupied it un- 
til 1830. In 1811 the Presbyterians or- 
ganized a church, the Rev. James Welsh 
having been instrumental in the organi- 
zation. In 1827 a brick church was built 
near the west fence of the cemetery, and 
in 1854 the present church was 'built in 
Clifton. The former pastors of this 
church were Peter Montfort, 1813-1817; 
Andrew Poague 1817-1840 ; Moses Russel 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



249 



1840-1863;, A. R. Colmary 1864-1869; T. 
M. Wood 1870-1871; E. S. Weaver 1871- 

In 1818 the Methodist Episcopal 
Church was organized and had a church 
sonth of Springfield on the Yellow 
Springs Pike, afterwards another church 
was built a short distance north in 1837, 
on what was then Adam Mayne's farm 
and afterwards this organization built 
Emery Chapel, which is ia Springfield 
Township, in 1852. 

In 1845 the old Ebenezer Church still 
standing on the west side of Yellow 
Springs Pike, was built by the Christian 
Church organization, which was estab- 
lished in 1839. This property has been 
recently sold and the church organization 
abandoned. 

At an early date Melyn D. Baker, Isaac 
M. Walker, and Jacob Reeder were 
pastors of this church, the Rev. N. Sum- 
merbell having been its last pastor in 
1880. The church at Pitchin, of the Meth- 
odist Protestant denomination, was or- 
ganized in 1833 by Rev. Saul Hinkle. It 
was known as Concord church and is still 
in active use. The Rev. M. M. Campbell 
is the present pastor. 

In 1840 the Free Will Baptist Church 
was organized on a lot owned by Abra- 
ham Kitchen, known as Pleasant Grove. 
The church is still standing which was 
built in 1859. The Rev. Titus is the pres- 
ent pastor. 

In 1844, an anti-slavery Methodist or- 
ganization built a church at Cortsville and 
afterwards a Free Presbyterian organi- 
zation was established here. This church 
in recent years has been occupied by the 
colored Baptist Church organization. 

In 1860 on the Yellow Springs Pike in 



the extreme southwestern part of the 
township was organized ' ' Wones ' ' Chapel 
named after the Rev. Timothy Wones who 
was its organizer. This has been aban- 
doned for a number of years. 

Schools. 

The township was formed into school 
districts as early as 1819. The schools 
were established principally and carried 
on by subscriptions, and the school- 
houses were built on the donation plan 
up to 1840. The schools of the township 
are in a flourishing condition. 

The following is a list of teachers for 
the coming year. Superintendent C. C. 
Kail. No. 1 and 2 became a part of Selma 
District: No. 3 Pleasant Ridge, Esther 
Mattison; No. 4, Liberty, closed, and the 
pupils transferred to Pitchin; No. 5, 
Pitchin, principal, Jane McCartney; pri- 
mary Mabel Knott: music, George 
Zeigler. 

Special District — No Superintendent. 
Miss Alice Patton, Hopewell; Allentown, 
open; Peacock, A. B. Sparrow. 

Clifton— Superintendent, H. C. Ault- 
man; assistant high school teacher J. C. 
Marshall; intermediate, Emma Spahr; 
primary, Lucy Stewart; music, George 
Zeigler. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males 
77; females 62; total 139. Special Dis- 
trict—Males 53; females 54; total 107. 
Clifton— Males 88; females 86; total 174. 

HARMONY TOWNSHIP. 

BOTJNDABIES. 

Harmony Township is east of Spring- 
field Township, south of Pleasant and 
north of Madison Township, and bounded 



250 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



on tlie east bj^ the Madison County line. 
Territorially it is the largest township 
in the county. It existed in name and 
formed a part of the township in Cham- 
paign County prior to the establishment of 
this county. How it received the name of 
Harmony is not now known. The western 
part of the towiiship consists of Congress 
lands. The eastern part of Military 
land, being that part which is east of the 
Ludlow line, which appears a little to the 
northwest running through the township 
from a point about one mile west of its 
southern boundary. Both Beaver Creek 
and the Lisbon fork of the Little Miami 
have their source in the eastern part of 
the township. 

Ckeeks. 

Beaver Creek flows in an westerly direc- 
tion, leaving the township not far from 
the village of Harmony. The Lisbon fork 
of the Little Miami flows southwesterly 
past the village of Lisbon. In addition to 
these streams, the north fork of the Little 
Miami extends out close to Plattsburg. 
These various streams make the town- 
ship suitable for either agriculture or 
grazing, and these we find are the leading- 
industries. In the extreme eastern part 
of the township the land is quite rolling, 
but in no place is it sufficiently hilly as 
to become untillable. 

Soil-Crops. 

The valleys of these little streams are 
quite fertile and the township contributes 
largely of the staple products of this coun- 
ty, the sheep industry being extensively 
conducted in the eastern part. 

The principal settlers seem to have 



been from Virginia with a considerable 
sprinkling of Kentuckians. 

Roads. 

Through the northern part of the town- 
ship, in early times, there was a road 
established leading from Springfield west- 
wardly toward Columbus, which is still 
called the Old Columbus Road. This road 
lost much of its former importance upon 
the establishment of the National Road, 
which runs the entire length of the town- 
ship, and at an early date gave much im- 
portance to the villages of Brighton, 
Vienna and Harmony, which were located 
on it. It is still the public thorough- 
fare of the northern part of this 
township leading to Springfield. The 
Springfield and Charleston Pike extends 
across the lands of the southern part of 
the township and the McArthur Free 
Turnpike leads north and south from Lis- 
bon via Plattsburg, Vienna and Catawba. 
It was built in 1868 by John McKinney. 
In addition to the three villages before 
mentioned, Plattsbui'g and Lisbon are 
located in this township, giving to the 
township more prominent villages than 
any other township in the county (see 
villages). Fifty miles of improved roads 
are within the township. 

Railroads. 

The Columbus branch of the Big Four 
Railway runs through the entire town- 
ship from east to west very near its cen- 
ter, and the Spring-field and Columbus 
Traction line now follows the National 
Road in the northern J)art of the town- 
ship, and the D. T. & I. R. R. crosses 
the southwest corner of the township. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



251 



Voting Peecincts. 

The township has recently been divided 
into two voting precincts, the western part 
having its place of voting at Harmony 
and the eastern part at Plattsburg. 
There may be a further division of the 
eastern precinct, constituting a new vot- 
ing place at Vienna in a not far distant 
future. 

Population. 

Harmony Township has not as large a 
population now as it had in 1850. On that 
date there were 1,929 people residing in 
this township ; in 1870, there were 1,821 ; 
in 1880, 1,846 ; in 1890, 1,819 ; and in 1900, 
1,830. 

ACKBAGE AND ASSESSED VaLUE. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres and the assessed value of the 
real and personal property as included in 
the various school districts of the town- 
ship: 

Real Personal 
Acres Estate Property Total 

Harmonv Tp. 27.189 $ 027,850 ¥491,930 $1,419,780 

^•ScL^'dIs? 1,223 37,610 12,100 49,710 

^'•l^strf/t ^''''°' 75C. 26,080 9,940 36.020 

Vienna Sch biVt' 2 413 77.590 48,410 126,000 

Vienna To«?.^;214_ 5a930_ 63,475 114,405 

31,705 .$1,120,0.50 $617,855 $1,74.5,915 
POUTICS. 

This township has always been in favor 
of the political candidates that were in 
opposition to the Democratic party. 

In 1840 William Henry Harrison re- 
ceived 266 votes and Martin Van Buren 
but 48. In 1863 John Brough for gover- 
nor, received 357, and C. L. Vallandigham 
only 34; and the township has in recent 
years been Eepubliean to the extent of 
200. 



Old Settlees. 

Thomas Chenoweth settled in the vicin- 
ity of Lisbon as early as 1803, and in 
1815 laid out the village of Lisbon. He 
was a Virginian. He accumulated con- 
siderable property by farming. He was 
the father of three sons and three daugh- 
ters. He died, on the farm where he had 
spent a long and useful life, February 25, 
1856, in his seventy-ninth year. 

George Weaver settled near Lisbon in 
1808, and erected a distillery some years 
later. He operated as a distiller for a 
number of years, and removed to Madison 
County about the year 1831. 

John Merideth was a soldier of the Rev- 
olution. He came to Ohio from Hanip- 
shire County, Virginia, in company with 
Hamilton Busbey, in the fall of 1815, de- 
scending the Ohio in a flat-boat to Cin- 
cinnati, and traversing the wilderness by 
wagon to their destination. He settled 
at Lisbon in the fall of that year, and 
if not the first, he was one of the first, 
merchants of that place. During his busi- 
ness career, as a matter of convenience, 
he issued a proprietary scrip as curren- 
cy This home-made medium was easily 
imitated and the result was that he was 
compelled to redeem more than he issued. 
After a number of years, he removed to 
Urbana and became cashier of a bank. 
Later he removed to Miami County, and 
died in 1839, at the age of ninety-one. His 
youngest son attained distinction as a 
general during the late Civil War. 

Hamilton Busbey was a Virginian, and 
was born in Hampshire County in 1792 
He emigrated to Ohio in company with 
John Meredith in 1815, settling at Lisbon, 
where he remained" for ten years. He 



252 



HISTORY OL^ CLARK COUNTY 



then bought and occupied a farm near the 
present village of Plattsburg. He served 
the township in various official capacities. 
He was the father of a large family. Mr. 
Busbey died in Coles County, Illinois, De- 
cember 16, 1847, aged fifty-five. 

Joseph Morris was an early settler near 
Lisbon; was one of the early school 
teachers of the village, and was a minister 
of the Baptist Church, for a period of 
half a century. He raised a large family 
of children, who inherited the noble 
traits of their father, and who filled well 
their stations in life. 

John Craig, a Revolutionary soldier, 
was born February 15, 1758; entered the 
army in 1775, and was discharged in 1780. 
He came to the township in 1808, and died 
in Springfield ToAvnship, at the home of 
Lewis Skillings, Sr. He was a man of 
moral worth and sterling integrity. 

John Heaton settled east of Lisbon as 
early as 1815; was a farmer, and served 
as a Justice of the Peace for twenty-one 
years. His sons, Henry, James, Abraham 
and Abner, were residents of the town- 
ship, and worthy citizens. Mr. Heaton 
died November 22, 1861, at the age of 
eighty-two. 

John Judy, Sr., was born in Basle, 
Switzerland, about 1760. He came to 
America at the age of ten, with his 
father's family, who settled on the south 
branch of the Potomac. He came to Ken- 
tucky at the age of twenty-two, and mar- 
ried Phoebe Lamaster. About 1794, he 
came to what is now Grreene County, Ohio, 
and about the year 1800 he came into the 
territory of what is now Harmony Town- 
ship, and settled two miles east of the 
present site of Plattsburg, now the farm 
of Matthew Bonner. Here he reared a 



family of children. About 1831, he re- 
moved to Union County, Ohio, where he 
died at an advanced age. 

The Turner brothers, Thomas, James, 
Robert, William, David and Samuel, 
were settlers near the Madison County 
line, coming into the township in about 
the year 1808. They were natives of 
Maryland. They took an active interest 
in the organization of the township. 
Robert served as a Justice of the Peace 
and as County Commissioner. Their 
descendants are among the prominent citi- 
zens of LTnion County. "There was not 
a black sheeyj in the flock." 

"Col." Thomas Eathbum was born in 
Rhode Island in 1782, and came to Ohio 
in 1811, settling at Brighton the same 
year. Served some years as Justice of 
the Peace, and also as Colonel of militia. 
Died in 1869, in his eighty-eighth year. 

Samuel McMillan, settled on Beaver 
Creek, near the present site of Brighton, 
in 1811. He was a blacksmith by trade, 
and also served the township as a 
magistrate. 

Enoch King was from Pennsylvania, 
and in the year 1812 or 1813, settled a 
mile east of where Plattsburg now stands. 
He was a farmer of good repute, and was 
the appraiser of real estate of the town- 
ship in 1840. He was twice married; had 
a large family, thirteen of whom grew to 
maturity. Enoch, John and David, sons 
of the second wife, are residents of the 
township to this day. Mr. King died in 
1865, aged seventy-one. His widow and 
daughter Mattie reside on a portion of 
the home farm. 

John Osborn was a native of Green- 
brier County, Virginia ; he moved to Ken- 
tucky in 1790, and thence to Ohio in 1812, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



253 



occupying the lands on which Plattsburg 
was afterward located. His sons, Will- 
iam, Levi, Jesse and Elijah, were in after 
years worthy and prominent citizens of 
Harmony Township. He died August, 
1847, aged eighty-seven. 

William Osborn, oldest son of John 
Osborn, came to the township with his 
father in 1812, having been born in 1787. 
His first wife was Jane McDonald; his 
second, the widow of James McArthur. 
Mr. Osborn was one of the original found- 
ers of Plattsburg, and built the brick 
hotel on the principal corner. He was a 
man of great energy and extraordinary 
business capacity, and dealt largely in 
stock and real estate. He died October 
37, 1870, aged eighty-three. A suitable 
sketch of his life and character is found 
in Turf, Field and Farm of October 25, 
1870, written by Hamilton Busbey, editor 
of that journal, and a native of Harmony 
Township. 

Mack McDaniel was a Kentuckian. He 
settled near the site of Plattsburg in 181o, 
and died in November, 1832, at the a.9'e 
of eighty-one. 

Benjamin Hathaway was from Massa- 
chusetts, and served in the War of 1812, 
and was a Captain in the navy. He be- 
came a citizen of the township in 1815. 
His storj^ of his life is a mixture of fact, 
romance and mystery, but he was withal 
a man of great integrity and intelligence. 
His son Benjamin was colonel of a regi- 
ment of militia, and a school teacher of 
repute. The senior Hathaway died Janu- 
ary, 1861, aged eighty-two years. 

James Haney settled on Beaver Creek 
in 1810, and built the first saw-mill in the 
township. The remains of the mill and 
race can yet be seen. 



A man named Burke erected a mill on 
the Little Miami about 1815. -It was a 
small aifair, and could only be operated 
to advantage during the rainy seasons, 
but it was considered valuable in those 
days. 

Col. William Foreman, born in Ken- 
tucky in 1791, came to Ohio and settled 
in Harmony Township in 1812. He was 
the father of eleven children, a colonel of 
militia, served as township treasurer for 
several years, and was the owner of a 
large estate. He carried on a tannery on 
the old London Road, three miles west of 
Plattsburg, for many years. He resided 
in Harmony Township fifty-eight years 
and died Februai:j^ 19, 1871, aged eighty- 
one. 

William Henry was from Kentucky. 
He settled on the Little Miami, one and 
one-half miles north of Lisbon, in 1814. 
He was a man whom many remember 
kindly. 

James McDaniels settled two miles 
north of Lisbon in 1815. His nativity is 
in doubt. He took an active part in the 
campaign of 1840, and at a mass meeting 
at Springfield on the 18th of June of that 
year, he was selected as one of the cor- 
nermen in the erection of a log cabin on 
the occasion. 

Robert Reid settled on the Little Mia- 
mi, on the farm now owned by Mrs. J. 
P. McGrew, in 1815. He took an active 
part in the affairs of Harmony Township, 
serving' as clerk and trustee. 

James Spragne was a Canadian; he 
settled west of Lisbon, on the Little Mia- 
mi, about the year 1815. He was the 
father of L. B. Sprague and Darius 
Sprague, former residents of Harmony 



254 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Township, and of Dr. James Sprague, of 
London, Ohio. 

Edward Rice was one of the early set- 
tlers of Harmony Townshiij. He came 
to Ohio with his wife in 1809, from Mas- 
sachusetts, which was also his wife'^ 
birthplace, and settled on the farm south 
of the present village of Harmony, known 
as the Patten farm, in 1812. He was a 
man well informed, took an active inter- 
est in the public affairs of the township, 
and was a township trustee for several 
years. Four of his sons were residents 
of Springfield Township and city. His 
son, Asa, now deceased, built a steam 
saw- and grist-mill in Vienna about 1854. 
Mr. Rice died January 10, 1842, and his 
wife Lucy October 22, 1877. 

Gabriel Cos settled on a farm adjoining 
Harmony Village about the year 1813. 
He farmed some and kept hotel south of 
the village. He was a Freemason, and 
when he died was buried by that order. 

James Donnels settled on the Jesse 
Boyd farm on the old Columbus road in 
1808. He was a farmer and amassed con- 
siderable wealth. His only son James, 
now deceased, lived on the farm now 
owned by E. A. Bowman, immediately 
east of Harmony, in the house built by his 
father about the time the National Road 
was finished. 

David Hannah was a Virginian. He 
settled on Sinking Creek, in the north- 
western part of the township, in the year 
1815, and carried on a distillery for sev- 
eral years. In his day he was regarded 
as the largest and most powerful man in 
the township. 

John Nichelson settled on Beaver Creek 
in 1806. He had five sons — four of whom 
passed away years ago. Isabel, the eldest 



daughter, married Moore Groodfellow, 
and this is regarded as the earliest mar- 
riage in Harmony Township. Daniel 
Jones married one of the daughters, and 
the third died unmarried. 

Andrew Nichelson came to the town- 
ship with his father John Nichelson, in 
1806, being then three years old. Before 
he was of age, he purchased and paid for 
a tract of eighty acres of land, thus lay- 
ing the foundation for the vast wealth 
which he afterward possessed. He was 
twice married, and was the father of a 
large family^eleven of whom became 
men and women. His first wife was 
Rachel Hammond ; she died in 1852. His 
second wife was Mrs. Angeline Yeazell, 
nee Spencer, whom he married in 1854. 
He was a man much esteemed for his 
many charitable acts, a life-long and con- 
sistent member of the Christian Church, 
and was widely known as one whom noth- 
ing could divert from the path of recti- 
tude. He died July 23, 1880, in his sev- 
enty-eighth year. 

Moore Goodfellow was a native of Ire- 
land. He settled on Beaver Creek on 
lands now owned by Charles Snyder, in 
1810. His wife was Isabel Nichelson; 
they were married in 1808. Their chil- 
dren were William, John, Thomas, Mary 
Ann, Isabel, Samuel, Elliott, Rachel, 
Rhoda and Moore. His offspring, with 
their descendants, have held prominence 
in the township in business, political and 
social circles for nearly three-quarters of 
a century. He died September 16, 1860. 

Henry Oxtoby, Sr., was a native of 
Yorkshire, England, as was also his wife, 
Elizabeth Cook. They were married and 
had four children in their native land. 
They emigrated to America in 1803, lo- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



255 



eating first in the State of New York. 
In 1814, they came to Ohio and purchased 
160 acres of land near Oxtoby Station. 
For this land Mr. Oxtoby paid $2.25 per 
acre; it has since sold for $100 per acre. 
The senior Oxtoby died in 1838, his wife 
in 1836 ; the children have since followed, 
Henry only a few years ago. ' 

William Baird was a native of Hagers- 
town, Md., born March 16, 1762. He 
moved to Kentucky in 1794, and thence 
to Ohio in 1808, settling on Beaver Creek 
lands latterly owned by his son William 
D. Baird. He served in the Revolution- 
ary war. He left three sons and four 
daughters at his death. Mr. Baird was 
present on the occasion of a treaty made 
with the Indians in 1809 at Spring-field, 
and saw the celebrated warrior and chief 
Tecumseh. He was also personally ac- 
quainted with Daniel Boone and Simon 
Kenton of historic fame. 

Benjamin Foreman, James Parks, War- 
ham Stasy, Lewis Fee, Nicholas Storms, 
John and George Jones, Allen Gilbert, 
Matthew Spencer, John H. and George 
Dynes, were all settlers of Beaver Creek 
section, in the vicinity of the National 
Road. 

James Burns and Daniel Jones and 
family were early settlers near Lisbon. 
Thomas Stites was an early settler one 
and a half miles northwest of Lisbon, 
and managed a distillery for some years. 

Jacob Girard, Thomas Whittredge and 
Isaac Dillon were early settlers near Lis- 
bon. Robert Thorp, Sr., and family set- 
tled in the southwestern part of the town- 
ship in 1819; they came from England. 
James Price came in 1820, died in 1846. 

Isaac Chamberlain settled near Lisbon 
about the year 1815, and kept a public 



house for several years. His children 
were Stephen H., George, Walter, Mary, 
Caroline and Sarah. 

John Whiteley settled in the neighbor- 
hood of Fletcher Chapel, near the west- 
ern line of the township. He served as 
justice of the peace of Harmony Town- 
ship for several successive years. He 
was also a commissioner of the county. 
His sons — ^William, Joseph, Andrew and 
Abner — have become noted throughout 
Christendom as inventors and manufac- 
turers. Mr. Whiteley died June, 1845, 
aged sixty-four. Andrew was the father 
of William N. Whiteley, the great reaper 
inventor. 

Christopher Laybourn was born in En- 
gland, in 1745; there married, in 1777, to 
Margaret Newlove, born in 1758. In 
1794, he with his wife and six children 
emigrated to New York, where they lived 
eighteen years, during which time he was 
mayor of New York City two years. In 
1812, he and family came to Clark Coun- 
ty, settling in the southwestern part of 
this township, now known as the Thorp 
farm. He afterward moved to the farm 
in Section 25, where he died in 1842, his 
wife having died in 1825. He was a 
school teacher and a man of good educa- 
tion. 

John Judy, Jr., was the second son of 
.lohn Judy, Sr., and was born in a block- 
house near Flemingsburg, Ky., in 1791. 
He came to Ohio with his father's family 
and settled on the "Judy farm" on the 
head waters of the Little Miami near the 
Madison County line. His wife was Ly- 
dia Hull. He served in the War of 1812 
as a private; served Harmony Township 
as a magistrate, and was a captain of a 
company of militia. He built one of the 



256 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



first brick houses in the country, and kept 
the "Black Horse Tavern," the first 
hotel in the township. He was a man of 
integrity and lived and died a consistent 
member of the Free-Will Baptist Church. 
He removed to Illinois about 1860, and 
died December 1, 1874, aged eighty-three. 

Dr. William Amphlet located in the 
western portion of the township in an 
early day. He was an Englishman by 
birth, well educated, skillful in his pro- 
fession and owned a library of great 
value. 

Dr. J. B. Lingie was born in Spring- 
field in 1813, and settled at Vienna as a 
physician in 1836. He was a successful 
practitioner, and seiwed the township of- 
ficially as justice of the peace, treasurer 
and clerk. He died in 1878. 

Washing-ton and Josiah Wilson came to 
this township with their mother Temijer- 
ance (Judy) Wilson, about 1813, where 
Michael Wilson, Jr., was born shortly 
afterward. This family became one of 
the wealthy and influential ones of the 
township and wielded an influence for 
good. 

Mention is made of other physicians 
who have practiced their profession at 
Vienna. Harry H. Yound, Hames 
Sprague, Dr. Norris, Dr. Hunter, Will- 
iam IT. Banwell, E. H. Smith. 

The merchants of Vienna have been 
Caleb Barret, Daniel Brown, Emanuel 
Wayne, D. B. Farrington, W. S. Funston, 
fieorge W. Ryan, D. 0. Heiskill, J. M. 
Bennett. W. T. Harris, J. A. Widdicombe, 
Samuel Frock. 

William Pool and wife came with their 
son-in-law, Edward Rice, to this township 
in 1812, where both died; they were na- 
tiA^es of Massaclmsetts. 



Eakly Events. 

The first marriage we have recorded 
in the townshi]i is that of Isabel Nichel- 
son to Moore Goodfellow in. 1808. The 
first schoolhouse was erected on the Good- 
fellow farm in 1808. The first church con- 
structed of hewn logs, was erected on a 
farm of Samuel Goodfellow in 1809. At 
an early date a grist-mill was erected by 
a man by the name of Burke on the Miami 
two and a quarter miles south of Platts- 
burg. Caleb Barret was the first store- 
keeper at Vienna Cross Roads. He moved 
his store to this place from the old vil- 
lage of Windsor where he had a store as 
early as 1825, on the Old Columbus Road. 

The fi.rst saw-mill was built in 1830 by 
James Haney on Section 11 on Beaver 
Creek. At an early date Isaac Chamber- 
lain built a hotel at Lisbon. The manu- 
facturing industries of this township have 
never been very extensive. 

Formerly there was a tannery three 
miles west of Plattsburg known as the 
Forman tannery. Another tannery was 
located in the northwestern ]3art of the 
village of Vienna, and was carried on by 
D. W. Hinkle. In several places in the 
township distilleries were conducted in a 
small way, there being one on the Old 
Columbus Road. At present there is a 
grain elevator at Plattsburg and the En- 
terprise Manufacturing Company con- 
ducts the business of making blankets, 
etc., at Vienna. 

Recent Inhabitants. 

In addition to those spoken of above, 
whose records were found in Beers' His- 
tory, the following persons have been 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



257 



more or less prominent in this town- 
ship. 

James Wallingsford was born in this 
township in 1826, on the farm then be- 
longing to his father and situated on the 
National Road between Vienna and Har- 
mony. This road crossing was in early 
times given the name of Buena Vista. 
Mr. Wallingsford has been an active char- 
acter and was for a long time a resident 
of this township, but is now living in the 
toAvnship of German. For a long time he 
was an auctioneer and occasionally does 
business of that kind yet, although seven- 
ty-seven years of age. His brother Joseph 
Wallingsford, who was born at the same 
place, lives in the city of Springfield and 
is now eighty-four years of age. 

Michael Wilson, deceased, was born in 
this township in 1814. He was married 
to Lavina Henry in 1835. He died in 
1879, leaving a very large family. 

Abraham Weaver was born in Virginia 
in 1823 ; he married Miss Sophia Sprague 
in 1847, and has resided in this town- 
ship ever siiice. 

Joseph C. Olinger was one of the large 
land owners in the eastern part of this 
township and came here in 1846 from the 
State of Virginia. He died in 1894. C. 
S. Olinger, attorney, of Springfield, is one 
of his children. 

William Troxell, now deceased, moved 
to this township from Pike Township in 
1837. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. 
Margaret Brooks. She dying, he was 
married a second time, in 1874, to Dora V. 
Shriack. Mr. Troxell was for a long time 
an active and energetic citizen, accumulat- 
ing about 600 acres of land. He died 
about the vear 1890. 



John Goodfellow who is still active and 
resides in Vienna, being connected with" 
the Enterprise Manufacturing Company, 
is a native of this township and the son 
of Thomas G-oodfellow. Manly Goodfel- 
low, a brother of John and still residing 
in this township, .was born in 1843. 

A. N. Brooks, whose death occurred in 
1906, was bom in this township in 1835 
and carried on a grain business for many 
years at what is known as Brooks Sta- 
tion. 

Alexander C. Patton was born in Bel- 
mont County in 1838 and died July 10th, 
1899. He lived a short distance south of 
Harmony from 1869 until his death. 

Jacob Volmer a resident of this town- 
ship, near the village of Harmony, was 
born in 1840 in Muskingum County. Was 
married to Mrs. Olive Stephens in 1870. 
In 1866 he became interested in wagon 
making and entered into parkiership with 
John Ulerick of Harmony, which they 
operated for a number of years. 

David King, now a resident of the city 
of Springfield, was bom in this township 
in 1843 and held the position of justice 
of the peace for some time. 

John McCoy was born in Mad River 
Township, this county, in 1853. He was 
married to Mary Roberts in 1878. Mr. 
McCoy has been a resident of this town- 
ship for a number of years, conducting 
a store in Vienna and is now connected 
with the Enterprise Manufacturing Com- 
pany. 

The Kirkhams still occupy a prominent 
position in township affairs as also do 
the Nichelsons. William Harris, now de- 
ceased, was for a long time resident of 
tlie Village of Vienna, as is J. S. Rice, who 
is still living at that place. C. 0. Hays 



258 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



is a prominent farmer in the southern 
part. 

Trustees of Harmony Township — 
Jacob Vollmer, 1881-1884; Moore Goodf el- 
low, 1881-1884; A. C. Patton, 1881, 1884- 
1889; Abraham Weaver, 1882-1885; Geo. 
J. Tippie, 1884-1887; John A. Stewart, 
1885-1888; F. S. Wilson, 1887-1893; 
Charles Mitsch, 1888-1891 ; Wm. Bennett, 
1889-1896; E. A. Bonner, 1891-1894; J. 
P. Franklin, 1893-1899 ; Milton Alexander, 
1895-1901; Samuel Ramsey, 1896-1903; 
Joseph Weaver, 1899-1902; C. A. Snyder, 
1901-1904; Jacob Stoll, 1902-1907; Geo. 
C. Agle, 1903-1907; Wm. M. Kirkham 
1904-1907. 

Treasurers — John Goodfellow, 1881- 
1895; W. S. Bennett, 1895-1901; R. W. 
Jones, 1901-1904; L. M. Finch, 1904- . . . . 

Clerks— Jas. H. Glover, 1881-1887; 
Chas. S. Beesley, 1887-1891 ; John McCoy, 
1891-1900; t). W. Coberly, 1900-1904; 
Arthur Robbins, 1904-Oct. 1906; Louis 
West, 1906-.... 

Justices of the Peace since 1871 — 
Thomas Goodfellow, 1871; Almon Brad- 
ford, 1871-1877; Abraham Weaver, 1872; 
William Hains, 1873 ; W. T. Harris, 1876 ; 
M. H. Dynes, 1879, resigned; G. W. 
Keeler, 1880-1886 ; David King, 1881, 1887, 
1896; Henry A. Campbell, 1884-1887; 
Abel Laybourn, 1890-1893; D. Wilson 
Wright, 1890; E. fl. P. Arnold, 1896; 
James Viuce, 1899-1902, 1904; W. H. 
Willis, 1899-1902, 1904. 

Members of the Board of Education — 
Chas. .E. Davey, Washington Wilson, 
Henry Beard, Geo. Agle, Chas. Hayes. 

Members of Vienna Special District 
Board of Education — Henry E. Bennett, 
John Goodfellow, Howard Logue, Jacob 
Stoll, W. G. Harris. 



CHURCHES. 

Lisbon Baptist Chtjech. 

About 1811 a log house of worship was 
built on the bank of Little Beaver Creek. 
In 1820 the society had increased to si:s:ty- 
six. In 1833 a movement was started to 
build a new house, and in that year a 
church was built. In 1866 it was again 
determined to build a new church and the 
site was selected not far from Lisbon. 
This church was completed in 1867 and 
dedicated in that year by D. Shepherd- 
son. In 1875 it was wrecked by a storm. 
Rev. David Kerr of the City of Spring- 
field is pastor. 

Fletcher Chapel. 

In 1814 the Methodists began to hold 
services at the residence of Henry Oxtoby 
and others in the neighborhood. About 
1822 Henry Oxtoby, Joseph Newlove, 
John Stickney, Louis Skillings and others 
began to erect a small brick house. The 
house stood near but not on the present 
site of Fletcher Chapel. In 1848 the pres- 
ent brick chapel was built. The building 
committee was composed of Henry Oxto- 
by, Jolin Newlove and John Cozier. The 
charge is connected with the Moorefield 
charge, the Rev. M. E. Echols being the 
present pastor. 

Christian Church, Plattsburg. 

In 1846 a denomination of Christians 
aided by a number of T^niversalists built 
the "Peoples House" in Plattsburg. 

In later years the Christian denomina- 
tion has taken it in charge, Rev. Hook 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



259 



being the present pastor. The Christian 
Church in Vienna was organized in 1858 
and was built in the following year. The 
Rey. Mr. Hook is the pastor of the same 
at this writing. 

Vienna Methodist Church. 

The Vienna Methodist Church was first 
organized in 1835. In 1842 the brick 
structure was built. J. Dolby is the pres- 
ent minister. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Brighton was built about the year 1889 
and has been attached to the charge of 
Grace Chapel at Springfield, the Rev. Al- 
fred M. White being the present pastor. 

The Methodist Protestant Church near 
the village of Harmony was organized in 
1828 and in 1846 a house of worship Vas 
erected, which was succeeded by the pres- 
ent one in 1878. The Rev. M. M. Camp- 
bell is the present pastor. 

Schools. 

One of the first schoolhouses in the 
township was built at Lisbon about the 
year 1815. Another stood near the old 
Forman tannery three miles west of 
Plattsburg, and another in the settlement 
three miles south of Plattsburg. Some of 
these houses were erected by contribu- 
tions, teachers being employed in the 
same way. 

The first brick schoolhouse of the town- 
ship was erected about 1824 at Platts- 
burg. The first one in Vienna in 1845, 
which was afterwards succeeded by a 
brick one. A few years ago a township 
high school was organized and a build- 
ing for that purpose was erected in the 
village of Plattsburg. 



The following are mentioned as early 
teachers in the township, Joseph Morris, 
William Rogers, Charles Chaney, William 
Webbe, James C. Busby, Lemuel Brooks, 
Hugh King, Joshua Judy, B. C. Hatha- 
way and others. 

The following is a list of the teachers 
for the coming year : 

Superintendent, David Neer; high 
school principal, Carlyton Henry; high 
school assistant. Myrtle Wildasin ; music, 
S. S. Hause. Harmony, principal D. W. 
Coverly; primary, Clara Walker; 
Sprague, Wana McMahon ; Brighton, Mrs. 
Wilson ; Tanyard, Jessie Goodf ellow ; Lis- 
bon, Anna Porter; Jones, Little Walker; 
Newlove, Addie McMahon; Wilson, Glen- 
na Agie; Plattsburg, principal, open; pri- 
mary. Grace Porter; Oxtoby, Isabelle 
Thomas ; Dunn, Clara Wilson. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males 
200; females 212; total 412. 

Vienna — Males 52; females 49; total 
101. 

MADISON TOWNSHIP. 

Boundaries. 

Madison Towmship is located in the 
southeastern part of the county, bordered 
on the east by Madison County, on the 
south by Greene County and on the west 
and north by Green and Harmony Town- 
ship^ '\^'Tien Clark County was organ- 
ized, the territory comprising this section 
was taken from Madison and Greene 
Counties, about one-half from each. That 
part of the township which was in Greene 
County was called Vance Township, tak- 
ing its name from early settlers. When 
the township was formed on the organiza- 



260 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



tion of this county, it was called Madison 
from the fact that a large portion of it 
was taken from that county. Its width 
from north to south is five and one-half 
miles, and its average length from east 
to west seven and a half miles. Only a 
small portion of the lands in the north- 
ern part are what is known as Congress 
lands, the rest, being south of the Little 
Miami Kiver, were included in the original 
Virginia Military survey. The lauds of 
the township are tolerably level, sufficient- 
ly rolling however to afford good drain- 
age; much of it is of very fertile char- 
acter. 

Timber. 

While much of the land was originally 
covered by timber of the kind usually 
found in this county, yet there was a con- 
siderable quantity of it that was of a 
prairie character, being covered by long 
grass. The Indians fired this grass an- 
nually and thus destroyed much of the 
young timber growth. 

Crops. 

The crops usually grown in this town- 
ship are those which predominate in the 
county, to-wit, wheat, corn and oats. 
Stoekraising has always been quite an in- 
dustry of this township. The growth of a 
large number of sheep together with fine 
short-horn and well-bred road horses, 
have given this township a distinction in 
that line for a good many years past. 

ElVERS. 

The main branch of the Little Miami 
River has its source neaK the northeast- 
ern part of this township and flows in a 



westerly direction until it reaches the 
Green Township line. In the southern 
part is found Massie's Creek, so that the 
lands are reasonably well watered, which 
with its general fertility makes the town- 
ship very excellent for grazing purposes. 

Roads. 

The original roads of this town- 
ship followed the Indian trails or led to 
and from the Military reservations and 
are not very harmonious in detail. The 
West Jefferson, South Charleston and 
Xenia turnpike afforded convenience for a 
good deal of travel from Columbus and 
South Charleston, through Xenia to Day- 
ton in early times. 

The Spring-field and South Charleston 
Pike was finished in 1866; this is yet 
one of the principal thoroughfares from 
the township to the city of Springfield. 

The Charleston, Jeffersonville and 
Washington Pike was built in 1868. These 
roads were originally built as toll pikes 
and were afterwards purchased by the 
county. The main branch of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad, leading from Columbus 
to Cincinnati, goes through the two vil- 
lages of this township. South Charleston 
and Selma, almost diagonally in a south- 
western direction; the D. T. & I. leading 
from Springfield diagonally across the 
township in a southeasterly direction. 
These two railroads give to the principal 
village of the township, South Charles- 
ton, splendid railroad facilities and make 
it a good place for the marketing of prod- 
ucts. South Charleston is said to be the 
most important transfer-station on this 
division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. 

In 1904 the Springfield and Charleston 



AM) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



261 



Traction line was finished as far as South 
Charleston. Cars are now running every 
two hours between Springfield and this 
place, and are well patronized. 

Villages. 

The township has two villages — Selma 
and South Charleston. Likewise it has 
been divided into two voting places, each 
forming a district surrounding one of 
the villages, and known by the names of 
the village. The original settlers of this 
township seem to have come principally 
from Kentucky and Virginia. 

Population. 

By reason of the growth of South 
Charleston, this township has made some 
increase in population in the last half 
century. In 1850 it was 1,476; in 1870, 
1,965; 1880, 2,396; 1890, 2,204; 1900, 2,281. 

Acreage and Assessed Valuation. 

The following total will show the num- 
ber of acres and assessed valuation of the 
real and personal property of the town- 
ship, as divided among the various school 
districts. 

Acres. Rpjil PersoDnl Total. 
Estate. Property. 

Madison Tp. ..16,785? 528,920 $256,680 ? 785.600 
Selma's School 

Pist. 2,677 111,960 140,990 252,950 

S. Charleston 

Snhool Dist. 6,068 219,271 143,1.50 362,420 

S. Charlest'n town 389 241,370 -327,070 568,440 



Total 25,919 $1,101,520 $867,890 $1,969,410 

Politics. 

This township has always been strongly 
against the Democratic candidates for 
President. 

In 1832 Clay carried it by 131, in 1836 
Harrison by 152, and in 1840 Harrison 



by 143; in 1868 Grant had 176, and thus 
the majority has continued in favor of 
the Republican candidates. 

Pioneers. 

' ' George Buff enberger was a Virginian. 
He and family came to Ohio and settled 
in Madison Township as early as 1807, 
locating on the head-waters of the Little 
Miami. He owned a large tract of valu- 
able land, raised a large family of chil- 
dren, and was characterized as the most 
eccentric man of his generation. He pos- 
sessed great wealth, yet was careless, and 
often shabby in his dress, and defied 
the ordinarj' custom of civilized life. 
Christopher Lightfoot was a man of fine 
education, and a Scotchman. He settled 
where William Watson now lives, south 
of the Little Miami depot, some years be- 
fore South Charleston was laid out, and 
was one of the projectors of that village 
when it was incorporated as a village in 
1816. He was a school teacher and 
surveyor. 

"Elijah Pratt was probably the first 
phj^sieian of Madison Township. He was 
practicing as early as 1818. He lived 
northeast of South Charleston. He was 
from New England. 

"John Kolso was among the first jus- 
tices of . the peace of the township. He 
I'ved rn th'' J-^mestown Road, on lands 
now owned by PauUin's heirs. He reared 
a large family of children, all of whom are 
non-residents of the township. 

"William Holloway was an early set- 
tler near Selma, on the McDorman farm. 
He was a Quaker, and for many years 
filled the office of justice of the peace 
creditablv. 



262 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



"William Willis was an old and devout 
Quaker, and kept a hotel two miles west 
of South Charleston, on the State road 
from Xenia to Columbus, where Caleb 
Harrison formerly lived. This place, be- 
ing on so commonly traveled a road, from 
Cincinnati to Columlms, was widely 
known, and was a favorite stopping-place 
for the distinguished men of the early 
times. Between the years 1830 and 1840, 
while Tom Corwin was a member of Con- 
gress, and was comiDelled to reach the na- 
tional capital on horseback, he made this 
hotel a regular stopping-place. He was 
sometimes accompanied by Henry Clay, 
of Kentucky, on similar trips, and the 
high old times had at the 'Old Willis 
Hotel,' by these distinguished guests 
often tried the patience of the quiet host. 
The house, a one-story log building of 
three rooms, still stands. 

"Mungo Murray was a Scotchman, and 
located on Section 12, on the northern 
border of the township, in 1817. His sons, 
James, George and Peter, were gentle- 
men of rare business qualifications. The 
last named built the 'Murray House,' of 
Springfield, and was at one time of the 
foremost of the business men of that city. 
The elder Murray died in August, 1830, 
at the age of fifty-five years. John Mc- 
Collum was a native of Virginia. He 
settled two miles south of South Charles- 
ton in 1814, on the farm now owned by 
D. V. Pringle. He was twice married. By 
the second marriage he became the father 
of eight children — Eebecca, Henry, John, 
Alvira, Evaline. Minerva, Seth 0. and 
Eussel B. He died in 1848, aged seventy- 
three. His wife died in December, 1871, 
aged eighty-seven. 

"David Vance was a Kentnekian. He 



settled in Madison Township in 1808 or 
1809, one mile Avest of South Charles- 
ton, on the farm now owned by James 
Pringle. He was a cousin of Joseph 
Vance, tenth governor of Ohio. His sons 
— Ephraim., John, Daniel, Joseph, Elijah 
and Elisha — were worthy citizens. The 
last two were twins. 

"James Pringle, Sr., came from Ken- 
tucky and settled in Madison Township in 
1812, on Section 16, formerly owned by 
D. 0. Heiskell. His wife was a Vance. 
Th6y raised a lar-ge family of children, 
who in after years filled well their sev- 
eral stations in life. Their sons were 
Thomas, David, William and James. Mr. 
Pringle died in August, 1867, aged eighty- 
four. 

"Isaac Davisson, about 1810, settled a 
short distance East of South Charleston. 
He married Sarah Curl in 1808. His 
father, Isaac Davisson, Sr., was an early 
settler of Warren Coimty. Isaac, Jr., 
and his bride made their wedding tour on 
horseback, Mrs. Davisson using a feather 
bed for a sidesaddle. They passed through 
Springfield on their way from Todd's 
Fork, in Warren County, to their new 
home, near Catawba. At this time 
Springfield had but a few houses, and 
these were in the brush. After spending 
the first three years of their married life 
in Pleasant Township, they located in 
Madison, as stated. He purchased fifty 
acres of land, and in time added several 
hundred acres to his estate. He was of 
Methodist stock, as well as his wife, and 
in the years that followed their coming 
to the neighborhood, the early preachers 
held meetings in their humble cabin, and- 
to the end of his days his devotion to the 
Master and his zeal for the church never 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



263 



waned. His wife still lives, and has 
passed the ninetieth milestone in the 
eventful race of life. They raised a large 
family of children; twelve of these lived 
to become married — they were William, 
Obadiah, Lemuel, Mary, Elizabeth, Nancy, 
Sarah J., Margaret, Julia Ann, Maria, 
James G. and Daniel. 

"Phillip Hedrick and his wife (Foley) 
settled on the north bank of the Little 
Miami in 1811, on the farm now owned 
by K. P. Truitt. Mr. Hedrick was a Ken- 
tuckian; bis wife, a Virginian. He 
bought 600 acres of land at $1.25 per acre. 
Tbe husband and wife died in 1838 and 
1825, respectively. They were married 
in Kentucky and five children were born 
to them in that State. Their children 
were Samuel, Lewis, David, Isaac, Henry, 
Joseph, Anna, Mahala and Rebecca. He 
assisted to lay out South Charleston in 
1815. 

"Charles Paist was a native of Dela- 
ware County, Pennsylvania. He was 
married to Abigail Perkins, of "Wilming- 
ton, Ohio. He settled on the head-waters 
of Massie's Creek on the Columbus and 
Xenia Road, in 1815, and there built a 
store and carried on merchandising sev- 
eral years. He was the first merchant of 
i\radison Township. He moved to South 
Charleston in 1824, and there continued 
merchandising for some time. He served 
one term' as association judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas, and was one of 
the leading Abolitionists of his time, beT 
ing far in advance of the public senti- 
ment of that day. The first anti-slavery 
address ever made in South Charleston 
was made from the porch of his residence 
on Columbus Street. He was a medley 
of contraditions, being a Democrat, a 



Quaker, an Abolitionist and an ardent fol- 
lower of Tom Paine. His children- 
Isaac, William, Charles and Mary (Mrs. 
D. 0. Heiskell) — inherited the sterling 
qualities of the father. He died in 1858, 
aged sixty. His wife died the next year, 
aged fiftj'-eight. 

"Robert Houston was born in Scott 
County, Kentucky, April 11, 1800. At the 
age of twelve years he came to Ohio with 
his parents. He studied medicine at 
Springfield, Ohio, and began the practice 
of his profession at South Charleston in 
July, 1821. He married Eliza Pearce 
November 25. 1822, and became the father 
of twelve children. He continued the 
practice of medicine forty-four years 
successively in this village. In 1865 he 
removed to Champaign County, Illinois, 
where he died July 11, 1872, aged seventy- 
two years. He was an ardent Wliig, a 
zealous Republican and for nearly fifty 
years was a consistent and useful member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

"Samuel Thomas and family came to 
Madison Township about 1814, where he 
remained until his death in 1867, his wife 
dying in 1871 . He was a native of Dela- 
ware, born in 1785, and was married in 
Warren County, Ohio, to Mary St. John, 
a native of New York, born in 1783. They 
had nine children, and their eldest child, 
John, is now residing in the township, at 
the age of seventy-two." 

Regent Inhabitants. 

Among those who have lived in this 
township and been prominent in public 
affairs more recently than the old 
pioneers above mentioned are the follow- 
ing: 



264 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



John Rankin, deceased about 1903, was 
a long- time resident of this township. He 
was born December 16, 1811, in Maryland. 
In the spring of 1845 in connection with 
his brother Albert, he opened a dry goods 
store in South Charleston, conducting this 
enterprise until 186.5. In 1863 he organ- 
ized the First National Bank of South 
Charleston. This bank was continued as 
a national bank imtil 1877, then was re- 
org-anized as the Bank of South Charles- 
ton, with Mr. Rankin as president. He 
continued as such until his death. He 
was married in 1S55 to Charity A. Fuller- 
ton. The bank has been continued by his 
sons, Stacy B. Rankin and James F. 
Rankin. 

Stacy B. was born in South Charleston 
and was married there to Fannj^ Kemper 
in 1897. He was elected as a member of 
the legislature and has been secretary of 
the Ohio Bankers' Association since 1891 
and cashier of the Bank of South Charles- 
ton since 1882. He was Ohio's commis- 
sioner at the St. Louis Exposition. James 
F. was born in South Charleston in 1861 
and in 1894 was married to Netty 
Kemper. He is connected with his 
brother in the banking business. 

The Houston family has been long 
prominent in this township, L. H. 
Houston being recognized today as one 
of the largest land owners of Clark Coun- 
ty. For many years he and his bi'other, 
E. D. Houston, have conducted a general 
store in Charleston, and with them have 
been associated in later years a younger 
brother, Foster B. L. H. Houston is the 
president of the Citizens' Bank, served 
one term as county commissioner and in 
1890 was on the City Board of Equaliza- 
tion from this district. 



Leonard B. Sprague, deceased, prob- 
ably ten years, was active in stock-raising 
and the raising of fine horses. He took 
very great interest in agricultural atfairs 
and for many years was secretary of the 
Clark County Society. Dr. E. T. Collins, 
deceased, was a native of Moorefield 
Township, this county, born January 12, 
1818. He began the practice of medicine 
in South Charleston in ].841, and married 
Miss Sarah L. Houston in 1845, and con- 
tinued there until the time of his death, 
which has occurred within the past ten 
years. His son, Dr. Milton Collins, still 
resides in this village, his only, sister hav- 
ing met with a fatal accident on the 
Springfield and Charleston traction line 
in 1905. Dr. Collins acquired consider- 
able property in his lifetime. 

Michael Way was prominent in town- 
ship affairs from 1868 until his death 
about 1890. His son John likewise served 
in numerous capacities and died in 1906. 

Seymore Harold has been a resident of 
this township for some time, being a na- 
tive of Madison Coimty. 

David T. Colvin was born in Frederick 
County, Virginia, February 18, 1829, and 
was married in 1853 to Maria Larkin, 
and died in 1886. He was an active, ag- 
gressive farmer during his lifetime. 

Henry Bateman is a wealthy, influential 
resident of this township, living in South 
Claarleston. 

Amos and Charles Briggs were influ- 
ential natives of this township, residing 
south of Charleston. The Calverts and 
Wildmans are prominent in the vicinity 
of the village of Selma. 

E. H. and William Florence, A. F. 
Taft, now deceased, Alfred A. Bowen, 
Edward Merritt, deceased, and his son 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



265 



Charles, the Comries and Murrays, all 
had and have their part in the welfare of 
tliis township. L. W. Haughey, now de- 
ceased, was for a long time actively en- 
gaged in the banking business in Charles- 
ton. 

Almon Bradford, who was bom in 
1830 in New York, moved to Charleston 
about 1880 and still lives at the ripe old 
age of seventy-seven in Cedarville. 

Benjamin Woosely was a large land 
owner and was born on October 30, 1815, 
and died in 1887. 

S. R. Battin was born in Columbiana 
County March 3, 1829, became a resident 
of this township in 1874 and still sur- 
vives. He is president of the Clark Coun- 
ty Farmers' Insurance Association. 

Colonel Milton Chanej^ now a resident 
of South Charleston, was for a time coun- 
ty commissioner. 

CorNTY Officials. 

Madison Township has furnished some 
very good officials for county service, 
considering the importance of the town 
in her midst and the certainty of her Ee- 
publican majority, not more than she de- 
serves. 

Alexander Waddle, Sr., was a member 
of the House of Representatives in 1838- 
1840, and of the State Senate from 1840- 
1842. Alexander Waddle, Jr., was a 
member of the State Senate, 1874-1876. 
Stacy B. Eankin was a member of the 
House, 1897-1901. Thomas J. Pringie, 
who originally came from that township, 
was a member of the State Senate two dif- 
ferent times, 1880-1882 and 1886-1888. 
D. 0. Heiskel was county commissioner 
from 1857-1863 ; L. B. Sprague from 1864- 
1866. I am not sure that Sprague was a 



resident of this township at that time. 
He might have been a resident of Har- 
mony Township. Edward Merritt was 
county commissioner from 1876-1879; 
Leon H. Houston from 1879-1882. Mr. 
Houston was also a member from this 
district of the State Board of Equaliza- 
tion in 1890. Milton Chaney was com- 
missioner from 1895-1901. Thomas L. 
Calvert is at present secretary of the 
State Board of Agriculture. Stacy B. 
Eankin was likewise commissioner from 
Ohio to the St. Louis Exposition. 

Absalom Mattox was county clerk prior 
to 1873. While not sure, yet I think he 
was a one-time resident of this township. 

Township Officials. 

The following are given in older records 
as having served in official capacity in 
reference to township affairs between 
1816 and 1855: 

William Holloway, Eobert Phares, 
Isaac Vandeventer, Adam Peters, Thomas 
Green, P. Sellers, John Kelso, James Wil- 
son, Charles T. Arthur, Simon Armstrong, 
John Mitton, Eees Ellis, James Woosley, 
William Smith, Enoch Wilkins, Calvin 
Hale, John Curtice, Robert F. Evans, P. 
Hedrick, Francis Crispin, Gilbert Pierce, 
Clement Shockley, Samuel Briggs, Joseph 
Briggs, Isaac Dalyrimple, Jesse Ells- 
worth, William Beauchamp, John Eeed, 
Eowland Brown, Seth Saint John, David 
Wilson, Eulass Ball, Isaiah Hunt, Jesse 
Griffith, William L. Warner, Greenfield 
Dooley. Christopher Fox, John B. Mad- 
den, Absalom Mattox, E. H. Broadbury, 
John Packer, Gregory Bloxsom, Cephas 
Atkinson, Matthew Crispin, George Ben- 
nett, John W. Johnson, Charles Paist, 
David Morgan, Epaminondas Hutton, G. 



266 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



W. Jones, Jacob Critz, George Hemple- 
man, Jefferson Nagiey, D. V. Pringle, 
Joshua D. Truitt, Griffith F. Sweet, T. F. 
Houston, Calderwood Hill, John Rankin 
and Washington Buffenbarger. 

Township Trustees since 1881: A. G. 
Pratt, Milton Cheney, M. H. Collins, 
*William Florence, John Heiskell, *E. H. 
Florence, W. H. Brown, Thomas L. Cal- 
vert, W. H. Lott, E. H. Bush and *Howard 
S. Smith. 

Township Clerks since 1881: Michael 
Way, W. J. Hudson, W. H. Rowe, E. P. 
Flynn, F. G. Norton and *John S. Brown. 

Township Treasurers since 1881: E. 
D. Houston, John Heiskell, Abihu Raines, 
Harry P. Thomas, 0. L. Stephenson and 
'Frank D. Hill. 

Justices of the Peace since 1871: 
Thomas P. Miller, 1871; A. F. Taft, 1871- 
1877, 1881; William H. Lott, 1872-1875; 
Washington Buffenbarger, 1876; Michael 
Way, 1877-1880; Webster Barrett, 1878; 
Lawrence Heiskell, 1883; Almon Brad- 
ford, 1883, 1892 : William J. Hudson, 1884- 
1890; E. S. Steinraan, 1886, 1896; A. C. 
Scanland, 1887-1890; William Cheney, 
1895-1901; Henry Schickendantz, 1897- 
1900; I. H. Thorne, 1903; William War- 
rington, 1904; John B. Allen, 1905. 

CHURCHES. 

The churches of this township are al- 
most entirely confined to the villages of 
South Charleston and Selma. ' 

Methodist Episcopal. 

The Methodist Episcopal denomination 
first began to hold services in the neigh- 
borhood of Charleston about 1814, when 



*Present officers. 



Isaac Davisson invited William Irwin and 
Jonathan Minchell to come to their house 
and preach once in four weeks. 

In 1821 South Charleston was placed 
on Paint Creek circuit and became a reg- 
ular preaching place. Rev. Moses Traitor 
is said to have been the first preacher. 
Services were continued at Mr. Davis- 
son's house for several years. In 1828 a 
frame church was erected on the site of 
the present one, 30x40 feet in size. The 
first Sabbath school was organized in 
1830 by Rev. W. T. Snow in 1847 and 1848 
and a new brick building, the one still 
standing, was erected. Among the min- 
isters of this congregation may be men- 
tioned the Revs. Finlay, Roberts, Gatch, 
John Collins, Russel, Biglow, W. H. 
Eaper, Dr. Taylor, Frank Wilson, Dr. 
McCann and Jonathan E. Chaplin. The 
Rev. S. B. Smith ^vas its pastor about 
1881. Rev. G. W. Voris is the present 
pastor. 

Weslf.y Chapel. 

This was the name of the church, like- 
wise of the Methodist denomination, 
which was located nearly five miles east 
of Springfield and which was erected in 
1847. Such records as are now accessible 
state that the charge belonged to the 
Urbana District: that those who contrib- 
uted to its erection were William H. 
Harris, Absalom Foley, Henry Shugh, 
David Hayward, C. Moler and others. 
In the year 1874, the society was disband- 
ed and the property disposed of. 

Presbyterian. 

This society was organized in 1822, the 
Rev. William Dickey having the same in 
charee. In the vear 1833 a frame church 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



267 



was erected which was afterwards used 
as a residence. The Rev. John S. G-allo- 
way was minister from 1835-1844 ; James 
Pealan, 1844-1849, and W. Edwards, 
1849-1851. 

Dr. Haight, who came to this church in 
1859, was the first resident minister un^ 
der whose leadership a large brick church 
was built. 

In 1862 Eev. H. S. Smith became the 
pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. S. 
Jewett. Afterwards S. M. Showfield and 
Rev. Kelsey became the ministers. In 
1876 Rev. James S. Kemper was the 
pastor. 

Rev. J. K. Gibson is the present pas- 
tor. In 1902 the congregation erected a 
beautiful new church, which is indeed an 
ornament to the village. Dedication serv- 
ices were recently held in the building. 

Catholic. 

The Catholics have a large and flour- 
ishing cliurch in the village of Charles- 
ton. The first services here were held in 
1850, when Father Howard celebrated 
mass in the hotel. Along and after this 
time a section house of the Little Miami 
railroad was iitilized for church purposes. 
In 1858 Father Blake made arrangements 
to get the old Presbyterian Church. In 
1865 the lot upon which the present 
church stands was purchased. The cor- 
nerstone was laid in that year and dedi- 
cated in 1866 by J. B. Pur sell. Rev. John 
Kennedy was pastor in 1873. The Rev. 
William Grennen in 1874. It was during 
his pastorate that the residence was pur- 
chased for the priest. Eev. C. M. Leard- 
ing became pastor in 1877. The church 
is active and numbers' about eighty fam- 



ilies in its fold. The Rev. J. M. Keely is 
the present pastor. 

In 1906 a ma,gnificent church was erect- 
ed upon a site neighboring that of the old 
church, and it is probably the most im- 
pressive building in the town. Steps are 
now being taken for the construction of 
an elegant parsonage. 

Selma Methodist. 

The first services were held by this de- 
nomination about 1828. In 1830 they 
erected a church which went by the name 
of Brooks' Meeting House. About the 
year 1842 this church became divided on 
the slavery question. The extremists 
withdrew and organized a society at 
Cortsville. Those who remained, in 1855 
built what was known as the Gravel 
Church, which still stands on the site 
of the old Brooks' Meeting House. 
Among the numerous pastors who served 
this church were: Revs. Levi White, 
John Black, William Simmons, Andrew 
Murphy, Joseph Newson, Allen W. Tib- 
betts, J. Verity, J. B. Ellsworth, David 
Whitmer, Stephen F. Koney, H. Stokes, 
M. P. Zinc, J. L. Gregg and W. Q. Shan- 
non. Rev. G. W. Voris is the present 
paBtor. 

Friends. 

The vicinity of Selma was settled by 
people who belong to the society desig- 
nated as Friends. The original organi- 
zation came into existence in 1822 and 
worshiped near the residence of Samuel 
C. Howell, three-quarters of a mile 
northeast of the village of Selma. In 
1828 there was a division, one society call- 



268 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ing itself Orthodox and the other Hicks- 
ites. 

Orthodox — A branch calling themselves 
Orthodox left the Hicksites in possession 
of the meeting house, and for some time 
met at the residence of John Wildman, 
whose house was one mile east of Selma. 
This branch was the larger one of the 
two, and in 1832 they determined to erect 
a house and purchased one and one-half 
acres of land for this purpose near the 
village of Selma and built thereon a 
prominent frame church. Here they wor- 
shiped until the year 1871, when they 
built the house still occupied by them. 
It is a brick structure, 40x52 feet. Han- 
nah Smith is a minister at this place. 

Hicksites — The Hicksites remained in 
the original property. Here a division 
again occurred among the members in 
1843 on account of the slavery question. 
Extremists held the church property for 
several years and then became extinct. 
The building, with the ground on which it 
stood, was abandoned. The conservative 
portion built a house about a mile north- 
east of the former one in 1544. Thomas 
Merritt, Joshua Harrison, Isaac Ward- 
ner and Thomas Branson each helped in 
building this church. The organization 
is still in active operation, regular serv- 
ices being held here twice a week. 

African Methodist Episcopal. 

The colored Methodists in the vicinity 
of Selma organized in 1870, building a 
frame church in 1875. Among the pas- 
tors who have served in this congrega- 
tion may be mentioned William Johnson, 
Edward Taylor, James Eoss, Benjamin 
Combash and John Hammond. In South 



Charleston this sect has had a church for 
a quarter of a century. A colored Baptist 
church was organized in South Charles- 
ton in 1895, but owing to fiinancial condi- 
tions was forced out of activity, and its 
building sold and used for purposes other 
than religious. Bev. William Coleman 
was its first pastor. 

SCHOOLS. 

The first schoolhouse was built south 
of the village of South Charleston, near 
the Little Miami railroad and about 1816 
was taught by a man by the name of Fair- 
child. The next schoolhouse was built 
about a mile northeast of the town; here a 
Mr. Lanfield taught for some time. The 
next was west of the town, not far from 
the Pringle residence. Moses Pierce 
taught he]'e awhile. 

Prior to 1830 the schools were kept up 
by subscription, but in about a year's 
time they were supported by taxation. 
The township has three sub-districts ; one 
is that of the townshijo proper, the others 
South Charleston and Selma. South 
Charleston is now building a new school- 
house which is to cost $35,000. 

Selma organized a special school dis- 
trict a few years ago and in 1905 erected 
its present commodious structure. Five 
original school districts are centralized in 
this school, the building costing $15,000. 

The following are the teachers in the 
various school districts for 1907-8: 

Madison Township. 

Superintendent, C. M. Kissell; music 
supervisor, S. B. Jackson; No. 1, Cope- 
land, Mrs. Ella Curry; No. 2, Briggs, 




UIJ) PI•:NNS^ LVANIA IIOUSI':, SPRING- 
FJF.LD 




O. K. HOUSE 

(Formerly stood on the ground now occupied by 

the Masonic Home) 




TRAVELERS' REST, SPRINGFIELD 
TOWNSHIP 
Built 1S:?S 




SNYDER MILL, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 
Built 1S25 




OIL MILL ON BUCK CREEK, SPRINGFIELD 
TOWNSHIP 




OLD SAW MILL 

Built about 1825, where Mill Run falls into Lagonda 

Creek 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



271 



Fanny Westlake; No. 3, Pierce, J. E. 
Runyan; No. 4, Oak Grove, Vinton Bus- 
ier; No. 5, Thorp, Bessie Severs; No. 7, 
Cartilage, C. M. Kissell. 

South Chaeleston. 

Superintendent, Harry Paxton; high 
school principal, Mrs. E. W. Bradley; 
high school assistant, Lena Knott; sixth 
grade, Helen Black; seventh grade, Anna 
Luden; fifth grade, Jane Martin; third 
grade, Pearl Heizer; second grade, 
Catharine Seanlan; first grade, Elizabeth 
Van Meter; music, W. H. Lewis. 

Selma. 

Superintendent, Edward Brantner; as- 
sistant high school teacher, Henry Laff- 
erty; grammar grades, Edith Wilson; in- 
termediate grades, Frances Gugenheim; 
primary, Lametta Mills. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males, 
90; females, 95; total, 185. 

South Charleston— Males, 194; females, 
163; total, 357. 

MAD ETVER TOWNSHIP. 

Boundaries. 

Mad River Township is situated in the 
southeastern part of the county. It has 
roughly the shape of a triangle. It no 
doubt takes its name from the river 
boundary on the west. It is bounded on 
the south by Greene County, on the west 
and north by Bethel and Springfield 
Townships, from which it is separated by 
Mad River, and on the east by Spring- 
field and Green Townships. Territorial- 
ly it is one of the smallest .townships in 



the county. The lower part was origin- 
ally a part of Greene County, when this 
county was formed from Greene and 
Champaign Counties. The entire length 
of the township from east to west is about 
nine miles. The boundary along Mad 
River is about eleven miles. The width is 
about six and a half miles from north to 
south. 

Soil. 

While there are some abrupt hills up 
along Mud Run, yet generally speaking 
the land is tolerably level ; at some places, 
especially in the lower part, it is quite so.- 
The valley of Mad River is several miles 
in width. It is drained principally by 
Mad River along its north and south 
side, Mud Run in its center and southern 
portion, and Mill Creek in its northeast- 
ern part, although this stream does not 
directly touch the township. These 
streams make the township good for 
grazing purposes. There are a number of 
large springs in different parts of the 
township, which add materially to its 
value for grazing purposes. One such 
spring is situated north of Enon, in what 
was latterly known as the Harshman 
farm. This spring was large enough in 
former times to be utilized for milling 
purposes at or near Enon Station. There 
was another large spring on Mud Run, 
which was known as the Partington 
Spring. At an early time there was a 
woolen factory there. The Galloway 
Spring was on the land south of Enon, 
and Cold Springs is up in the northern 
part, not far from Limestone City. No 
doubt at these springs were frequently 
found the camping places of the aborigi- 
nees. 



272 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



TiMBEE. 

Most of the land of this township was 
originally covered with timber, principal- 
ly of the oak kind. There was some hick- 
ory and walnut; likewise in some places, 
although not very plentiful, were the pop- 
lar, beech, ash and kindred varieties. 

Crops, Etc. 

The staple crops of corn, wheat and 
oats are grown in this township. There 
are no particular industries, unless it be 
those made by lime quarries. Formerly 
the mills along Mud Run and Mad Eiver 
presented quite an industrial appear- 
ance to the neighborhood immediately sur- 
rounding them; yet these are now prac- 
tically all abandoned. There is an ele- 
vator at Enon Station on the Big Four 
railroad. 

Industeies. 

The Victor Eubber Tire Shops are lo- 
cated near what is known as the old 
Hertzler Mill, but are not doing much at 
present. In the northeastern part of the 
township are located Limestone City and 
the various stone quarries, particularly 
those of the Mills Brothers and the 
Moore's Lime Company. One of the 
marked features of this township is the 
Prairie Knob Mound, near Enon, it be- 
ing the largest mound in the county and 
is located out in a level field several hun- 
dred feet in circumference and about 
forty feet in height. There are forty- 
seven miles of public highway. 

Eg ADS. 

The Springfield and Dayton Turnpike, 
which is the principal road leading 
through the township, was surveyed as 



early as 1805, but was not finally built 
until 1835, and after that time was the 
principal thoroughfare between Spring- 
field and Dayton, the route leading rather 
in a southwesterly direction and going 
through Fairfield. At this date it fur- 
nishes perhaps the best driveway between 
the city of Springfield and Dayton. At a 
later date the Eebert Pike was built. 
This road runs in a meandering way, 
parallel to the Dayton Eoad, entering 
Springfield on Southern Avenue, the 
Fairfield Pike leading off of the Yellow 
Spring Pike at Beatty, and is somewhat 
parallel to these pikes also. The Yellow 
Springs Pike leads from Springfield to 
Yellow Springs and touches this town- 
ship at its extreme southeastern corner. 
Enon is the principal village of the town- 
ship. 

Hennesy, a small village, is situated in 
the southeastern part and Limestone City 
in the northeastern. 

It is supposed that General Clark's 
army, on its way to the battle of Piqua 
in 1780, passed through this township not 
far from the present Dayton Eoad. 

Population. 

Mad Eiver Township in population for 
the last half century has just about been 
holding its own. In 1850 it was 1,707; 
1870, 1,883; 1880, 1,812; 1890, 1,750; 
1900, 1,847. The increase of population 
in the last decade has been due probably 
to the settlement in and around Lime- 
stone City. 

Acreage and Assessed Valuation. 

The following table will show the num- 
ber of acres and the assessed valuation of 
the real and personal property, as dis- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



273 



tributed around in the various school dis- 
tricts : 

Acres. Real Personal Total. 

Estate. Property. 

Mad River Tp. 12,423 $47«,020 ?34G,320 $ 822,340 
Mad River 

Scliool Dist. . . 8,778 324,160 177,570 501,780 

Enon T 5 35,440 23,760 59,200 



Total 21,206 ipS3r),620 $547,650 $1,383,270 

Politics. 

This is considered one of the Demo- 
cratic townships of the county, although 
the plurality is not very large, ranging 
from twenty-five to tifty. 

Old Settlees. 

The first settler within the limits of the 
territory now comprised in Mad River 
Township was James Galloway, on Sec- 
tion 5, Range 8. Mr. Galloway came in 
an early day; the exact date is not fully 
determined, but not later than 1798. He 
came from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, 
and, on account of the insecurity of land 
titles at that time in Kentucky, owing to 
military claims, he removed with his wife 
to Ohio, as above stated, taking a tract of 
400 acres, partly upland and partly rich 
bottom, along the Muddy Run. Mr. Gal- 
loway was a blacksmith, and brought with 
him an anvil and a few tools and as he was 
the only blacksmith for many miles around 
he had a good run of custom. His principal 
customers for a few years were Indians, 
who were then on friendly terms with the 
whites. There is a story about the anvil 
which he brought with him that we will 
relate, not vouching for its truth, however. 
It is that he made a "lizard," a kind of 
sled, from the fork of a tree and placed 
the anvil on it and drove in pins to hold 
it in position and fastened the lizard or 
sled to his horse's tail and thus hauled 

1.5 



Lis anvil from Cincinnati to Muddy Run. 
Mr. Galloway was a soldier in the Rev- 
olutionary War. The next settlers after 
Mr. Galloway were Joseph and Robert 
Layton in 1801. They came from Penn- 
sylvania, and Joseph settled on a part of 
Section 32, now known as the Rubsam 
farm. Robert Layton settled on a part of 
the same section, on what is known as the 
AVilliam Layton farm. Joseph Layton 
was elected one of the first trustees of the 
township; was afterward elected justice 
of the peace, and became one of the first 
judges of the Court of Common Pleas of 
Clark County. In 1801 Abel Crawford 
came from Kentucky and settled on Sec- 
tion 27, Range 9, on what is now the 
property of Henry Snyder. On this farm 
there is an excellent spring of cold water, 
and a delightful grove. Being convenient 
to the railroad, it is in the summer season 
a favoiite resort for picnics and Sunday 
school excursions, and as a pleasure re- 
sort is known as the "Cold Springs." 
The same year James Woods, from Penn- 
sylvania, settled on the Joseph Layton 
tract, already described; also in 1801 
William Parmer, from New York, settled 
on what is the Stilwell Springs. The 
same year Christian Miller came from 
Kentucky and settled on what is now 
known as the J. H. Barringer land. Sec- 
tion 18, Range 8. Shrofe, from Ken- 
tucky, and Christian Shrofe, his son, set- 
tled about the same time on the Bunyan 
place. Section 22, Range 8; also Myers 
and Spencer, son-in-laws of Shrofe. 
Samuel Davis came from New Jersey in 
!I803, and settled in the west part of the 
township. About 1805 Moses Miller, 
from old Spring-field, Hamilton County, 
settled on the land now belonging to the 



274 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



heirs of Melyn Miller, Section 36, Range 
8. A iDart of the farm is still occupied by 
the widow of ]\Ielyn Miller; also Uriah 
Blue, on the Hake, now the L. J. M. Baker 
farm. Section 28, Range 8. About the 
same time and from the same place came 
Reuben Winget and settled on what is 
now the Reuben Shellabarger farm, Sec- 
tion 6, Range 8. The same year Melyn 
and Jonathan Baker came from Butler 
County, the former entering Section 31, 
Range 9, and settled on the north part of 
the section, on what is known as the 
Daniel Baker tract. Mr. Baker came 
from New Jersey to the present site of 
Cincinnati in 1790, and bought 200 acres 
of land on Walnut Hills. He afterward 
sold out and removed to Butler County, 
and thence to Clark. In those days the 
log cabins of the old settlers were thrown 
open to receive the families of those who 
came among them to settle, for such time 
as was necessary, with the assistance of 
the neighbors, to erect a similar structure 
for themselves. Melyn Baker, on sev- 
eral occasions, entertained new arrivals 
until they could erect and occupy their 
o-RTi cabins. About the year 1807 Richard 
Hudjul and family and Henson Reeder 
and family were welcomed to the hos- 
pitalities of his primitive abode during 
the time they were building their own 
equally humble residences. 

Reeder came from Hamilton County, 
and, after trying several locations on this 
side of the river, he removed to Bethel 
Township and settled on the John Crain 
farm. About 1806 DeWitt settled near 
where the Enon Station is now located; 
removed after a short time, and joined 
the Shakers. About the same time Dmiel 
Mead came from Massachusetts and set- 



tled also near the present site of the Enon 
railroad station. 

In 1805 Jacob Reeder came from Ham- 
ilton County and settled on a tract of 
land adjoining what is still known as the 
Elder Reeder farm. At the same time 
came Stephen Reeder, father of Eider 
George Reeder, and settled on a tract of 
about 200 acres, which included what is 
now known as the Elder Reeder farm, 
Section 13, Range 9. At the same time 
came Rule Petersen from Hamilton 
County; also John Brocaw from Hamil- 
ton County, and also settled on the tract 
years ago known as the Reed farm, Sec- 
tion 14, Range 9. In 1808 John Ambler 
came from New Jersey and settled on the 
Partington place, Section 24, Range 9 ; he 
afterward moved to Spring-field and en- 
gaged in the sale of the first goods that 
were sold in that little village. At the 
same time Thomas Collier, from Ireland, 
settled on what is now known as the 
Cyrus Drake farm, Section 29, Range 8. 
In 1809 Elias Vickers, a Christian min- 
ister, came to the township. In the same 
year John Tenney, from England, set- 
tled on what is now the Coffield place, on 
Muddy Run, Section 11, Range 8. John 
Ruse, a native of Maryland, came about 
1812 ; his wife, Sarah, was from Pennsyl- 
vania, and. previous to their coming to 
Mad River, had lived in Greene County, 
Ohio. The first preacher was Thomas 
Kyle; after him, Reuben Dooly, William 
Kinkaid, David Purviance, Francis Mont- 
fort and Barton W. Stone; some of these 
were noted men in their day, having been 
able ministers in the old-school Presby- 
terian Church, and claiming the right of 
private interpretation of the Scriptures, 
independently of the acknowledged stan- 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



275 



dard of the cliurdi. They rejected the 
authority of her courts and claimed to ac- 
knowledge no authority but the Bible 
alone in matters of conscience and re- 
ligious duty. Barton W. Stone, above 
- named, was a leading spirit in the contro- 
versy that ensued. 

Early Events. 

The first church was erected in the 
township in 1806 and was called Knob 
Prairie Church. The first schoolhouse 
was built in 1806, a short distance north 
of Enon, near the former residence of 
Daniel Baker on the Spring-field and Day- 
ton Pike. The first teacher was named 
Samuel Grillalan. The first tavern of the 
township was built in 1812 by William 
Donnels, about one mile and a half south- 
west of where the village of Enon is now 
located, on the old Dayton and Spring- 
field road. It was nicknamed "Hickory 
Tavern." About 1818 John and James 
Leffel built the first grist mill at what is 
now known as Snyderville. 

An Englishman by the name of Part- 
ington at an early date had a woolen mill 
near the headwaters of Mud Run. The 
earliest known marriage was that of John 
Layton to Elizabeth Baker by Matthew 
Donnels, justice of the peace of the 
township in 1805. A tannerj'' was erected 
by William Smith in 1816. The first 
death was that of Mrs. Broadis in 1806. . 

D. Miller erected the first frame bam 
in 1818 and the first brick house in 1824. 
J. Layton and A. Crawford were the first 
distillers, and James Galloway set out the 
first orchard in 1800. 

Mad River was crossed in a canoe until 
the building of a frame bridge in 1840, 
north of Enon. As early as 1809 Thomas 



Barton manufactured gunpowder on a 
small scale by hand. He was located 
south, near the Clark and Greene County 
line. 

The first store was established about 
the same time that the first grist mill was 
erected by James Leffel in 1818. 

Recent Inhabitants. 

Among others who have been active, 
and might at this time be almost classed 
as pioneers of this township, are the fol- 
lowing : Samuel Arthur was born in this 
township October 20, 1853 on the place 
formerly known as the Dillahunt farm. 
His father, Joseph G. Arthur, came to 
this township in 1829 and married Nancy 
A. Albin, who was a native of Clark 
County. Joseph G. Arthur died Septem- 
ber, 1887. George Arthur, the attorney, 
residing in Springfield, who was a some- 
time resident of this township, is a broth- 
er of Samuel. Samuel Arthur was mar- 
ried in 1875 to Rosabella MeClure, daugh- 
ter of George and Harriett MeClure. Mr. 
Arthur resides in the northern part of the 
township. 

George W. Huntington was born in 
Springfield Township in 1839, the son of 
William Huntington, who came to this 
county in 1835 and died in 1886. George 
W., in 1870, married Miss Anna Hill. He 
lives up along Muddy Run. 

J. R. Athy was born in this township 
in 1833, son of John Athy. He was 
married to Eliza J. Ashen, of Champaign 
County. He still is living and resides 
northeast of Enon. 

A. H. Smith, Jr., is the son of A.,H. 
Smith, Sr., who became the owner of 
about 1,200 acres in and around about 
Enon in 1856. He died in 1902 at the age 



276 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of eiglitj^-eiglit years. Mr. Smith, Sr., 
was quite an active character in his time. 
Adolphus, Jr., was born in Cincinnati in 
1850, and was married in 1871 to Sarah 
Shellabarger, daughter of Reuben Shella- 
barger. He resides on the old homestead 
near Enon. 

Silas W. Printz was born in Springfield 
Township April 13, 1848, and married in 
April, 1879, to Miss Charlotte Jenkins.. 
Mr. Printz is one of the active, energetic 
men of the township. He resides east of 
Enon on the Rebert Pike. 

William Layton was born in this town- 
ship November 15, 1845, the son of John 
A. Layton, who was a pioneer of this 
township and who died in 1877. He was 
married to Angeline Wolfe. Mr. Layton 
resides in the eastern part of the town- 
ship. 

Walter Rue is a native of this town- 
ship, being the son of W. R. Rue, who was 
likewise bom in this township in 1815. 

J. K. Dunkel was for a long time a resi- 
dent of the city of Spring-field and came 
to this township about 1850 and now re- 
sides in Springfield. John B. Dunkel was 
likewise a resident of this township for 
some time. 

Melyn B. Miller was born in Cincinnati 
in 1801 and died in this countj^ in 1854. 
Melyn H. Miller was born August 28, 
1836. He was the brother of Abraham P. 
Miller, who was born in this township in 
1839 and died in the year 1897. 

John Howell was for a considerable 
time a resident of this township, owning 
a large tract of land in the eastern part. 
H^ was an active, energetic man, at one 
time president of the Lagonda Bank at 
Springfield, and also served this county 
in the legislature. He died a few years 



ago at an advanced age. His son, Ralph, 
lives on the old farm. 

The Shellabarger family were natives 
of this township, several of the brothers 
having been active in its affairs, Samuel 
being a member of Congress. D. E., a son 
of Ephraim, was bom here October 13, 
1826, and in October, 1847, he married 
Rosanna Johnston; he is still living in 
Enon, probably next to B. F. Keifer, the 
oldest man in the township. 

Silas Kissel lived in the northern part 
of this township for some years. He died 
in 1906. Jacob Baker, a Marylander, had 
lived in the northern part of the township 
for the past twenty years. 

J. J. Arthur, south of Enon, has been 
active in township affairs. Daniel Baker, 
who wrote the history of this township 
for Beers' History, resided for a great 
number of years about one mile north of 
Enon. He has been deceased a few years. 

F. M. Hagan, attorney, of the city of 
Springfield, was born in this township in 
1844, his grandfather having come to the 
township in 1815. 

B. F. Keifer, brother of General J. 
Warren Keifer, was bom in Bethel Town- 
ship in 1821 and moved to this township 
in 1854, where he now resides. He was 
married in 1846 to Emeline F. Henkle. 

County Politics. 

While Mad River Township in its polit- 
ical complexion has not generally been 
in accord with that of the county general- 
ly, a respectable number of public officials 
have come from or claim this township as 
their home. 

The most distinguished citizen ever 
born in this township was Samuel Shella- 
barger, who served eight years in Con- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



277 



gress for this district and afterwards 
practiced law in Washington until his 
death. As a statesman he won the ap- 
proval of such an eminent public man and 
competent critic as James G. Blaine. As 
a lawyer he was recognized as one of the 
leading practitioners of the Supreme 
Court at Washington. (See chapter on 
Bench and Bar.) 

J. H. Littler, who was probate judge of 
Clark County for a number of years and 
a member of the legislature, was a some- 
time resident of this township. 

John Howell was a member of the leg- 
islature in 1860 and 1862. 

Melyn Baker was county commissioner 
in 1840-1849; Ezra D. Baker from 1851- 
1857; Horatio S. Miller from 1872-1875. 
F. M. Hagan, who has served as city 
solicitor of the city of Springfield and as 
postmaster, and who for a time was judge 
of the Court of Common Pleas, is a na- 
tive of this township; as are 0. F. Serv- 
iss, who was auditor for ten years, and. T. 

D. Wallace, who was postmaster in 
Springfield under President Cleveland's 
second administration. 

GeorgeArthur was the Democratic nom- 
inee for Congress in this district in 1876. 

The following is a list of some who 
have served as township officials : 

Justice of the Peace — John Coffield, 
3871-1874; T. J. Barton, 1871-1874; Aaron 
Morehouse, 1872-1875; D. S. Hustead, 
1874-1877; 0. F. Serviss, 1875-1878; 
Daniel Baker, 1875-1878; J. J. Arthur. 
1875-1884, 1895-1904; Z. Taylor, 1876- 
1879; David Hustead, 1878, resigned; 
Samuel Knott, 1879-1882, 1885-1888; 
Daniel Winget, 1879-1889, 1898-1901; A. 

E. McCain, 1882-1885; Geo. W. Coffield, 
1882-1895; A. H. Smith, Jr., 1889-1892- 



1898-1901; Edward Brantner, 1895-1898; 
Ralph Howell, 1897-1900; W. H. H. 
Turner, 1901-1904; Joseph A. Arthur, 
1904-1907; Samuel A. Brantner, 1905- 
1908; Samuel Winget (elect). 

Township Trustees — A. H. Smith, Jr. 
1882-1883, 1887-1898, 1902-1905; A. P 
Miller, 1882-1882; Samuel J. McClure, 
1882, 1884, 1886-1887; John Arthur, 1883 
G. J. Kissell, 1884; Josiah J. Arthur 
1884-1886; George W. Coffield, 1885-1894. 
Ezra D. Miller, 1885, 1899-1901; Henrv 
Hass, 1888-1889; H. L. Feirstine, 1890 
S. W. Printz, 1891-1902; E. S. Beard 
1895-1897; J. E. Drake, 1898; John A 
Miller, 1899-1900; D. B. Beard, 1901- 
1907; William E. Rebert, 1903-1904; Wil- 
liam A. Layton, 1905-1907; C. R. Miller, 
1906-1907; A. H. Smith, Hiram Lemder- 
muth (elect). 

Township Clerks— Daniel Baker, 1882, 
1884; A. B. Dunkel, 1883, 1887-1904, 1906; 
A. P. Kidwell, 1885 ; F. A. Duckwell, 1886 ; 
Dan Humer, elected, resigned and A. B. 
Dunkel reappointed, 1905; A. B. Dunkel, 
resigned and Kvle M. Dunkel appointed, 
1907. 

Township Treasurers — J. B. Dunkel, 
1882-1894; J. S! Harshman, 1895-1896; 
Dr. Elwood Miller, 1897-1900; Dr. R. C. 
Hebble, 1901-1907. 

Present Board of Education (1907) — 
J. H. Lindemuth, president; C. P. Johns- 
ton, clerk ; S. N. Miller, George W. Dilla- 
hunt and J. B. Smith. 

Churches. 

Knob Prairie Church was the first one 
that was erected in this township. It was 
built in 1806 by the Christian denomina- 
tion on a tract of land donated by Judge 
Layton situated on a rocky bluff over- 



27J 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



looking the prairie on the old road, now 
vacated, leading from Yellow Springs 
across what is known as the "Broad 
Ford" on Mad River to New Carlisle. 

Mr. Baker's description of this church, 
which follows, is a good general descrip- 
tion of the churches at that day: 

' ' This church was built of hewed logs ; 
was about 24x32 feet; the floor was laid 
with puncheon, and the door was also 
made of the same material. Puncheon 
was made by splitting a log into flat 
pieces, two or three inches in thickness, 
straightening their edges and facing their 
flat sides as in hewing. As the use of 
puncheon went out with the introduction 
of saw-mills, so also the term, which was 
only of local origin, became nearly obso- 
lete. The windows consisted of holes cut 
out through the logs, and, as glass was 
not then considered an absolute necessity, 
nor was it ever a procurable commodity, 
greased paper was pasted over the open- 
ing to admit the light into this primitive 
temple, where the early pioneers assem- 
bled to worship God, in a building erected 
for the purpose of protecting them from 
cold and storm, and not for style and vain 
show. This building was also furnished 
with puncheon seats, as it was considered 
a great step in advance for the worshipers 
to have a place to sit down during divine 
service. This period was many years be- 
hind the age of backs and cushions, which 
would doubtless have been regarded as a 
manifestation of wicked pride and luxu- 
rious ease incompatible with the rough 
and hardy customs made necessary by the 
exigencies of those times. The building 
was covered with clapboards, and was, 
when completed, an object of pride, and 
considered an achievement worthy of the 



time and the occasion for which it was 
erected. The surrounding grove was 
once a great camp-meeting ground; the 
people came for thii'ty or forty miles, with 
tents, remaining several days to attend 
the meetings. This old log structure 
served its day and was replaced by a more 
commodious frame structure, with plas- 
tered walls and ceiling, panel doors and 
regular glass windows. This building 
has long since been torn away, the society 
having built a commodious brick building 
in the village of Enon." 

When this church was abandoned the 
Christian denomination built a Christian 
Church in Enon, the first resident minis- 
ter being Elder Ladley. Rev. Mr. Jones 
is the present pastor. 

The next church to be erected was near 
the Greene County line in 1816; it was 
afterwards torn down and a brick build- 
ing built upon the same location. 

In 1840 the Methodist Episcopal organ- 
ized in a small log house which stood in 
a grove between Enon and what was then 
the residence of Ezra D. Baker. This 
house has long since disappeared and a 
church was built in the village of Enon, 
corner of Broadway and Pleasant Street. 
It is still occupied by them and has a 
flourishing congregation. The first reg- 
ular ministers of this church were Levi 
P. Miller and Noah Huff. The first local 
resident minister was Frederick Snyder. 

Schools. 

The schools of Mad River Township 
are abreast of those of the county gen- 
erally, the townshij^ having a high school 
department and employing a superintend- 
ent. The first schoolhouse in the town- 
ship was built in 1806, about thirty yards 



AND RBPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



279 



east of where Daniel Baker recently re- 
sided, near the old Dayton and Spring- 
field Road; and the first schoolhouse in 
Enon was built on North Xenia Street, of 
brick, one story, and is or was until a few 
years ago still standing and occupied as a 
dwelling house. The next schoolhouse 
was built on South Xenia Street, a two- 
story brick building, having three rooms, 
two below and one above. The schools of 
Enon are in the special school district. 

The following are the teachers for the 
coming year : 

Superintendent, J. R. Clarke; 0. P. 
Hause was elected high school assistant 
and music super^dsor; 0. H. Rust, of 
Boone Station, was moved to the gram- 
mar grade of Enon in the jDosition left 
vacant by E. C. Lohnes; C. S. Ryan, of 
Moorefield Township, goes to the gram- 
mar grade at Boone Station; Boone Sta- 
tion, primary, Gertrude Dillahunt; Enon, 
primary, Alma Nickle; No. 3, Blue Stem, 
Maud Sheley; No. 4, Maple Grove, 
Beatrice Jones; No. 5, Spread Eagle, 
Elizabeth Sehulte ; No. 6, Oakland, Mabel 
Dillahunt. 

Mad River Special : Superintendent 
and music supervisor, 0. P. Hause; Cen- 
ter, Sara Denlinger; Rocky Point, Wil- 
liam Pownell; Sulphur Springs, Flossie 
Lehman; Oak Grove, O. P. Hause. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 : Males, 
151; females, 147; total 298. 

Mad River Special District: Males, 
95; females, 71; total, 166. 

MOOREFIELD TOWNSHIP. 

Boundaries. 

Moorefield Towmship is immediately 
north of Springfield Township and is 



bordered on the west by German, on the 
east by Pleasant Township and on the 
north by Champaign County. 

I am not advised whether it had an ex- 
istence as a part of Champaign County 
prior to the organization of Clark County 
in 1818. At this latter date, however, it 
was organized with substantially its pres- 
ent boundaries, a corner being added 
afterwards in the southwest part, making 
Mad River the boundary line between it 
and German Township. It was named 
"Moorefield" after a place of that name 
in Virginia, from which a large number 
of the settlers along its central and east- 
ern parts came. 

Streams. 

It trenches into the valley of Mad 
River, the southeastern part coming into 
direct contact with the river and the 
northwestern part having the valley of 
one of its small tributaries called Moore's 
Run. 

A short distance east of the center. 
Buck Creek flows through the township 
from north to south, and in the extreme 
southeastern part it is touched by Sink- 
ing Creek. 

Crops and Timber. 

These various streams make it a very 
well-watered territory, suited for grazing 
purposes, and it was largely devoted to 
that purpose by the early settlers, es- 
pecially those living in the Buck Creek 
Valley. Some of the land in these valleys 
was originally swamp, but is now mostly 
drained. The upland of the township is 
what is called oak land and was original- 
ly covered with timber of that and kin- 



280 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



dred varieties. Practically all of the 
land is tillable and fertile, producing the 
usual crops that can be grown in this 
climate. 

The Foleys, Yeazells and Clarks have 
been from an early time extensive stock- 
raisers. 

Roads. 

The Springfield and Urbana Turnpike 
extends through the western part of the 
township not far from its western line 
and the Clark and Union Turnpike leads 
north from Lagonda, following the val- 
ley of Buck Creek through the entire 
township. 

Gravel being abimdant, the roads are 
generally in good condition. Almost 
fifty miles of public roads are in this 
to^vnship. The Big Four and Erie rail- 
roads touch its western extremity, the 
stopping jDoint being Bowlusville, and the 
Delaware branch of the Big Four leads 
up the Buck Creek Valley, stopping at 
New Moorefield. The township has three 
villages — Bowlusville, New Moorefield 
and Villa. (See villages.) 

Voting Precincts. 

It is divided into two voting precincts, 
east and west, one being located at New 
Moorefield and the other at Kenton 
School House on the Urbana Pike. By 
reason of the trade of the township com- 
ing to Springfield directly over the two 
pikes heretofore mentioned, not much in- 
tercourse is carried on between the people 
residing in the western part of the toAvn- 
ship and those in the eastern. The town- 
ship is eight miles wide east and west and 
five miles north and south. 

The Buck Creek vallev was settled by 



Virginians principal]y,and that part north 
along the Urbana Pike by Kentuckians. 
The Virginia settlers were more of Eng- 
lish than of German descent. 

Population. 

Like other townships its population has 
been almost at a standstill for the last 
half century, it being 1,312 in 1850; 1,268 
in 1870; 1,345 in 1880; 1,307 in 1890; and 
1,435 in 1900. 

Acreage and Assessed Valuation, 

The following table shows the number 
of acres and the assessed valuation of the 
real and personal property in the town- 
ship and various school districts. 

Real Personal 
Acres Estate Property Total 

Moorefield 20,903 $782,110 $550,040 $1,332,150 

M. & Or. School 

Districts 2S7 9,160 16,080 25.240 

M. & Spr. School 

Districts 280 10,430 2,800 13,230 

M. & Spr. City 

School Dist. .. 738 34,5.50 17,350 51,900 

M. & Urbana 

School Dist. .. 1,596 67,160 19,920 87,080 

Total 23,810 $903,410 $606,210 $1,509,600 

Politics. 

As the settlers of this township came 
from a different part of the old dominion 
than those of German Township, it has 
followed that in political complexion the 
township has been different and at almost 
all elections, the majority vote has been 
against the Democratic party. In former 
times it was Wliig, latterly Republican, 
generally in the neighborhood of one hun- 
dred. 

Old Settlers. 

The township began to be settled in the 
latter part of the eighteenth century. In 
1799, a colony of five settlers, with their 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



281 



■wives and children, left their friends in 
Kentucky and settled in this township, 
along the Urbana Pike, which was then a 
cleared path cut through the forest. (See 
Roads.) Their names were Philip Jar- 
bow, William Ward, Simon Kenton (the 
renowned Indian fighter), John Richards 
and William Moore. Ward settled in sec- 
tion 32, on the place now occupied by Mr. 
Sultsbach, which is four miles north of 
Springfield. He brought his wife and 
fourteen children with him, but his wife 
dying, he married again, and had four 
more children born to him of the second 
marriage. Kenton was also married, and 
settled on land on the road adjoining 
Ward oh the north. During the first year 
of ' their settlement here, Kenton dug a 
canal (where afterwards was Cassilly's 
saw-mill) intending it for a mill-race, but, 
on account of the water supply being in- 
sufficient, the project was abandoned, and 
no mill built. Jarbow settled in a dense 
oak wood, next to Kenton, where the trees 
were so thick that, tradition says, a man 
could go over the whole clearing without 
touching the ground, by stepping from 
stump to stump. This little band of en> 
igrants seemed to be of an enterprising 
nature, for it is said that Jarbow, shortly 
after his settlement, constructed a "still" 
and manufactured whiskey for himself 
and neighbors, working on shares. This 
was probably the first spirituous liquor in 
the township. He continued business 
through his whole life, and thus disposed 
of the surplus corn of the neighborhood. 
In 1802, some other families left their 
homes of ease and comfort in the "Old 
Dominion" to seek their homes in West- 
ern wilds. These were Richard Robinson, 
James Bishop and Benjamin Cornell. 



Robinson had a family of fifteen children, 
and his wife Sarah. He settled on the 
farm now known as the "Yeazell place." 
Bishop also had a family of fifteen chil- 
dren, and his wife, whose name was 
Nancy. He settled on the farm afterward 
owned by James Foley. Cornell had a 
family consisting of his wife, Rose, and 
fourteen children. In the same year came 
Jonathan and James Paige, from Ken- 
tucky, and settled in the township. In 
1803, James Foley, a native of Virginia, 
born 1779, came to the county, selected 
land in Moorefield Township, upon which 
he settled permanently in 1805. In 1808, 
he married Mary Marsh, also a native of 
Virgiaia, born in 1784, to whom were 
born Griffith, Catherine, Susan, John and 
James. Mr. Foley was one of the first 
county commissioners on the erection of 
the county in 1818, and served several 
years; was also in the Legislature two 
terms, and became one of the largest land 
owners in Clark County. He died in 1864, 
aged eighty-four. John Ward settled in 
the township about the same time as 
Foley. Judge John R. Lemon settled on 
Section 2, in the southeastern part of the 
township in 1808 ; he was also a Virginian. 
In the same year, David Crabill and his 
wife Barbara came from Virginia and 
settled on Buck Creek. They had born to 
them twelve children; several yet survive, 
and are among the leading families of the 
county. David was a native of Virginia, 
and his wife of Pennsylvania ; her maiden 
name was Bear, and he was in the War of 
1812. Thomas ^.''oss, a native of Virginia, 
settled where Nathan Marsh formerly 
lived, in 1808. Silvanus Tuttle and his 
wife, Mary (Brown) Tuttle, came to Ohio 
from Virginia ,in 1806, settling first in 



282 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Champaign County, close to Catawba Sta- 
tion, and, in the spring of 1808, remov- 
ing to the sontheastem part of Mooretield 
Township, where both died, he in January, 
1.843, aged eighty-two, and his wife in 
IVIay, 1848, aged eighty-five. Of their 
numerous family, Eunice, Thaddeus, 
Hetty, Thomas, John, Doras, Caleb, 
Zebedee and David, all are dead. The 
Tuttles incline toward the Baptist Church, 
and many of them are actively identified 
with that denomination. 

In 1808, Charles Rodkin and John Eun- 
yan settled in the township, and Jacob 
Richards a couple of years previous; all 
were from Virginia. In 1811, Horatio 
Banes came with his parents, Evan and 
Lina Banes, and settled in Section 10, 
where his father died in 1827, and his 
mother in 1836. They had three sons, all 
now deceased. Horatio was born in 
Virginia in 1791, and was married in this 
county in 1824, to Polly Miller, by whom 
he had nine children. He died in 1868. 
He was prominent in township affairs. 
Henry Bosart and his wife, Elizabeth, set- 
tled on Section 21 in 1811; his wife died 
in 1817, and he in 1841. His son, T. L. 
Bosart, became a well known and lead- 
ing farmer of his township, and his grand- 
son, Lewis W. Bosart, who lives in Spring- 
field, still owns the old homestead; James 
Clark was born in Virginia, and there 
married to Martha Davis, of that state, 
to whom were born Rebecca, John, 
Charles M., William, Ellen, Eliza, Juliana 
and Wallace. They came to Coshocton 
County, Ohio, in 1806, and about 1811 to 
this township, afterward moving to Cham- 
paign County, where they died. Mr. Clark 
excelled as a cooper. His sons, John, 
Charles M. and William, now deceased. 



were well knowTi and prominent citizens 
of Clark County. Seaton J. Hedges set- 
tled close to the Champaign County line 
at an early day. He married Harriet 
Miller, and was afterward remarried 
twice; he died on his farm. In 1810 
Abraham Yeazell and his wife, Mary, na- 
tiA^es of Virginia, who settled in Clinton 
County, Ohio, at an early day, came to 
this township, settling in the southeast- 
ern part. They had fourteen children. 
Mr. Yeazell died January 2, 1832, and his 
wife September 22, 1828, and the family 
is one of the best known and most ex- 
tensive in Clark County. Dennis Collins 
was born in Virginia in 1771, and there 
married to Mary Thomas, born in New 
Jersey in 1774. They had fifteen chil- 
dren — Dr. Collins, Sr., now deceased, of 
South Charleston, being one of the num- 
ber. In 1796 they moved to Kentucky, 
and in 1811 to Champaign County, Ohio, 
settling in Moorefield Township in 1813, 
where he died in 1826, and his wife in 
1843. John Marsh was born in Virginia 
in 1794; came to this township about 
1818; he was married, in 1833, to Maria 
Dye, to whom were born three children 
now deceased — Nathan, Mary J. and John 
D. He was a very successful farmer, and 
accumulated a large estate, dying in 1837 
much re.spected. 

In 1812, Ward, Banes and Foley went 
to Detroit to recruit Hull's army there. 
They must have gone with a large force 
of Kentuckians who passed through the 
settlement that year under Colonel Wick- 
liff, to re-enforce Hull's army, but they 
arrived just after Hull's cowardly and 
ignominious surrender. Ward and Foley 
busied themselves during their lives in 
amassing titles of lands, in addition to 



AND BEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



283 



that of their first purchase. They would 
enter large tracts and make the first pay- 
ments ; then they held it until, hy selling a 
part, they conld with the proceeds pay the 
balance due. "VVTfien Ward was first mar- 
ried, Moses Henkle, the minister, came 
to take dinner with him the first Sabbath 
after he had entered the hymeneal state. 
They only had one gallon pot in the house ; 
in this they boiled the potatoes, and, after 
they were done, boiled the coffee in the 
same pot. Then they baked the bread on 
the lid of the pot, before the fire, and 
roasted the wild turkey, which they had 
saved for the occasion, on a spit in front 
of the fire, hanging it on a peg driven in 
the logs above the fireplace. They ate 
from a table made by sawing off one end 
of a big log and driving three pegs in it 
for legs. The chairs were made by Mr. 
Ward, being constructed in the same man- 
ner as the table, but minus the legs. 

In 1807 Alexander McBeth, his wife 
Rachael, and eight children, came from 
Pennsylvania and settled on the old Col. 
Ward farm, more recently known as 
Frank Brook's place. In 1810 Mr. Mc- 
Beth built a brick house, which was the 
first one in the county, and i>robably in 
any county adjoining. We have very 
vague information concerning a man 
named McDaniels, who came into the 
township previous to 1806 but of his his- 
tory or family nothing can now be learned, 
all traces of him having long ago disap- 
peared. Moses Henkle, another early set- 
tler, came previous to 1810, and built a 
little log house near the former residence 
of Mariah Jones. He was of German 
descent, and came from Pennsylvania. 
He had two daughters and several sons, 
all of whom are now scattered and their 



history lost. The father was buried in 
Pleasant Hill Graveyard. One of his fam- 
ily was the first county clerk of Clark 
County. 

The first to bear the glad tidings to the 
people and disseminate the truths of the 
Gospel in the township was the Eev. 
Robert Miller, an American by birth, but 
of Scotch descent. His grandparents em- 
igrated from Scotland in 1738. His father 
served in the Revolutionary War, in which 
he lost his life. Robert was born in 
Prince George County, Maryland, August 
19, 1767. He moved to Virginia in 1793 
and in 1797 removed to Kentucky. He 
came to this state and township in 1812, 
and settled on land now occupied as a site 
for the new Moorefield Methodist Church. 
He was a Methodist preacher by profes- 
sion — one of those dauntless, energetic, 
Methodist preachers that characterized 
that denomination in early pioneer days. 
He was the prime mover in the organiza- 
tion of the Moorefield Church, in 1812, for 
which he preached a number of years. He 
was twice married, having four daughters 
and five sons (two of the latter afterward 
became ministers) by his first wife, and 
three boys and one girl by the second 
wife. In 1816, he built a large new log 
house, to which he added an extra room 
especially for church services, as they 
then had no meeting-house. This house 
stood where the residence of A. W. Mum- 
per is now located. 'When the project of 
building the first church was in debate, 
Mr. Miller donated the ground for church 
and graveyard, gave $100 (which was one- 
sixth of the whole cost), solicited the bal- 
ance, and afterward split the lath for the 
new building, and painted it when com- 
pleted. In 1834 he died, with this odd. 



284 



HISTORY OF €LAEK COUNTY 



though characteristic, speech on his lips: 
'•] am g'oing to heaven as straight as a 
shingle." He was buried in the ground 
he had given to the church twenty-two 
years before for a burying-ground, where 
his body molders while his spirit is at 
rest. It will be well to mention some of 
his co-workers in the church work, as they 
were also early residents of the township. 
Among them were Saul Henkle, who, in 
1818, when the county was organized, was 
the first clerk; Hector Sanford, John 
C] origan and Dennis Collins. A com- 
paratively early settler, and one whose 
name is well known throughout the town- 
ship, was Judge Daniel McKinnon, a 
Virginian, who came to this section in 
1808, and settled on the ground where New 
Moorefield now stands, in Sections 3, 4, 
9 and 10, corner. He had a family con- 
sisting of his wife, three girls and five 
boys, all of which children are now scat- 
tered over the country outside of the town- 
ship. The father died on the land he en- 
tered, and was buried in the old grave- 
yard. Michael Arbogast came to Moore- 
field in 1811, from Pendleton County, Vir- 
ginia, and entered a half-section of land 
on Buck Creek. He had five sons and 
two daughters, who were left fatherless 
by Mr. xVrbogast's death, which occurred 
in 1813, two years after his entrance into 
the settlement. His early demise pre- 
vented him from making the paAineuts on 
his land, and his widow found herself 
very much in debt, but, by industry, 
economy and extreme frugality, she suc- 
ceeded in meeting all demands made. Her 
third son, Eli, was born in 1799, before 
they left Virginia. In 1823, he married 
Miss Nancy Henkle, also a Virginian, who 
was then twentv-two vears old, and thev 



had born to them nine children. For 
twelve years after marriage, they lived on 
rented land, but in 1835 Mr. Arbogast 
bought the property in Section 21, where 
he subsequently resided. 

Early Evejstts. 

One of the first births in this township 
was that of Margaret Ward, daughter of 
William, born in 1804. Eliza Foley was 
born in 1807. In 1810 Alexander McBeth 
just across the Champaign County line, 
along what is now known as the Urbana 
Pike, built the first brick house in this 
country. The first schoolhouse was prob- 
ably built in 1812, north of Springfield 
on the Urbana Pike, on Avhat is known as 
the Frank Brook's farm. This house was 
built of logs. Probably the first dwelling 
Jiouse of the township was the one erected 
by Simon Kenton in 1799, on the Urbana 
Pike, close to the present Hunt residence. 
It is related that during the War of 1812 
a large force of Kentuckians marched 
through the township imder Colonel Wiek- 
liffe to re-enforce the American army at 
Detroit. John Ward, Horatio Banes and 
James Foley went along with this delega- 
tion but arrived in Detroit too late, as 
Hull had already surrendered. 

The death of an old man by the name 
of McDaniels, in 1808, is the first re- 
corded. 

Mills were erected on Buck Creek, and 
Kenton attempted to erect one on Moores 
Eun. (See Mills.) 

Rece^tt Tn"habitants. 

Of those who were more recently active 
in the affairs of this township may be 
mentioned the following: 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



285 



James Clark, who was a life-long resi- 
dent of this township and for many years 
township treasurer, was a son of John D. 
Clark, who came to this county when but 
a child. He was born in 1838 and died in 
1906. He was a noted stock-raiser, at one 
time being the owner of Mohawk whom he 
sold to his father for $25,000, and also of 
Fanny Foley, sold to John D. Rockefeller 
for a handsome price. 

S. H. Bowlus came to this township, set- 
tling north near the county line, in 1853. 
He was born in Maryland in 1819 and died 
in November, 1896. Charles J. Bowlus, 
sometim.e mayor of Springfield, was his 
grandson. 

Thos. C. Wilson was born in Kentucky, 
September, 1806, and came to this county 
with his parents about 1815, and in 1856 
he bought the farm where they first lived, 
north of New Moorefield along the county 
line. He died in 1894. His son, James 
P., succeeded to the ownership of the 
home farm, he dying in 1903. 

Nathan and John Marsh, Jr., were 
former residents of this township. 
Nathan was born in 1833 and died in 1900. 
He was an extensive stock-dealer in his 
time. In 1859 he was married to Catha- 
rine, daughter of Jacob Yeazell, who still 
survives. 

Joseph Sultzbaugh was born April 30, 
1812, in York County, Pennsylvania, and 
came to Moorefield Township, settling on 
the Urbana Pike in 1856, whei'e he died in 
1886, leaving a very large family. He 
was prominent in matters pertaining to 
the public. 

Mayor William T. Hough was a promi- 
nent early citizen of this township, born 
in Virginia in 1811, and coming to Moore- 
field Township in 1833, and died about 



1893. His son John T. Hough is a resident 
of the township at this time, formerly 
holding the position of township trustee. 

The Baldwins were early inhabitants of 
this township, William having been born 
in 1834. His grandfather located here 
about 3809. For a while William Baldwin 
lived in Kansas, but for a number of 
recent years was justice of the peace of 
the township. His brother Frank was 
born upon the place where he still resides, 
north of New Moorefi-eld, in 1841. He has 
always resided in this township and for a 
number of years has been justice of the 
peace. 

A well known resident of this township 
is Abraham W. Mumper, who lives near 
the Champaign County line. He was born 
in Miami County in 1842 and came to this 
township as a prominent resident about 
the close of the war. He was married in 
1868 to Miss Sarah Hutton. 

Reuben Scifers was born in Virginia in 
1843 and located in Champaign County in 
the same year. He bought the farm upon 
which he now resides, a short distance 
above Springfield, in 1868. 

A pioneer who resided in this township 
the latter days of his life was Reuben 
Huffman. He was bom near the old In- 
dian village of Piqua in 1802. He moved 
into this township in 1877, and died in the 
early eighties. His son Oscar recently 
died in the village of New Moorefield, hav- 
ing kept a store there for some years. 
Several of his children lived in the vicin- 
ity. 

R. L. HoUman, born in Massachusetts in 
1828, came to this township in 1875 and 
purchased his present farm on the Urbana 
Pike about five and one-half miles north 
of Springfield. 



286 



HISTOEY OF CL;.RK COUNTY 



William T. Hunt, a native of New Jer- 
sey, settled on the Urbana Pike, on what 
is now known as the old Hunt homestead, 
about the year 182S. He was quite promi- 
•nent in early affairs and died about the 
year 1870, leaving a large family, five boys 
and six girls. Ralph, the eldest, was a 
captain in the Civil "War. William went 
south and died some years later. Robert, 
George and Edward died on the home 
farm. The eldest daughter became the 
wife of E. B. Cassilly, the next daughter 
the wife of Mr. Tiers. These are both 
now widows and residents of this county. 
Meta became the wife of Chandler Rob- 
bins. Elnora, Rose and Virginia still live 
on the home farm. Jacob Yeazell, Jr., 
was a grandchild of x\braham and Mary 
Yeazell and the son of Jeremiah Yeazell, 
who was born in 1806, and came to this 
township while a boy, settling on the farm 
now owned by Ross Mitchell. Jacob was 
born in 1 842 just over the line of Pleasant 
Township. To distinguish him from an 
uncle who had the same name he is known 
as Jacob Yeazell, Jr. Jacob Yeazell, Sr.. 
was a son of Abraham Yeazell hereinbe- 
fore referred to, and a brother of John 
■W. who now lives in New Moorefiield. 
Jacob Yeazell, Sr., was born in Clinton 
County in 1809 and died a few years ago 
at the advanced age of ninety-one years. 
His wife, who was a daughter of John 
and Jane Foley, was born in 1810 and died 
when more than ninety-one years of age. 
They had a family of seven children. 
Eliza J. married Jonathan Donnel and is 
still living in Springfield; Catharine W. 
was the wife of Nathan Marsh, late of 
Champaign County. John A. recently 
died; James E. lives in Dayton; William 
H. lives in this township; Sarah E. mar- 



ried Henry Weaver and George W. re- 
sic es with his family in Springfield Town- 
ship. 

Pierce Crabill, son of David Crabill be- 
fore spoken of, is still living on the old 
farm in the southern part of the town- 
ship at the advanced age of eighty-four 
years. His brother William, Sr., is liv- 
ing in the City of Springfield. 

Leonard Karg was born in German}^ in 
1826, and came to Moorefield Township 
in 1855 and lived there until his death in 
1904. His place of residence was im- 
mediately south of the Champaign Coun- 
ty line on a farm now occupied by his son 
Sam. 

County Officials. 

Moorefield Township, being of the same 
political complexion as the county, has 
furnished a fair proportion of the public 
oflicials. 

James Foley above spoken of was coun- 
ty commissioner in 1818, also was repre- 
sentative in the State Legislature. E. B. 
Cassilly, county commissioner from 1867- 
1872, was for some time a resident of this 
tOAvnship, residing on the Urbana Pike 
immediately south of the Hunt farm, upon 
the farm which is still in the name of 
his daughter. James Foley was elected 
sheriff in 1881 and was a resident of this 
township and afterwards moved to 
Springfield. He was a grandson of the 
James Foley above referred to. 

Peter Rockel was born in German 
Township one mile below Tremont City 
in 1831, and became a resident of this 
township in 1867. He resided there until 
his death in 1896. He was justice of the 
peace a number of years, more familiarly 
known as "Squire Rockel." 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



287 



J. H. Thomas, afterwards a rich manu- 
facturer of the city of Springfield, was 
formerly a resident of this township, and 
was elected recorder in 1853. Mr. 
Thomas was born in Maryland in 1826. 
His residence in this township was as a 
member of his father's family, he going 
to the city of Springfield immediately 
after his leaving college. 

Douglas W. Eawlings was a native of 
this state, born in Champaign County in 
1843. His father was James Eawlings 
and settled in this state in 1823, taking 
up a tract of land in Urbana Township. 
Mr. Eawlings was a veteran of the Civil 
War and elected County Commissioner in 
1882, afterwards served as a member of 
the General Assembly and also as state 
senator, and died in 1895. 

Smith S. Twichell was born in New 
York in 1836; married in 1868 to Miss 
Virginia, daughter of Seaton Hedges, and 
became a resident of Moorefield Township 
in 1875 ; was elected county commissioner 
in 1900. 

Justice of the Peace since 1871 — Milton 
M. Miller, 1871 ; Peter Eockel, 1872-1875 ; 
James Foley, 1872, resig-ned; James M. 
Hodge, 1873; Gabriel W. Banes, 1875; S. 
S. Twichell, 1876; Frank Baldwin, 1878- 
1884; 1896-1902; 1904; G. B. Hunt, 1878; 
J. L. Little, 1881-1887; William Baldwin, 
1887-1890; Thomas Lesher, 1890; H. B. 
Moler, 1890; Thomas Langen, 1893; John 
W. Yeazell, 1893; Charles E. Little, 1894; 
Jacob Snaufer, 1897; A. D. Heindel, 
1901; P. li. Maughan, 1904; B. F. Weigel, 
1907. 

Township Trustees— J. B. Croft, 1880- 
1881; Wm. H. Crabill, 1880-1882; J. C. 
Beard, 1880-1883; L. H. Eoberts, 1881- 
1882; Jacob Yeazell, 1882-1885; John 



Sultzbach, 1882-1886 ; Moses Kiger, 1883- 
1884; John B. Hough, 1884-1885; J. S. 
Swaidner, 1885-1886 ; Jacob Yeazell, 1886- 
1888; S. S. Twichell, 1886-1899; Leonard 
Karg, 1888-1891; Frank Erter, 1891 to 
Sept. 1st same year (resigned) ; E. K. 
Hunt, Sept. 1st, 1891-1892 ; Adam Stoner, 
1892-1903; Eeuben Scifers, 1895-1898; 
Jacob Snaufer, 1898, term expires Jan. 
1908; J. L. Phleger, 1899-1900 (resigned) ; 
J. H. Engle, 1900 to Jan. 1st, 1906; Geo. 
K. Ernst, 1903, term expires Jan. 1st, 
1908; Lera Bowers, 1906, term expires 
Jan. 1st, 1910; Geo. Otstot (elect). 

Township Clerk— G. D. Brinkman, 1880, 
to Nov. 17th, 1884 (resigned) ; J. S. Simp- 
son, Nov. 17th, 1884, term expires Jan. 
1908. 

Township Treasurer— ^James Clark, 
1880, to Mar., 1906, died; J. L. Phleger, 
Mar., 1906, term expires Jan., 1908. 

Board of Education — John H. "Wilson, 
A. D. Heindel, C. 0. Baker, Frank Wones, 
•Tohn A. Yeazell (deceased, no appoint- 
ment made to fill vacancy). 

Churches. 

There are in this township but four 
churches, each of different denomination. 
The Methodist Episcopal, Protestant 
Methodist, Baptist and United Brethren. 
The Methodist Episcopal was the first or- 
ganized in 1812. This church was first 
built on the road a short distance south 
of the present residence of Abraham 
Mumper and was known as the Miller 
Church and is now called Moorefield 
Chapel. Afterwards a church was built 
in the village of Moorefield, regular serv- 
ices are held in both churches, Eev. M. E. 
Eshels being pastor of both churches. 



288 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



The Protestant Methodist Church was 
organized in 1846 and a few years later 
a church was built in Section 15, im- 
mediately south of the farm now belong- 
ing to Mrs. Dimond. Is still standing 
with regular services. It is known as 
Pleasant Hill Church. M. M. Campbell is 
the present pastor. 

The Baptist Church was organized in 
1879 and was dedicated in 1880. It was 
situated on the Clark and Union Turn- 
pike, two miles north of New Moorefield. 

The last church that was built in the 
township was that of the United Brethern 
in Bowlusville. This church was built 
about the year 1886. It is in good condi- 
tion. A. H. Lehman is the present pastor. 

Schools. 

The first schoolhouse of this township 
was built in 1812, north of Springfield on 
the Urbana Pike, on what is now known 
as Frank Brooks farm, and was a log 
structure. An early school teacher of the 
township, who taught as early as 1810, 
was named Redwood. Squire Lemon 
taught in the western part of the town- 
ship .a few years later. The schools are 
all well managed and in good condition, 
the township, however, having no high 
school. 

The following are the teachers for the 
present year: Supervisor, D. I. Mc- 
Dowell. New Moorefield, grammar, D. I. 
McDowell; primary, Zelphia Stephenson. 
Union, grammar, Clyde McCuUough; pri- 
mary, Edna Jones. Kenton, Ollie Gard. 
Franklin, A. L. HuUinger. Hunter, Em-, 
ma Spahr. Kennedy, Elinor Boolman, 
Oak Dale, Alice Arthur. Yeazell, C. C. 



Runyan. Oak Dale and Kennedy were 
reopened. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males 
150; females 131 ; total 281. 

PIKE TOWNSHIP. 



BOL'NDAKIES. 

Pike Township is located in the extreme 
northwestern part of Clark County. It is 
the only township in the county having 
Vv'hat is usually considered the correct di- 
mensions of a township, it being six miles 
square, and containing thirty-six square 
miles. It has for its boundaries, Miami 
County on the west. Champaign County on 
the north, German Township on the east 
and Bethel Township on the south. Noth- 
ing is known now as to the origin of its 
name. 

Sl^eface. 

Practically the entire township is up- 
land, rolling but not hilly. The soil is 
generally fertile and reasonably well- 
drained naturally. A very great improve- 
ment has been made, however, on much of 
this "beech land" by under-drains. Orig- 
inally it was covered with timber, the pre- 
x'ailing type being beech, sugar, ash, 
hickory, poplar, walniit and different 
varieties of oak. The oak was not so 
plentiful, however, as on the east side of 
the Mad Eiver Valley. 

Crops. 

In the western part of the township 
limestone crops out of the surface. The 
soil is very well adapted for the raising 
of oats, corn and wheat, however, these 
cereals being grown with profit. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



289 



Streams. 

The township has no stream of water 
of any considerable size; however, Don- 
nels' Creek, Jackson's Creek, and Honey 
Creek extend through the township, flow- 
ing in a southern direction. These 
streams are now often dry in the summer 
time. At an early date there were saw- 
mills on these various streams at different 
places. (See Mills.) 

Roads. 

There are about 30 miles of improved 
roads in this township. 

No steam railroad enters the township 
and until the S. T. & P. Traction line was 
built a few years ago, no railroad of any 
kind entered the township. This road en- 
ters the northeast corner and goes through 
the villages of North Hampton and Dial- 
ton, these being the only villages in the 
township. There are only two voting 
precincts, one at North Hampton and the 
other including the southern part of the 
township. Like the other townships of 
the county the early settlers came prin- 
cipally from Virginia and Kentucky, some 
coming from Maryland and Pennsylvania. 

Population. 

The township has had a very slow 
growth in population in the last half cen- 
tury. In 1S50 its population was 1,471; 
1870, 1,582; 1880, 1,758; 1890, 1,758; 1900, 
1,533. 

Acreage. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres and the assessed valuation of the 
real and personal property of the town- 
ship. 



Aotes. Real Personal Total. 

Estate. Property. 
Pikd Township ...23,375 .'F825,240 $42.5,400 $1,2.50.640 

It will be noticed from this table that 
the entire township makes but one school 
district as the table is made according to 
school districts. 

Politics. 

While the various townships of the 
county seem to receive their early set- 
tlers from the states, yet some townships 
have voted in favor of the Democratic 
candidates from a very early date, and 
Pike is one of that number. It was 
strongly in favor of Jaclcson in 1832, bnt 
pretty close between Harrison and Van 
Buren in 1840, and was carried by Taylor 
the Whig candidate in 1848, since which it 
has steadily given a Democratic majority 
in the neighborhood of from 50-75. 

Or.D Settlers. 

The following information in regard to 
the Old Settlers is derived from a histor- 
ical work previously published. 

Unlike the neighboring townships, Pik? 
was not settled, comparatively speaking, 
until a later day. It was not until the 
year 1805 that we have any trace of a set- 
tlement in Vv'hat now comprises this sub- 
division. This year cam.e from Virginia 
two brothers, Andrew and Samuel Black, 
who together selected and later entered 
Section 25, dividing it between them, the 
former coming in possession of the south- 
ern half. They returned to their Virginia 
home, where Andrew had left a wife and 
one child. Samuel was an unmarried 
man. The following year (1806), after 
due preparation had been made, Andrew, 
accompanied by his family and brother. 



290 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



again turned his course westward for the 
bhosen spot of their future home. Upon 
the southern half of Section 25 was 
erected the first cabin in the township; 
it was the rude log pole cabin of the 
day. The work of the pioneer here began. 
Soon the space of five acres was dead- 
ened and the underbrush cleared, and the 
first crop of corn planted, which was care- 
fully cared for by these first comers, but 
the squirrels were so numerous that, 
despite the effort on the part of these men, 
the entire crop was almost consumed by 
them. However, the gathering season 
came, and as the result of their labor but 
three bushels were gathered; this was 
garnered up in the bin (then the loft of 
the cabin), for future use. The season 
for its dem.and soon approached, and 
Andrew contemplated a journey to the 
mill, but imagine his surprise on looking 
for the treasure to find that the entire 
yield had been destroyed by mice. So 
much for the first settlement and first 
crop. These men were both natives of 
Montgomery County, Va. Andrew was 
bom March 6, 1783, and was united in 
marriage, December 20, 1804, with Susan- 
nah Ross, who was also a native of Mont- 
gomery County, Va., born December 7, 
1781. They were the parents of the fol- 
lowing children; Samuel A., Mary, 
James, William, Thomas, Jane, Andrew, 
Edward and Susannah. Father and 
mother Black died on the homestead Oc- 
tober 18, 1854, and September 25, 1845, 
respectively, and their remains rest in 
what is now known as the Black Cemetery. 
The brother Samuel died in the year 1814, 
and was interred in the same burial- 
ground. He served as Captain in the War 
of 1812, where he contracted the fatal 



disease of consum_ption, which terminated 
in his death. (See memoranda at end of 
history of township.) Andrew also per- 
formed some service as a scout in that 
war. 

The next settlement of which we could 
gain any knowledge was effected in Sec- 
tion 19, by Adam Verdier, some time dur- 
ing the year 1806. Mr. Verdier was a 
man of family, having married Elizabeth 
Mercer. Both were natives of Jefferson 
County, Virginia, where they were mar- 
ried and whence they emigrated to the 
township of Pike. They left Virginia as 
early as 1804 or 1805, but stopped for a 
while in what is now Montgomery Coun- 
ty, in this state. The southeast quarter 
of Section 19 was entered by Mr. Verdier. 
In later years he became quite a heavy 
land owner, possessing nearly five hun- 
dred acres in Cham^paign County, and a 
half-section in Shelby County. The 
mother died in 1858, and the father some 
years previously. Both are buried in the 
Black graveyard. 

For a few years after the coming of the 
above-mentioned pioneers, we have little 
knowledge of settlements made, and of 
those making them. William Simms and 
Samuel Brandenburg, the latter from 
Kentucky, entering land in Section 13, 
were early settlers of Pike, but the dates 
of their comiiig and further knowledge of 
them we have been unable to obtain. In 
the year 1811, the little colony was in- 
creased by the arrival of Thomas Staf- 
ford and family. They too hailed from 
the state late known as the "Mother of 
Presidents," coming from Giles County, 
Va., and entering the northwest quarter 
of Section 31, and there beginning the 
work of the pioneer. Mr. Stafford was 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



291 



a native of England, and, at the age of 
ten years, arrived in Virginia, in which 
state he married Catharine Williams, a 
native thereof. This couple, with three 
children — Peggie, Nancy and George W. 
— emigrated to this vicinity on horseback, 
making the journey in twelve days. In 
after years, there were born to the 
parents, the following children: Eliz- 
abeth, James, Melinda, Thomas, Susan, 
John, Henry, Joseph, Catherine, William 
and Lueinda. The father reached the age 
of eighty-two years, and the mother fifty- 
four. They lived and died on the home- 
stead, and are buried in Miami County. 
The former served as a scout in the War 
of 1812. Ralph Stafford, a brother of 
Thomas, accompanied the latter, but en- 
tered land in Miami County and in later 
years came to Pike Township and here 
died. During this same year (1811) came 
from Virginia, James and John Black, 
brothers of Andrew and Samuel Black 
above mentioned. James made a tem- 
porary stay, and his brother Andrew then 
entered the southeast quarter of Section 
20, on which land he resided until his 
death, in the year 1853. He was born Au- 
gust 17, 1789. His wife's name was Catha- 
rine. They were the parents of ten chil- 
dren, all of whom were born in Pike 
Township, namely, Mary, Matthew, Su- 
sannah, Catharine, Dorcas, Joseph, Sam- 
uel, James, Julia and John A. John was 
united in marriage with Elizabeth Ross, 
and they were blessed with eight children. 
He entered the northwest quarter of Sec- 
tion 19, and there lived and died. A little 
later came William Black, Sr., uncle of 
the Blacks jiist spoken of. He was from 
the same part of Virginia, and was quite 
an old man when he came out. He en- 



tered the northwest quarter of Section 13, 
and there ended his days. About the year 
1813, another of the Stafford brothers, 
George by name, came from the Stafford 
neighborhood in Virginia, and entered the 
west half of Section 31. His wife was 
Catharine Fair. They reared a large fam- 
ily of children. The same year (1813), 
James Fuller and his family left Mont- 
gomery County, Va., stopping one year 
in Kentucky, thence proceeding to the 
vicinity of New Carlisle, in Bethel Town- 
ship, where he remained about two years, 
and thence into Pike Township, entering 
the west half of Section 21, for which he 
paid $2 per acre. His children were 
Ellen, Sarah, James C, Moses, Bradley 
and Rhoda, of whom James C, recently 
deceased, lived on the old homestead. The 
mother died in 1844, and the father in 
February, 1872, the latter in his eighty- 
fourth year. Both are buried in the Black 
graveyard. Northrup Fuller, the father 
of James, settled in Section 22, a little 
later entering the southeast quarter. Be- 
sides the son mentioned, there were the 
following children : John, Moses, Obadiah, 
William, Robert and Sarah, all settled in 
Clark County, and the greater part of 
them in this township. In the year 1812, 
Benjamin Carmin and family came from 
the State of Maryland and entered land 
in what is now Pike Township, where he 
resided until his death, which occurred 
in the year 1827. Mr. Carmin was a na- 
tive of Blackford County, Md., and his 
wife of Virginia. About the year 1816, 
Jacob Frantz settled in Section 7, the 
northeast quarter of which had been en- 
tered by one Hanline; at least the patent 
was granted to Mr. Frantz as the assignee 
of the Hanline heirs. It seems, the per- 



292 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



son entering it was not able to meet the 
payments, and the land was purchased by 
Mr. Frantz, and the grant given as afore- 
said. Louis Ray and family emigrated 
from the State of Virginia in the year 
1812, stopping at Cincinnati, where they 
remained one year; then came to Clark 
County, locating near Springrfield, and 
four years later purchased land in the 
vicinity of North Hampton, Pike Town- 
ship. He married Elizabeth Ziglar, and 
raised a family of ten children, three of 
whom are now living. The southwest 
quarter of Section 3 was entered about the 
year 1815 or 1816, by George Overpeck, 
another Virginian. His wife was Martha 
Currene, both natives of that state, which 
they left in the year 1807, going to Miami 
County on Indian Creek, thence to Spring- 
field Township, and up into Pike as afore- 
said. They were Methodists, and their 
house served as the place of worship 
for years. Mr. Overpeck raised a 
large family, consisting of the follow- 
ing named children: Mary, Susan, 
Margaret, Ruth, William, Elizabeth, 
])Iaria, Samuel, Isaac, Phebe and Greorge. 
The father died in January, 1846, 
and the mother in January, 1866. Both 
were buried in Asbury graveyard. 
William Spence and family settled in the 
vicinity of North Hampton in the year 
1818, they having emigrated from Eng- 
land in 1816, stopping in Cincinnati two 
years. There were thirteen children born 
to the parents. The Bixlers, Basingers, 
Forgys and Letfels were also early set- 
tlers. The Basingers were from Virginia. 
The southeast quarter of Section 9 was 
entered by Obediah Lippincott, who with 
his wife Margaret Reed came from New 
Jersey about the year 1810, first stopping 



in Warren County; thence going to 
Greene County and to Pike Township. 
They were born in the years 1786 and 
1787 respectively. Both are buried in As- 
bury graveyard. The Priests were early 
settlers, too. John in an early day em- 
igrated to Kentucky (from Virginia), and 
thence to this vicinity, entering the north- 
west quarter in Clark County. 

New Jersey was again represented, and 
this time in the person of Jesse and Sarah 
(Sutton) Maxon and family, who are quite 
early settlers in Clark County, having set- 
tled on Mud Run prior to 1815, and a few 
years later traded their land there for the 
southwest quarter of Section 15. Thus 
ends a meager sketch of some of the 
pioneers of Pike Township, who made 
possible the high state of civilization, and 
advancement she has today attained. It 
may be thought that too much prominence 
has been given to some and too little said 
of others, and very probably no mention 
made of some deserving prominence, but 
we assure our readers that under the cir- 
cumstances and the meager source from 
which to obtain facts, the best has been 
done that at this late day could be. Most 
of the above settlers have left worthy 
descendants, who still reside in the town- 
ship. 

Eari;Y extents. 

So far as is known Samuel Black, son 
of Andrew Black, was the first white child 
born in Pike Township, in January, 1815. 
The first hotel in the township was built 
and kept by Alexander Johnson in North- 
ampton about 1833. In 1834 a log hotel 
was built two miles south of Northampton 
at the cross roads bv John Thomas. This 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



293 



was what is known as the "Black Horse 
Tavern. ' ' 

The first mill was built by James Black 
in 1814, on Honey Creek, Peter Baisinger 
about the year 1820 had a mill on Don- 
nels' Creek. This was later known as the 
"Northampton Mill," owned by Mr. Min- 
nich. (See Mills.) 

Recekt Resideistts. 

In addition to the persons given hereto- 
fore as early settlers of the township, 
there might be added the following, who 
have been active citizens, some now de- 
ceased and some still living. 

Madison Over, who wrote the article 
on this township for Beer's History, was 
born in German Township on the 15th 
day of December, 1841, son of Elias and 
Sarah Over. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools and at Wittenberg College 
and taught for about thirteen years. He 
was married in 1865 to Mary J. Jenkins. 
For some time he was a resident of North- 
ampton and served as justice of the 
peace. In 1886 he was a nominee for 
sheriff on the Democratic ticket, being 
defeated by only nine votes. He after- 
wards removed to the city of Springfield 
and in 1890 was the Democratic candidate 
for probate judge, being defeated by about 
700 votes. There occurring a vacancy 
upon the resignation of Judge Miller, he 
was appointed by Governor Campbell and 
served for seven weeks. He was assist- 
ant postmaster of Springfield (T. D. Wal- 
lace, postmaster) during President Cleve- 
land's second administration. He died 
some four or five years ago. His mod- 
esty forbade him to have any biographical 
sketch in the history of this county, which 
he assisted to write. 



George A. Spence is a wealthy land 
owner of this township, born in 1852, son 
of Mark Spence who was a former county 
commissioner of Clark County, and died 
in 1878. Mr. Spence was married to Anna 
Friermood in 1880. He resides upon the 
home farm, a short distance north of 
Northampton. John Spence was a resi- 
dent of this township for more than three- 
quarters of a century. He was born here 
March 21, 1824, and died in 1906. He was 
the son of James and a brother of Mark. 
He was married in 1853 to Miss Louisa 
Bailey. S. S. Jenkins, still a resident of 
this township, was bom in Champaign 
County in 1848, son of David and Eliz- 
abeth (Michael) Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins 
has served a number of times in various 
township positions. A. J. Funderburg 
was for four years a member of the board 
of elections of the county. 

Duncan Thackery was for many years 
a resident of this towjiship. He was an 
Englishman, born in Yorkshire, England, 
December 10, ]813, and emigrated with 
his parents to Champaign County in 1829. 
He was married to Susan Ray, who still 
survives, and who was born in 1820. He 
died about 1897. He was an active, ag- 
gressive farmer and amassed a consider- 
able fortune, which was inherited by his 
children who still reside in this commun- 
ity. 

Among the old pioneers of this town- 
ship is John Ray, who was born in Cin- 
cinnati in 1813, the son of Lewis and Eliz- 
abeth Ray. He has lived in this town- 
ship all his life, and is perhaps at this 
time the oldest man in the township. 

Daniel R. Taylor, present postmaster 
of Northampton, was born in Virginia, 
Dec. 31, 1835, and came to this township 



294 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



in 1880, as a minister of the German Re- 
form Clinrch, and preached in a number 
of charges. He was at one time mayor 
of St. Paris, and served in the War of 
the Rebellion ; likewise filled the position 
of justice of the peace of this township. 

William H. Sterritt who now resides in 
New Carlisle, and who was county com- 
missioner of this county for two terms, 
1884-1890, was for many years a resident 
of this township. 

Other old time residents were Wiley 
Jenkins, who died a few years ago at the 
advanced age of ninety-one years; Will- 
iam K. Jordon, who was justice of the 
}5eace for some time; John Miranda who 
was quite active in township affairs from 
1850-1870; (during the hot political times 
of the war i^eriod Samuel Sterrett was 
the recognized leader of the Republicans 
and John Miranda of the Democrats) ; 
Edward Wones now deceased, grandson 
of Lewis Ray ; William Myers now a resi- 
dent of the city of Springfield, some time 
clerk of this township; James C. Fuller, 
Samuel Baker, Charles S. Black, William 
Black, Jacob and John Myers, Moses Sut- 
ton, Peter Zinn, Daniel Ream, and others 
have been active in the affairs of this 
township. Horace W. Stafford, former 
prosecuting attorney of Clark County, is 
a native of this township, the son of J. 
R. Stafford, deceased. 

County Officials. 

Pike Township having been of the 
]~)emocratic persuasion politically, did not 
furnish a very large supply of county of- 
ficials: Samuel W. Sterritt was county 
commissioner from 1856-1865. Mark 
Spence was elected in 1877, but died 



shortly after taking this position. W. H. 
Sterritt occupied the position from 1884- 
1890, and if Madison Over had been con- 
sidered a resident of this township while 
serving as probate judge this would in- 
clude all that filled county positions from 
this township. 

TOWKSIIIP Officiai-s. 

Referring to the historical records col- 
lected by Over, we find the following men- 
tioned as those active in township affairs 
prior to 1880. 

It seems that there are no township 
records preserved in the office of the town- 
ship clerk of Pike Township of an earlier 
date than the year 1828. The first com- 
mission of James Johnson as justice of 
the peace is dated in 1830. That of John 
Black is dated in the year 1834, though he 
seems to have been in office earlier. 
George Cost was first elected in 1837, and 
Henry Long in 1838. The commission of 
Joseph B. Craig is dated April 10, 1843, 
and Samuel W. Sterrett 's first commis- 
sion is dated Oct. 15, 1844. Samuel J. 
Sims was elected in 1847, and James 
Spence in 1848. Thomas P. Thomas was 
commissioned November 28, 1855; and 
previous to him John Miranda served 
from 1845-1855, was again elected in 1858,. 
and served until 1867. Thomas F. Hard- 
acre was elected in 1859, and the commis- 
sion of William K. Jordan bears the date 
of November 8, 1860. Samuel Mock was 
elected in 1866, and William Jenkins in 
1867. Afterward John A. Black and John 
W. Cost served as justices of the peace. 
Madison Over, was elected in 1879, and 
Thomas Swonger in 1880. Many of the 
above officers were re-elected, some for 





AMPHlTI-lIiA i kh, lAIR GROUNDS 



COUNTRY CLUB. SPRINGFIELD 





VIEW IN FERNCLIFF CEMP;TERY, SPRINGFIELD CLARK MEMORIAL HOME FOR AGED WOMEN 





VIEW ON LITTLE MIAMI. NEAR CLIFTON 



VEIW IN SWDER PARK 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



297 



several terms. Among tlie earlier names 
of those who have filled the office of town- 
ship clerk, contemporaneous with the 
above justices of the peace, may be men- 
tioned James Black, George C. Homer, 
Jacob Harner, John Miranda, George 
Cost, Simon Spence, Andrew Clark, Philip 
Marquart, Asher B. Health, J. E. Lippin- 
cott, J. E. Pennimore, Jeremiah Ream, 
William Jenkins, P. M. Hawke, S. S. Jen- 
kins, and William Myers. The above six- 
teen persons have served Pike Township 
as clerk for the period of about fifty 
years, and have left the reputation of hav- 
ing been upright and efficient officers. 

The following is a roster from the year 
1880 up to the present : 

Township Trustees — John Myers, 1880 ; 
J. L. Rust, 1880-1881; P. S. Zinn, 1880- 
1881; B. K. Minnieh, ISSl; L. I. Lowman, 
1882-1884; Phillip Morningstar, 1882; 
John T. Maurice, 1882, 1884-1888; John 
Morningstar, 1883-1901; J. T. Nicholas, 
1883; Ezra Jenkins, 1885; Jos. Ulrey, 
1886-1890; Samuel Sigler, 1888-1891; J. 
W. Richeson, 1890-1899; S. S. Jenkins, 
1891-December 31, 1907 ; L. R. Lutz, 1899- 
December 31, 1907; William Gundolf, 
1901-Deeember 31, 1907; W. H. Gerin, F. 
F. Jenkins (elect). 

Justices of the Peace — William Jenkins, 
1871, 1873; John A. Black, 1872-1877; 
Samuel Mock, 1875; J. W. Cost, 1876; 
Madison Over, 1879-1885 ; Thomas Swan- 
ger, 1880; Arnold Kester, 1881, resigned; 
Joseph ITlery, 1883; J. P. Mock, 1886- 
1898; G-. W. Harley, 1887; William 
]\[yers, 1890; Daniel R. Taylor, 1893, 
1905; John W. Ryman, 1894-1903; La 
Fayette Fields, 1901-1904; 0. B. Minnieh 
(elect). 

Township Clerks — William Myers, 



1880-December, 1893; George S. Schantz, 
December, 1893-April, 1894; W. S. Jen- 
kins, April 1894, to present time. 

Township Treasurers — Daniel Ream, 
1880-1881; Frederick Jenkins, 1887-1897; 
AVilliam Morningstar, 1887-1897; W. A. 
Ream, 1897-1899; J. W. Flick, 1899-1901; 
John Morningstar, 1901-1904; C. E. Pul- 
ler, 1904-January, 1906; G. W. Barnhart, 
January 1, 1906, to i^resent. 

Members of Board of Education — P. 
Jenkins, president, term expires January 
1, 1908; N. V. Bobo, terms expires Janu- 
ary 1, 1908; S. S. Jenkins, term expires 
January 1, 1910; W. 0. Baisinger, term 
expires January 1, 1910; L. Fields, term 
expires January 1, 1910; W. S. Jenkins, 
clerk, term expires January 1, 1908; G. 
W. Barnhart, treasurer, term expires 
January 1, 1908. 

Churches. 

The pioneer Methodist organization of 
this township was the Beech Grove Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, which was organ- 
ized in 1803 by the Rev. Jesse Goddard. 
The first house of worship was built on 
the site occupied by the present chapel, in 
1840. George Otewalt, Joseph Stott and 
W. P. Black were the organizers. The 
following persons have served as minis- 
ters of this church: Revs. Laws, Els- 
worth, Conry Newson, Musgrove, Fields, 
Creighton, Dinkins, Williams, Purkiser, 
Brown, Black, Robinson, Peck, Whitmer, 
Verity, Jackson, Rector, Edgar, Kirk, 
Fidder, Cheney, Shultz, Peak, Deam, 
Prince, Baker, Zink and A. D. Raleigh. 
This church is located about four miles 
northwest of Northampton In the Ster- 
rett neie-hborhood. 



298 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



The Asbury Methodist Episcopal 
Church was organized in 1830. The first 
church was built about the year 1839, and 
was replaced in 1858 by the present build- 
ing. This church is situated a short dis- 
tance north of Northampton. A move- 
ment is on foot at present to build a new 
church. Rev. S. M. Griffith is at present 
pastor. 

The German Reformed Church in 
Northamj^ton was dedicated in 1858. 
Some of the first members of the church 
were George Cost, D. R. Zinn and Jacob 
Ross. The first minister who preached 
was the Rev. B. H. Winters. The first 
trustees were Peter Marquart, Peter 
Baisinger and Harrison Miller. The fol- 
lowing have been ministers of this 
church : Jesse Richards, Shaw, Swander, 
Winters, Shael, E. R. Taylor, Jesse 
Stiner and others. The present minister 
is Rev. J. C. Paul. 

Emanuel Church of the German Re- 
formed denomination was organized by 
the Rev. Jesse Stiner about 1854. Wiley 
Jenkins, Jonas Michael and Daniel R. 
Zinn were among the first members. The 
present pastor of this church is likewise 
Rev. J. C. Paul. This church is located 
northwest of Northampton about two and 
a half miles. 

The Christian Church was organized 
in 1839. Among the original members 
were John Priest, Andrew Clark, Nancy 
and Mary Clark. John Richeson and their 
families. In 1852 the present building 
was erected. This church is located in 
the northwestern part of the township, 
about one mile east of the Miami County 
line. 

Liberty Church, Brethren in Christ, 
was organized by George. Ulery and Isaac 



Nyswander in 1875, and the present build- 
ing was constructed in 1876 at a cost of 
about $1,200. It is situated in the south- 
ern part of the township in LTlery settle- 
ment. 

The German Baptist Church was or- 
ganized as early as 1816 by Elder Chris- 
tian Frantz, the first elder of this local- 
ity. This church is located south of 
Northampton. The congregation is in a 
large and flourishing condition. It is 
known as a Dunkard organization. Aaron 
Frantz is the .present pastor. 

Sometime about 1885 there was a divi- 
sion in this church and the conservatives 
built a church in the southeast part of 
the township. Henry Dresher, James 
Hansborough, David Leatherman, et al., 
were instrumental in this movement. 
Jacob Sandy and Louis Pfeiffer are min- 
isters. 

The German Reformed Church, which 
is now located at Dialton, was formerly 
in German Township and was moved to 
Dialton, where the new edifice was erect- 
ed in 1890, the old one having been de- 
stroyed by fire. The Rev. J. C. Paul is 
minister at this church at the present 
time. It is in a fl.ourishing condition and 
the organization is actively enjoying their 
fine new church. 

Schools. 

The first building used as a school- 
house was situated three-quarters of a 
mile east of where Andrew Black former- 
ly resided, and James Black was the first 
teacher. 

The first school teachers from this 
township were, so far as known, Ira 
Wood, Joseph Morrison, William Wilson, 



AND EEPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



299 



James Black, Archie Mitchell, David 
Morris and Mary Ebersole; more recent- 
ly, William Myers, S. S. Jenkins and 
others. Well known citizens have taught 
in various parts of this township. The 
township has no centralized school dis- 
trict designated as a high school. The 
following are the teachers for the coming 
year : 

Superintendent and music supervisor, 
K. C. Hause; No. 1, Black Horse, Nellie 
Fimderburg; No. 2, Northampton, prin- 
cipal, K. C. Hause ; primary, Mary Bobo ; 
No. 3, Dialton, principal, F. L. Riegel; 
primary, Nellie Spence; No. 4, Yale, W. 
0. Jenkins; No. 5, Center, D. R. Zerkle; 
No. 6, Liberty, Oscar Thomas; No. 7, 
Pike, Leota Bucher; No. 8, Triumph, M. 
0. Mitchell; No. 9, Honey Creek, Harry 
Maxson. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males, 
257 ; females, 203 ; total, 458. 

Memoranda of the Joueney of Samuel 
AND Andbew Black, First Settlers of 
THE Township, on Their First Trip. 

Memorandum of the route we travelled, 
setting out on Thursday, 23d of May, 
1805: From Blacksburgh to Union, 45 
miles; to G-reenbrier Eiver, Alderson's 
Ferry, 14 miles; to McClung in Walker's 
Meadows, 10 miles; to Montgomeries, top 
of Suel Mountain, 14 miles; to Huff's, 
foot of Gauley Mountain, 27 miles; to 
Gauley River, 10 miles ; to top of Little 
Gauley Mountain, 11 miles; to the 
Kanawha, 10 miles ; to the Mouth of Elk, 
20 miles, where we crossed on Tuesday 
following; thence to the mouth of Cole 
River, 12 miles, crossing the Kanawha; 
thence to Ward's on Guindot, 30 miles ; to 



the Ohio, 8 miles ; to Twelve Poles Creek, 
8 miles; to the Big Sandy River, 4 miles; 
thence crossing the Ohio on Thursday 
following, and down it to opposite the 
mouth of Little Sandy Creek, 20 miles; 
thence to the Little Scioto, 12 miles; 
thence across the hills to Big Scioto 
River, 9 miles; to Mr. S. Wright's on the 
Cherry Fork of Ohio Brush Creek, 40 
miles, where we arrived on Saturday, the 
first day of June, in Adams County (after 
crossing the Ohio we passed through 
Gallia and Scioto Counties). Thence, 
after spending a few days in viewing the 
neighborhood, we set out for the Miamis, 
to New Market, in Highland County, 18 
miles; to Lebanon, 40 miles, in Warren 
County, on Turtle Creek; thence to Day- 
ton, 25 miles, in Montgomery County, on 
Big Miami; thence to Stantown (Staun- 
ton), 21 miles; up Miami to Lower Picka- 
way (Piqua), 6 miles; to Upper Picka- 
way (Piqua), 3 miles, on Miami; thence 
returning down past Stantown (Staun- 
ton) to Jacob Saylor's, on Indian Creek, 
a branch of Honey Creek, 19 miles; to 
Tenix's at the forks of Mad River, 16 
miles; to Dayton, 22 miles; to Price's, on 
Twin Creek, the way we went, 30 miles, 
17 on a straight line; thence to Vieltown, 
22 miles; thence to Cincinnati, 33 miles; 
thence to Bulskin Creek, 40 miles; thence 
to the Ohio at the mouth of Brochen, 4 
miles, where we crossed; thence to the 
Wrights ', in Burben County, 44 miles ; to 
Paris, 4 miles ; to Lexington, 18 miles ; to 
Nicholasville, 12 miles; to Kentucky 
River, 8 miles; to Lancaster, 16 miles; to 
Crab Orchard, 12 miles; to Faris' 26 
miles ; to Johnstown, 29 miles ; to Divise's, 
foot of Cumberland Mountain, 30 miles; 
to Bean's Station, .30 miles; to Rodgers- 



300 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ville, 23 miles; to W. Armstrong, 12 
miles; to North Fork of Holstein, 15 
miles ; thence to Abington, 40 miles ; 
thence to Evonsliam, 60 miles; to Blacks- 
burgh, 47 miles, where we started from. 
Said Samuel Black was also a captain 
in the War of 1812, and kept a memo- 
randa of military accounterments re- 
ceived and how disbursed. This memo- 
randum book is now in the possession of 
Horace W. Stafford, Esq. From this 
book the following is taken : 

Captain Black's Company. 



First Drafts — 
John Black, 1st Sergt. 
William Smith, 2d Sergt. 
Henrv Williams, 1st Corp. 
Daniel Leffel, 2d Corp. 
Levy Williams 
Francis Kell.v 

Substitutes — 
John Hays 
James Buckhanon 
John Conklin 



Robert Russell 
Henry Morris 
Abner Kelly 
William McCoy 
Presley Forgey 
Hugh jr. Wallace 

James Hametton 
Benjamin Evans 
.James Black 



Captain Lingle's Company. 



First Drafts- 
Robert Smith 
Henry Buzzert 
Joseph Mclntire 

Substitutes — 
Abner Hall 
Robert Blany 



David Liard 
Thomas Murphy 
Hugh Read 

Daniel Goble 



Captain Cox's Company. 



First Drafts- 
Edward Armstrong 
.John Wood 
Alexander Elliott 

Substitutes — 
John H. Moore 



Henrv Hanford 
William Bert 
William Dill 

Benjamin Kitter 



Ensign Clavengeb's Company. 



First Drafts- 
Jonathan Donald 
Layton Palmer 
Samuel Smith 
John Albin 
John Simmons 
Thomas Gilliland 
Substitutes — 
William Harrison 
James Broaddus 
William Williams 



John Price 
James Hays 
John Elliott 
John Sintz 
John Minick 



Ebenezer Melvin 
John Hides 
Peter Minick 



Captain Black also kept during part of 
the time a diary, and the date of Novem- 



ber 19th is particularly interesting as 
showing what happened to some of his 
company : 

"November 19th. We were employed 
in cutting down some timber about the 
tents and making a barrier against the 
smoke round the fire-place. The two men 
sent back from Finley to look after the 
two men left at the Rapids, returned and 
found them not. A soldier of Captain 

Kussel's company, by the name of 

Murphy, dies and is buried. A general 
parade in the evening, at which General 
Tupper makes a farewell address to the 
troops, considering himself not at liberty 
to command longer, in consequence of an 
arrest being forwarded from G-eneral 
Harrison. After night two spies arrived, 
who had been at General Winchester's 
camp, and also had been at the Rapids 
after the army left there, and says that 
not far from where the two men were left, 
they found a man killed, scalped and 
stripped naked, lying on his face. The 
same was supposed to be James Buck- 
hanon, the man left with the sick man, 
who was Zadock Wood. (A cool day and 
windy; the smoke very bad on the eyes.) " 
Further on we find the following : 
"November 23d. The following men 
are missing since the expedition to the 
Rapids : Killed — Aaron Scribner, of 
Captain Barrett's company; Jeremiah 
York, of Captain Shendledicker's com- 
pany; Zadock Wood and James Buck- 
hanon, of Captain Black's company; 
Jacob Young, of Captain Jonston's com- 
pany; William Shotwell, of Captain 
Evans' company; Joseph Hopkins, of the 
Artificers; Isaac Perrigin, of Captain 
A. Shephard's company, slightly wound- 
ed; William Vinyard, of Captain Hin- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



301 



ston's company, badly wounded in the 
shoulder. This account taken by Mr. 
Phillip Waldron, of Captain Armstrong's 

company. A man by the name of 

Boots was buried out of Captain Arm- 
strong's company. I obtained a yoke of 
oxen to draw wood for the battalion. 
Mr. Ellis comes into camp for his son, 
who has been very sick. (Wet and rain- 
ing in the morning; after the day rises, 
turns to snow and continues on till 
night.) " 

This diary ends with December 18th 
and 20th: 

"December 18th. Two men buried this 
evening out of Colonel Safford's regi- 
ment. Sergeant Black and Smith returns 
to camp accompanied by Mr. Samuel 
Alexander and Mr. George Koss. (A 
very pleasant day.) 

"December 20th. Left camp at Mc- 
Arthur's Blockhouse for home, where I 
arrived on the night of the 21st, 1812. 
Found all my family well." 

PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 

BorNDAEIES. 

Pleasant Township is situated in the 
extreme northeastern part of Clark coim- 
ty.^ Is bounded on the north by Cham- 
paign County, on the east by Madison 
County, on the south by Harmony Town- 
ship and on the west by Moorefield town- 
ship. It is not known how it received the 
name of Pleasant, otherwise than from 
the fact that it appeared as an exceed- 
ingly pleasant place to live to the early 
settlers that came to this part of the 
county. It is five miles wide and about 
eight and a half miles on the northern 
boundary. 



Streams. 



The land around Catawba is somewhat 
hilly, but in the southern portion it is not 
quite so hilly, but all is more or less 
rolling. Sinking Creek has its source 
south of the center and flows westerly 
through the southwestern part of the 
township. The south branch of Buck 
Creek flows south of the village of 
Catawba and west into the main channel 
in Moorefield Township. Some of the 
branches of Beaver Creek have their 
source in the southern part and the 
branches of Deer Creek drain the eastern 
part of the township, flowing down 
through Madison County. The fact that 
so many of these streams have their 
source in this township indicates its high 
elevation, and there is no doubt but it is 
the highest in the county. 

Crops. 

These streams afford facilities for 
grazing purposes, and that industry is 
largely carried on in the township. The 
soil is generally fertile; particularly is 
this the case with respect to that of the 
valleys, and the crops which are suitable 
to the land in this county are grown. 



Timber. 

The timber that covers these hills and 
valleys is that which is common in this 
county, to-wit : Oak, hickory, maple, ash, 
walnut, etc. 

The Ludlow line passes through the 
coimty west to Catawba, the pike leading 
south from Catawba to Vienna being on 
this line. The lands west of these lands 



302 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



are Congress lands, and those east are 
military survey. In this military survey 
a distinguished Virginian by the name of 
L'ailey held a large tract of land, the last 
of which were disposed of by the writer 
about 18S8. 

Roads. 

The old Columbus Road runs through 
the southern part of the township ; it was 
an early route to the city of .Springfield 
and is yet much used, although after the 
establishment of the National Road a mile 
or so south, that road is less frequently 
used. 

A good pike was built from Vienna to 
(^'atawba, and in the eastern part of the 
county was the Houston fee road; gravel 
being reasonably well at hand, the roads 
are in fair condition. Forty-five miles of 
public roads are found in the township. 

The only railroad touching the town- 
ship is the Delaware branch of the Big 
Four. This goes across a small portion 
of the northwest corner, the station close 
to Catawba being known by that name. It 
has only one village, thai of Catawba (see 
villages), being singularly different in 
this respect from all the other townships 
of the county, and the residents have 
never seen fit to have established more 
than one voting precinct. 

PoprT,ATio]sr. 

The early settlers of this township 
were from different states of the union; 
some from Pennsylvania, others from 
Kentucky, and still others from Virginia. 
Like the other townships of the county the 
population has not advanced; in fact, it 



has receded a little. In 1850 it was 1;540 ; 
in 1870, 1,553; 1880, 1,585; 1890, 1,597; 
1900, 1,437. 

Assessed Valuation. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres and assessed valuation of the real 
and personal property of the township, as 
the same is divided into school districts: 

Real Personal 

Acres Estate Property Total 

Pleasant Tp 25,177 $727,080 $205,570 $ 932,650 

P. & Harmony 

School nist. . . 961 33,110 8,030 41,140 

Catawba Village . 118 44,800 17,7.50 62.550 



26,256 $804,990 $233,350 $1,036,340 

Politics. 

At no time in the history of this town- 
ship has a majority vote been cast in 
favor of the Democratic candidates. It 
has steadily given a majority to the op- 
posing candidates, these majorities in- 
creasing in favor of the Republican can- 
didates, at times reaching as high as 250. 

Old Settlees. 

The most reliable records now accessi- 
ble give the following in regard to the old 
settlers : 

In 1802 Joseph Coffey, then living in 
the state of Pennsylvania, becoming dis- 
satisfied with the prospect presented to 
himself and family in the rough region 
where he lived, determined to remove to 
the then almost uninhabited, but to him, 
inviting West. 

He accordingly pursued his journey 
westward to a point about nine miles 
north of Cincinnati, where he remained 
during the year; but, as malarial diseases 
were alarmingly prevalent in that local- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



303 



ity, he made suecessful preparations for 
a second removal. 

Loading into an ox cart such articles 
as the necessity of pioneer life required, 
he, together with the other members of 
his family, consisting of his wife and two 
sons, Tatom and Joseph, commenced the 
tedious, and we may safely add, perilous 
journey toward the north. 

He had conceiA^ed the idea that he 
might find a more healthy location near 
the source of the Little Miami, or some 
one of its tributaries. 

The journey was pursued for several 
days through the unbroken forests infest- 
ed by Indians, until he reached what 
seemed to be the object of his search. May 
6, 1803. 

Here, near an Indian camp, he halted 
upon the summit of a hill overlooking a 
rich valley, through which a stream of 
water coursed its way. At the base of 
this hill gushed forth the cool waters of a 
beautiful spring. 

This is the place where the first pioneer 
of Pleasant Township settled, and is now 
the site of the residence of this pioneer's 
grandson, G-eorge Coffey. 

The first morning after the arrival of 
this family — May 7 — it was discovered 
that a snow several inches deep had fallen. 

A sort of rude tent was hastily con- 
structed and in this the first few months 
of the family life were spent. 

The pioneer had, in this time, made ar- 
rangements for building a cabin. He was 
assisted in its erection by Thomas and 
Jesse Pierce, then living in Champaign 
County, and by two or three Indians. 

This was the first cabin built by a white 
settler in this township. 

Soon after his arrival the pioneer, 



leaving his family alone in the tent, start- 
ed out in search of food, and, luckily, at 
the cabin of a neighbor over in German 
Township, he obtained a small amount of 
corn, which, however, had been somewhat 
damaged by the early frosts of the pre- 
ceding autumn. 

In possession of his supply of corn, he 
proceeded to Simon Kenton's Mill, where 
it was ground into meal, with which he 
returned to his family. The mill of 
Kenton was on the present site of La- 
gonda. In the autumn of 1803 Isaac 
Agmond and his family came to this 
township and built a cabin where Mart 
Mahar now lives. At this point was an- 
other Indian camp, the two being con- 
nected by an Indian trail. In 1804 Archi- 
bald McConkey and family, accompanied 
by the father of Mrs. McConkey, removed 
here from Kentucky. The wife and moth- 
er performed the journey on horseback, 
carrying with her the three children — 
Alexander, Elizabeth and Daniel — the 
wardrobe and lighter effects of the fam- 
ily. The other members of the party 
travelled on foot. It may not be amiss to 
state that a cow was also brought from 
the Kentucky home, and perhaps the only 
one in the little company of pioneers. 

Archibald McConkey soon built a cabin 
a short distance to the east of Joseph 
Coffey's, on the farm afterward owned by 
his son-in-law, Mahlon Neer. Three 
daughters of these parents — Margaret, 
Nancy and Mary — ^were born here. 

The other families settling here in this 
year were those of Samuel Latferty, 
Henry Dawson, William Plendricks, the 
father-in-law of Mr. Laiferty, and George 
Metsker. 

Lafferty and Hendricks were the joint 



304 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



owners of the farm on Buck Creek, where 
they lived, and which they afterward sold 
to Nathaniel Cartmell, from whom it re- 
ceived its present name, "the old Cart- 
mell farm." 

The Lafferty family consisted of the 
parents and one daughter — Catherine. 
Hendricks and Lafferty were from Vir- 
ginia. Metsker lived on the farm now 
owned by William Hunter, and better 
known as the Lofland farm. 

Henry Dawson settled on what to the 
present day is called the Dawson farm. 
The children of this family were Ellen, 
George, Jolm, Richard, Harriet and Eliza- 
beth. Henry Dawson, the father, had 
served in the Revolution as lieutenant. 

He removed to this locality from Ken- 
tucky, from which place he brought sev- 
eral fruit trees, carrying them in a Dutch 
oven. They were the first of their kind 
to produce fruit in this locality. It may 
be necessary to state that one or two of 
those apple trees, one near the Dawson 
cabin, are still living. 

Solomon Scott came in 1805, from Vir- 
ginia, as did also Jonathan Hunter, with 
a large family. The sons and daughters 
were named respectively William, George, 
Jonathan, Jeremiah, James, Elizabeth, 
Mary, Nancy, Rachel and Sarah. 

Jonathan Hunter located upon Section 
22, which he purchased soon after. 

On the 29th of June, 1805, Constantine, 
wife of Henry Dawson, died. This was 
the first death that occurred among the 
pioneers. A grave was prepared near the 
cabin home, and the little company of 
neighbors and friends, amid wild forest 
scenes, performed the humble rites of 
burial, while the bereaved family wept 
the irreparable loss. 



Sarah Coffey, wife of Enos Neer, was 
bom May 29, 1808, and was the first 
female born here. 

William, the fourth son, was born Jan- 
uary 11, 1811. 

Soon after Jonathan Baldwin was mar- 
ried to Sarah, daughter of Solomon Scott. 
William Hunter and Blanche Hendricks 
were married February 1, 1807. 

There is an interval of a few years, 
during which no accession was made to 
this early settlement; but, from the year 
1808 to 1812, and about that time, the 
spirit of enterprise seemed to have pre- 
vailed in the older settlements, and a 
number of fearless men, with their fam- 
ilies, joined the brave and hardy pioneers. 

The men who came at this time were 
Nathaniel Cartmell, David Wren, Peter 
Arbogast, Andrew Baumgai'dner, George, 
Joseph and Abraham Runyan, William 
Curl, Edmond West, George, Richard and 
Charles Botkin, Jonathan Jones, W. T. 
Hunt, Andrew Hodge, Absalom Clark, 
Thomas and Philip Tunks and George 
Jones. 

David Waltman and Simon Ropp came 
about 1820. Nathaniel Cartmell settled 
on Buck Creek, as before mentioned. 

Peter Arbogast, Andrew Banmgardner, 
Andrew Hodge, Abraham and Joseph 
Runyan, William Curl and George Jones 
formed the first settlement at Asbury. 

Edmund West lived on the farm now 
owned by William Waltman. The Tunks 
brothers, Philip and Thomas, located on 
the two adjoining farms, one now owned 
by the heirs of Henry Arbogast and the 
other by John McClenen. Philip estab- 
lished a tannery at the latter place. It 
was doubtless of the most primitive kind, 
as was also the distillery a short distance 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



305 



to the north, at a house now owned by- 
Israel Everhart. Absalom Clark lived at 
this place, engaged in the management of 
the distillery. 

Thomas Tunks subsequently sold his 
claim in 1816 to Oeorge Botkin, Philip 
disposing of his to Mathew Shaul some 
time later. Charles and Eichard Botkin 
lived near each other. A cabin where 
George Coffey now lives was the home of 
Eichard, while that of Charles was situ- 
ated a short distance west of the present 
dwelling of Armstead Tavenner. 

Near the residence of Samuel H. Grove 
may still be seen the log cabin, once the 
home of David Waltman, whose farm ad- 
joined that of his pioneer neighbor, Simon 
Eopp, he having built a cabin on the farm 
now owned by Jonathan Page. 

Jeremiah Curl, the father of Mrs. Wil- 
liam Coffey, and Brazill Harrison were 
early settlers. The former located on the 
north side of Buck Creek Valley, a short 
distance to the southwest of the present 
residence of Albert Cheney, and the lat- 
ter on the Columbus Eoad, at a cabin on 
the eastern part of the farm now owned 
by Nelson Hammond. It will be noticed 
that the first settlements were established 
in the western part of the township. This 
circumstance deserves a brief explanation. 
The eastern portion of the township, it 
will be remembered, was in Virginia mil- 
itary land, and one hinderance to its set- 
tlement was the question of conflicting 
claims — a difficulty peculiar to these lands 
—and another, was the fact that large 
tracts were owned by Thomas M. Bailey, 
who, like most land speculators, deferred 
the sale of his lands for a great many 
years ; hence the settlement of the Bailey 



lands has been of comparatively recent 
date. 

The first neighborhood was formed, as 
may be readily supposed, by the families 
of Joseph Coffey, Archibald McConkey, 
Isaac Agmond, Henry Dawson, Samuel 
Lafferty, William Hendricks and Jon- 
athan Hunter. The second was that near 
Asbury, comprising the families located 
there from 1808 to 1811. Those forming 
the first neighborhood in the eastern part 
of the township were the following: 

Samuel West, Henry Curl, Otho Arbo- 
gast, David Eunyan, William Neer, 
Lemuel Davisson and Nicholas McCauley. 
The latter, an earlier settler than many 
of the others, lived ©n the farm afterward 
owned by S. E. Dickson. Amos Neer 
came to this township from Virginia in 
1817. 

Eaely Events. 

Cornelius Palmer built the first black- 
smith shop in this township not far from 
where Nathan Neer formerly resided. 
The first saw-mill was built by George 
Dawson near where the grist-mill of J. M. 
Eunyan is at present located. The first 
grist-mill was built on Buck Creek about 
1819 by William Hunter. The Cartmell 
mill, which was situated further west on 
the same stream, was built about three 
years later by Nathaniel Cartmell. 

Henry Dawson was the first cooper. 
William T. Hunter was the first cabinet- 
maker and undertaker and lived for many 
years in a log house near the recent resi- 
dence of S. N. Conway. The first tavern 
was built in Catawba in 1838. The first 
place of burial was on the western part 
of the old Dawson farm. The first cabin 
was built by Joseph Coffey and was de- 



306 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



scribed as being sixteen feet in length by 
fourteen in width. It was provided with 
a huge fire-place, built of stone, the chim- 
ney being composed of sticks and clay. 
The rude door turned upon wooden hinges 
secured to their places by wooden pins. 
Rough slabs, split from the forest trees, 
served as a floor, and a piece of oiled 
paper, attached to a light frame in an 
opening in the wall, admitted the light. 

The Springfield Republic, founded in 
1817, was the first paper patronized by 
the early settlers. 

The first election in the township was 
held at the house of Joseph Coffey and 
resulted as follows : Joseph Coffey, 
Andrew Hodge, trustees; Samuel Laffer- 
ty, clerk; Henry Dawson, treasurer; Sol- 
omon Scott, justice of the peace. 

The first marriage was that of John 
Gilmore, of Urbana, to Miss Ellen Daw- 
son, in 1805. The first school was taught 
by Jesse Reese in 1810. The first church 
in the Asbury neighborhood was built 
about 1824; the one at Mt. Vernon in 1825. 

Dr. W. Owens was the first resident 
physician. 

The first white child born was John 
Coffey, June 29. 1805; second, William 
Lafferty, May 25, 1806. 

The first female birth was Sarah 
Coffey, May 28, 1808. 

The first death was that of Constantine 
Dawson, June 28, 1805. 

PeOMINENT CiTIZlENS. 

Among those who have more recently 
been active in affairs of this township, 
the following may be mentioned : 

I]li Hunter was born in this township 
September 24, 1847, the son of Lemuel 



Hunter, who was also born in this town- 
ship in 1814. "Squire" Hunter was mar- 
ried in 1876 to Lucinda J. McClintock, 
and a few years ago remodeled the resi- 
dence on the old homestead, where he has 
resided his entire lifetime. He is very 
active in the affairs relating to his town- 
ship. 

Daniel T. Grordon was born in Cham- 
paign County in 1835, son of John W. 
Gordon, and came to this township about 
1860. In 1861 he was married to Sarah 
E. Grove, daughter of John Grove. Mr. 
Gordon died in 1907. 

A well-known character of this town- 
ship is "Uncle Joe" Pearson, who was 
born in London February 12, 1827. He 
came with his father to this country in 
1832 and has resided here ever since the 
war. He is a strenuous character, active 
in his Republicanism. For a long time 
he conducted a hotel in Catawba and as 
its host became acquainted with all who 
had business at that village. He was mar- 
j'ied in 1848 to Nancy Golden, and his 
first wife having died of cholera the year 
following, he was married to his second 
wife, Mary S. Palmer. Mr. Pearson is a 
man of positive character, honest and just 
in his dealings, and is living the life, in 
old age, of a person who has the con- 
sciousness of having performed his duty 
as he saw it. 

The Runyan connection in this town- 
ship is a large one. J. Milton has been 
active in township affairs; was born in 
the village of Catawba June 20, 1841, 
the son of Henry Runyan, and has re- 
sided at his present place of residence 
since 1856. 

Israel Everhardt has been a long time 
a resident of this township. He was born 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



307 



in Loudin County, Virginia, 1811, and 
came to this village in 1861. 

The McConkey family for a long time 
have been active in this township. The 
ancestor, Archibald McConkey, was born 
in Ireland and came to Catawba in an 
early day and lived until 1890. The 
father of Daniel McConkey was born in 
Kentucky in 1805 and died in 1856. Alex- 
ander was the fourth of this family. 
Nathan M. was a school teacher in this 
township for many years, served as coun- 
ty commissioner and at the time of his 
death was superintendent of the Orphans' 
Home. Enos died a few years ago. Alex- 
ander is still living in Moorefield. 

The Neer family is likewise a large one 
in this township. In fact, it seems that 
everybody is related either to the Neers, 
Eunyans, Hunters or McConkeys. Luther 
is a descendant of Amos Neer and came 
to Catawba in 1818. He was born two 
miles southwest of Catawba November 
12, 1855, and married in 1879 Molly J. 
Loveless. He is an active farmer, own- 
ing a large tract of land. William H. is 
the son of Nathan Neer. He was born in 
the western part of this township in 1822 
and married Mary A. Hunter, who was 
born in the same neighborhood. William 
H. was married to Anna E. Cartmell 
December 29, 1874. She was the daugh- 
ter of Nathaniel M. Cartmell and a sister 
of P. M. Cartmell, of Springfield, Ohio. 
Charles F. Neer was born southwest of 
Catawba in 1856, a son of Nathan, and 
was married in 1882 to Lida A. Conway, 
daughter of N. S. Conway. Alonzo W. 
Neer is a brother of Charles P. 

The Hodge family is another promi- 
nent family. James M. was born in 1837 
and married in 1864 to ]\Iary A. Hunter, 



and afterwards became the possessor of 
the old Jim Foley farm in Moorefield 
Township. They are both recently de- 
ceased. William Hodge was born No- 
vember 14, 1826, and married in 1850 to 
Dorcas H. Botkin. 

George W. Coffey, the son of William 
Coffey, was born July 26, 1837 ; -married 
in 1865 to Margaret A. Ferguson, and 
now lives in the village of Catawba. 

Thomas Wingate was bom January 24, 
]827, in Maryland, and came to Catawba 
in 1865, since which time he has conduct- 
ed a general store in that village; was 
married January 16, 1853 to Miss Mary 
Lafferty. William E. Yeazell was born 
in Moorefield Township in 1829, and mar- 
ried in 1850 to Lydia Bennett. He be- 
came quite a large land owner in the 
southern part of the township, and died 
in 1906. 

Amos Smith, a quite prominent farmer 
in the southern part of this township, was 
born June 16, 1848, his father being Eli 
Smith, who was born in Harmony Town- 
ship in 1823. Amos was married on Jmie 
25, 1872, to Catharine Wyatt. 

Among others might be mentioned in 
connection with Pleasant Township af- 
fairs Samuel West, now living toward the 
southwestern part; Aquilla West, recent- 
ly moved to London; W. L. Houston, a 
prominent land owner in the same section, 
recently deceased ; the Cartmells, Joneses 
and others. 

Dr. M. E. Hunter was a practicing 
physician in the vicinity of Catawba for 
more than half a century. Dr. Stephens 
is at present actively engaged in that pro- 
fession. Dr. Beach and Dr. Bloyer were 
one time residents. 



308 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



County Officials. 

Pleasant Township being strongly Re- 
publican in recent years has furnished a 
fair number of the county officials. N. M. 
MeConkej^ served as county commissioner 
from 1870-1876, and as representative 
from 1880-1882, and at the time of his 
death was superintendent of the Orphans ' 
Home. His son, M. M. McConkey, was 
recorder from 1891-1897. 

The present coroner. Dr. J. D. Thomas, 
was a. resident of this township at the 
time of his election, and N. M. Cartmell, 
who is now one of the county commis- 
sioners, is likewise a resident of this 
township. 

At an early date, in 1826-1830, William 
Saylor was sheriff. 

Township Officials. 

The following are mentioned in a for- 
mer history as having served in official 
capacity in township affairs : 

Samuel Lafferty, Joseph Coffey, Henry 
Dawson, William Coffey, Cornelius Arbo- 
gast, Henry Curl, Joseph Wilkinson, 
Daniel McConkey and J. V. Cartmell. 
And among those thus serving at a more 
recent date may be recorded the names of 
D. H. Eandall, Otho Arbogast, G-eorge 
Yeazell, Matthew Neer, Joseph Pearson, 
Jonathan Page, William Hardman, John 
McClenen, John W. Yeazell, Luther Jones, 
Enos McConkey, George Coffey, N. M. 
McConkey, J. H. Baldwin and John Q. 
Skillman. 

The number of years served by the 
trustees of Pleasant Township, from 1880 
to 1907— H. L. McConkey, one year; 
Martin Mahar, one year; F. M. Silvers, 



two years; Daniel Gordon, five years; A. 
J. Eust, ■ one year ; J. M. Eunyan, three 
years; T. W. Eunyan, two years; Enos 
McConkey, three years ; W. J. Baird, 
three years ; J. M. Yeazell, six years ; 
C. A. Wright, three years; S. P. Hedge, 
six years ; William H. Neer, six years ; 
Jesse Tarbutton, three years; George 
Coffey, six years; James Fitzgivens, 
three years; Charles McClenen, four 
years ; J. H. Page, four years ; Alf . Jones, 
five years ; William Neer, three years ; T. 
M. Hunter, two years. C. H. Eunyan, 
township clerk. 

Justices of the Peace since 1871 — John 
Skillman, 1871-1874; J. W. Yeazell, 1872; 
Joseph Baldwin, 1875, 1885; William 
Jobes, 1877-1883; N. S. Conway, 1878- 
1893; Eli Hunter, 1886-1892; J. M. Eun- 
yan, 1895-1904-1908; Enos McConkey, 
1896; Alf. Jones, 1897; T. M. Hunter, 
1900; Harry Jones, 1903; F. H. Mahar 
(elect). 

Churches. 

Mt. Vernon — The first places of wor- 
ship were located in some of the early 
schoolhouses. In 1825 a church was built 
at Mt. Vernon. This was located about a 
mile and a half west of Catawba. The 
church has long since been abandoned. In 
1828 the first Sunday school was organ- 
ized by Moses Henkle. 

Asbury Chapel, Methodist Episcopal — 
The first church built in the Asbury 
neighborhood was in- the year 1824, and 
was called Asbury in honor of a bishop of 
that name. The names of two of the early 
preachers were Strange and Goddard. 
The services are still conducted in the 
Asburv Chui'ch, which is connected with 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



309 



the Moorefield charge, Rev. M. E. Echols 
being the pastor. 

Methodist Episcopal Churches— At a 
later day the Methodist Episcopal organ- 
ization built a church in Catawba. This 
church is active, and, like most village 
churches, draws large crowds from the 
surrounding country, having about three 
hundred members and two hundred en- 
rolled in the Sunday school. The Rev. J. 
Dolby is the present pastor. 

Under the control of the Methodist de- 
nomination also is the chapel at Pleasant 
Grove, situated about two miles southeast 
of Catawba, and Nation Chapel, located 
on the Catawba and London Pike in 
the Houston-West neighborhood. These 
churches belong to the same charge as the 
Catawba church belongs to. 

Methodist Protestant— The Methodist 
Protestants have a church and an active 
congregation, located in the village of 
Catawba, the Rev. M. M. Campbell being 
pastor of the same. 



Putnam and Samuel Lafferty were teach- 
ers. 

Schools have been conducted success- 
fully for a number of years, Catawba be- 
ing considered as the central place of ed- 
ucation of the township, although there is 
no township high school. 

The following are a list of the teachers 
for the coming year : Superintendent, N. 
W. Lemen, for a term of two years; No. 
1, Vernon, Lottie West; No. 2, Asbury, 
Theresa L. Slagie: No. 3, Catawba, prin- 
cipal, N. W. Lemen; intermediate, A. G. 
Pearson; primary, Grace Davis; No. 4, 
McConkey, F. M. Tavenner ; No. 5, Pleas- 
ant Chapel, Forest Mahar; No. 6, Pleas- 
ant Hill, open; No. 7, National Chapel, 
Alice Fenton ; No. 8, Oak Grove, J. Omer 
Hedges; No. 9, Bodkin, J. E. Runyan. 
Salary $50, term eight months. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males, 
169; females, 133; total, 302. 

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



Schools. 

The first schoolhouse built in this 
township was situated on the north bank 
of Buck Creek, in about 1810. Jesse 
Reese is said to have been the first teach- 
er. His immediate successor was John 
Dawson. The second schoolhouse was sit- 
uated on the north bank of said stream 
at the branch of the road. Edward Watts 
was the first teacher. 

John Harvey taught a school about 
1811 on the place where Kemp Coffey 
now resides. One of the early school- 
houses was built at Mt. Vernon, and in 
1815 there was one built in the Asbury 
neighborhood. At this latter place Israel 



BOUNDAKIES. 

Springfield Township is the center 
township of the county. It is bounded 
on the north by Moorefield Township, 
east by Harmony Township, south by 
Green Township and west by Mad River, 
Mad River Township and Bethel and 
German Townships. There is a neck run- 
ning out west of the city of Springfield, 
which has for its boundary Mad River 
Township on the south, Bethel on the 
west and German on the north. It is six 
miles wide. It is eight miles east and 
west; including the neck on the west, it 
runs two miles further. The township 
was organized shortly after the creatioji 



310 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of the county in 1818. A township by the 
same name existed before the creation of 
Clark County. Just what its territorial 
extent was at that time is doubtful. From 
some reports that were made by the coun- 
ty commissioners on April 25, 1818, it 
would seem that some part of Springfield 
Township was in Greene County prior to 
the organization of Clark, but the better 
opinion now is tliat the south line of 
Springfield Township marks the boundary 
line that formerly existed between Cham- 
paign and Greene County. The township 
no doubt received its name from the city 
of Springfield, which was then a large 
A'illage in its midst. Springfield city is 
not in the center of the township, much 
of the larger portions of the township be- 
ing east and south of the city. 

Soil. 

The lands are quite fertile, much of it 
being bottom land and the rest is what is 
known as second bottom land. None of it 
is so hilly but that it can be easily culti- 
vated. Along the western portion there 
is the Mad Eiver Valley and possibly 
along the bluffs on the west side of this 
valley for a short distance the land might 
be considered too hilly for cultivation, 
l)ut this is so small in extent as to hardly 
merit consideration. 

Creeks — Ceop. 

Buck Creek flows through the township, 
forking a short distance above Lagonda, 
v/here Beaver Creek enters, and along 
the attendant village of these streams 
is some quite fertile soil. In the south- 
western part of the township Mill 



Creek flows in a northwestern direction 
through the entire township, and in the 
southeastern part of the township is 
found the north fork of the Little Miami. 
Sinking Creek enters into Beaver Creek 
in the northeastern part of the township 
and Eock Eun flows through the neck in 
the western part of the township, so it 
will be observed that the lands of the 
township are naturally well watered and 
suitable for grazing and dairy purposes, 
and a suitable portion is being used for 
dairies to supply the city of Spring-field; 
otherwise the standard crops are grown 
in addition to garden truck to supply the 
markets in the city of Springfield. 

There were formerly quite a number of 
villages just outside the coi'porate limits 
of Springfield in this township, but prac- 
tically all of these have been taken inside 
the corporate limits, with the exception of 
Beatty in the southeastern portion and 
Sugar Grove west of Mad Eiver. La- 
gonda was the most prominent, but in 
the last extension (1882) of the corporate 
limits of Springfield it was taken in as a 
part of that city. (See villages.) 

Mad Eiver and Buck Creek and some 
of the tributaries of these streams afford- 
ed power which was used for milling pur- 
poses by the early settlers. (See mills.) 

TiMBEE. 

The lands of the township were mostly 
occupied by timber which prevails gen- 
erally in this county, oak perhaps being 
the prevailing type, especially upon the 
lands south and east of the city. Upon 
the lands west there were some beech and 
sugar trees and in the valleys some wal- 
nut. Onl-^ in recent years has the town- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



311 



ship been divided into voting precincts, it 
now having two, East and West, the 
Urbana Pike being the dividing line north 
of the city and the Selma Pike south. 

Roads. 

There are eighty-nine miles of public 
roads in this township, more than in any 
other township in the county. As a mat- 
ter of course all railroads entering the 
city of Spring-field go through this town- 
ship. (See railroads.) 

Population. 

The population of this township, in- 
cluding the city of Springfield, was in 
1850, 7,002 ; 1870, 15,540, of which 12,652 
were in the city ; in 1880, 24,455, of which 
20,730 were in the city; 1890, 34,845, of 
which 31,895 were in the city; 1900, 41,- 
861, of which 38,253 were in the city. 

AcEEAGE, Etc. 

The following table shows the number 
of acres and the assessed valuation of the 
real estate and personal property, as the 
same is apportioned in school districts in 
the city of Springfield, including the en- 
tire township (1906) : 

Real Personal 

AcreFs Estate Property Total 

Sp'gfield Tp. 22.773 $ 1,125,230 $ 717,760 ?1,S42,990 
Spr. and Har. 

Seh. Dist. 1„S04 69,950 43,760 113,710 
Spr. & City 

Sch. Dist. 1,846 279,720 289,470 569,190 
City of .Spring- 
field 2,645 13,789.310 6,888.570 20,678,880 



Total 29,068 $1.5,261,210 $7,939,560 $23,204,770 

PoiJTlCS. 

As this township constitutes a political 
division outside of the city of Springfield, 
and yet has some officers that are elected 



by the voters of the entire township, it 
has a political complexion separate from 
the city, and this is Republican, when a 
full vote is had— perhaps from 150 to 200. 
The offices that belong to the township 
are those of trustees, justice of the peace 
and constable. The officers are elected 
by the votes of the city and township. 
Separate from these is the school board, 
which is elected by the voters of the 
school district, which does not include the 
city of Springfield. Much of the history 
of the early settlement of this township is 
embodied in the general history of the 
county and that of the city of Springfield. 

First Settlers. 

The first settlement of the township ■ 
was no doubt that made by Kenton, De- 
mint and their companions out along Buck 
Creek just before it enters Mad River, 
in 1799. Afterwards Kenton went up 
into Moorefield Township, but in a few 
years he was back again in Springfield 
Township at Lagonda, Demint and Hum- 
phreys going up into what is now the city 
of Springfield. 

The following account of the early set- 
tlers of this township is taken from 
authentic records, most of it having been 
previously published, but having been 
corrected up to date: 

James Rea was a Pennsylvanian, who 
settled, about the year 1802, where 
Harvey Tuttle now lives. His sons were 
James, John and Andrew. John suc- 
ceeded John Buckles,, an owner of a fiour- 
ing-mill on Beaver Creek, on the site of 
"Junction Mills" (Redmonds). Mr. 
Rea improved the race, and in 1835 was 
succeeded by Robert .Rodgers. Peter 



312 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Sintz, Sr., was bom in Pennsylvania in 
April, 1776, and was the son of Nicholas 
and Margaret (Metzger) Sintz, he a na- 
tive of Germany and she of Pennsylvania. 
In boyhood Peter moved to Virginia with 
his parents, and in 1802 he came to 
Springfield. In 1804 he married Eliza- 
beth Critz, a native of Maryland, to 
whom was born seven children, viz : 
Margaret, Nicholas, Mary, G-eorge, Snsan, 
Peter and Elizabeth. He built his cabin 
in Section 23, on the farm where his 
daughter Susan recently resided on the 
Clark and Miami Pike. He accumulated 
a large estate and died September 30, 
1858, and his wife November 15, 1865. 
His parents also settled here, his mother 
dying in 1822 and his father in 1823, 
Susan, the daughter, dying about 1894 
and Peter, Jr., a son, a few years later. 

In the spring of 1802 James and John 
Eeid came from Virginia and selected 
land in Section 10, then went back to their 
native state, and the same fall returned 
to Springfield with the whole family, viz : 
John, Joseph, Nancy, Thomas, Betsey, 
James, William, Robert and George. 
They first built a cabin in the village on 
the site of Myers' livery stable, opposite 
the Sun office, and began to clear the land 
in Section 10, where in a year or two they 
erected a cabin and removed to it, and 
where George Reid, a grandson of James, 
now resides with his family in a fine brick 
residence, which has displaced the rude 
log structure of the pioneer days. 

Cooper Ludlow was born in New Jersey 
in 1783 ; was married in 1803 to Elizabeth 
Reeder, and in 1804 settled three miles 
west of Springfield, where he opened a 
tannery. To Elizabeth Ludlow was born 
Ellen, Mary, Stephen, John and Jacob; 



and, she dying in 1813, her husband was 
married in 1815 to Elizabeth Layton, who 
had born to her Joseph, Jason, Silas, 
Abram, George, Cornelius, James, Cath- 
erine and William. Cooper Ludlow died 
in 1832. Abram, the last surviving son, 
died in 1906. 

John Perrin was born in Washington 
County, Maryland, in 1778, and there mar- 
ried to Amelia Ingram, a native of that 
county, born in 1778. In 1806, he and 
family came to Springfield, and he pur- 
chased the whole of Section 3. His family 
consisted of six children, viz., Edward, 
Joseph, John, William, Minerva E. and 
Emery, the two former of whom were 
born before coming to this county. He 
died in 1848, and his wife in 1847, and his 
sons John and William were among the 
leading citizens of the township. A grand- 
son, John, lives on the home farm south 
of the city. 

About the year 1806 Edward Arm- 
strong settled on Section 5, now owned 
by Ed. L. Buchwalter. He built and op- 
erated a distillery for a time, and his wife 
was an excellent woman, and a Baptist. 

In 1806 John Dugan settled in the east- 
ern part of the township. He was born 
in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, June 
4, 1787 ; was married to Polly Hall, a na- 
tive of Kentucky, born in 1792, of which 
union the following children were the is- 
sue: Sarah, William, Margaret, James 
and John. Mr. Dugan died July 2, 1868, 
and his wife July 21, 1867. 

Francis and Isabel Best, natives of Vir- 
ginia, settled on the site of P. P. Mast's 
residence in 1806, where they died. They 
had ten children — six sons and four 
daughters. 

John and Jane Snodgrass came from 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



313 



Kentucky in 1806, settling in Section 11. 
He died in May, 1826, aged sixty-three, 
and his wife in May, 1859, aged eighty- 
seven. 

John Hatfield was horn in Virginia in 
1798, and in 1799 his father, Nathaniel, 
came with the family to Kentucky, thence 
to Greene County, Ohio, in 1805, and in 
1806 to Section 7, in the south part of 
this township, where he died in 1812. In 
1821 John married Eva Garlough, daugh- 
ter of John Gi-arlough, twelve children be- 
ing born to this union. In 1853 he re- 
moved to a farm in Green Township. 

Andrew Benson was born in Bath Coun- 
ty, Virginia, in 1781; came to this town- 
ship in 1806; was married to Sarah Een- 
nick, also a Virginian, born 1796, daugh- 
ter of Robert and Mary Eennick, March 
26, 1812. They had six children; four 
lived to be grown. Andrew died Novem- 
ber 28, 1826, and his wife February 28, 
1848. 

George H. Benson, a brother of An- 
drew's, was born in the same county and 
state in 1787; came to this township in 
1807, and married, in 1818, Isabel Een- 
nick, also a daughter of Eobert and Mary 
Eennick. She was born in this township 
in 1801, and had ten children ; eight grew 
to maturity. She died March 28, 1866, 
and her husband February 27, 1877. 

Nathan Eeddish was born in Maryland 
in 1783; came to Greene County, Ohio, 
previous to 1808 ; was married to Matilda 
Miller, and in 1810 settled on Section 14, 
Springfield Township, where he engaged 
in a tannery, which he carried on until 
1834. He was married three times; had 
five children by his first, but none by his 
second wife, and three by his last wife, 
who was Harriet Oxtoby, the sister of 



Henry Oxtoby. She was born in England 
in 1792, and died in 1874. Dr. John Eed- 
dish is now the only surviving child of 
Nathan Eeddish. 

Lewis Skillings came to this county in 

1810, settling in the northeast part of 
Green Township, and in a few years 
moving across the line into this township, 
where he died in 1869. His wife, Anna 
(Craig) Sldllings, came to this county in 
1808, and died in 1866. Both were mem- 
bers of the "Fletcher Chapel," and have 
left worthy descendants, who honor their 
name. 

In 1810 Matthew and Jane Wood came 
from Kentucky and settled where George 
Alt now lives. He died in 1830, and his 
wife in 1856. 

Isaac Wood was born in New York in 
1771 ; was married to Jane Corey, of New 
Jersey, in 1797, who was born in 1779, 
coming to this county in March, 1812, set- 
fling in Section 15, Springfield Township, 
removing the following years to Section 
9. They had thirteen children. Isaac 
Wood died in 1825, and his widow in 1871. 

John Foster was an early settler on 
Beaver Creek, and built the original mill 
on that stream, at the site of "Junction 
Mills" about 1808, and, during and after 
the war of 1812, operated this rude mill 
successfully. 

William Hall was a staid Baptist, and 
an early settler of the eastern part of the 
township. 

Peter Printz was born in Maryland in 

1811, and came with his parents, in 1815, 
to this township, settling in Section 1, in 
the southwestern part of the township. 
He there grew up, and married Catherine 
Kelly in 1841, who had born to her eleven 
children. She was a native of this county. 



314 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



and yet resides on her husband's estate. 
Both Peter and his parents died on this 
farm. 

In 1815, Adam and Maria Alt, of Mary- 
land, settled in this township, where he 
died in 1876. 

Herbert Huffman settled in the north- 
eastern part of the township as early as 
1815, and possibly earlier. He died in 
1820, and his wife, Sarah, in 1842. 

Luke Byrd was a Baptist preacher of 
excellent repute, who settled in 'the east- 
ern part of the township in 1816. He 
died August 31, 1823, aged fifty-five, and 
his wife, Catherine, in September, 1835, 
aged seventy-two. They reared a numer- 
ous family, who, with their descendants, 
occupy prominent places in business and 
social circles of the township. 

Benjamin Foos lived on Section 4, 
Township 5 ; was an active business man, 
and died in the prime of life. 

Moses Bishop was born in Pennsylvania 
in 1804; came to Ohio with his parents 
in 1806, and, in 1816, from Warren Coun- 
ty to the eastern part of this township. 
His parents were from New Jersey, and 
had five children, Moses, Margaret, David, 
Delila and Edward. 

One of the most eccentric pioneers of 
the township was Andrew Pinneo, who 
was born in Vermont in 1770; came to 
Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, in 
1816; thence to Section 8, Springfield 
Township. He married Esther Waters, 
of Vermont, who had seven children. Mr. 
Pinneo was in the War of 1812, and died 
about 1859, his wife having died about 
1843. 

John Stickney, an Englishman, born in 
1780, came to the township in 1819, where 
he carried on the blacksmith's trade. 



which he had learned in his native land, 
where he was also married to Sarah Cook. 
He and wife were earnest Methodists, he 
dying in 1850 and she in 1867. His grand- 
son, Wm. J., now resides on the old home- 
stead in the southeastern part of the town- 
ship, on Section 3, and is one of the lead- 
ing farmers of the county. 

In 1820, Henry Wolf and his wife Eliz- 
abeth (Haller) Wolf, with their family, 
settled in Section 6, in the northeastern 
corner of the township. They were from 
Virginia, and he built and conducted a dis- 
tillery for a number of years. They had 
nine children, and Samuel, the seventh 
child, now resides upon the old home- 
stead. 

Caleb Tuttle was the fourth son of Sil- 
vanus and Mary (Brown) Tuttle, who 
settled in Moorefield Township in 1808. 
He was born in Virginia May 14, 1799, 
and, March 21, 1822, married Mary 
Prickett, daughter of Nicholas Prickett, 
one of the pioneers of the country. By 
this union he became the father of Sil- 
vanus, Isaiah, David, William H., Thom- 
as, Catherine, Eliza, Margaret, Mary E., 
Eachel and Laura. 

John Buckles came to the township from 
the southern part of the state,- and op- 
erated a flouring-mill and stillhouse on 
Beaver Creek, near the present site of 
"Junction Mills." He was the father of 
a large family. James, David, Robert, 
Thomas, William, John and Abraham 
were his sons. The father was a Baptist, 
and his sons James and Abraham were 
ministers of that denomination. 

More Recent Inhabitants. 

Others who have been more or less 
prominent in township affairs may be 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



315 



mentioned, as the following: Eev. H. H. 
Tuttle, who was born in this county Sep- 
tember 20, 1842, son of John and Margaret 
Tuttle, was married in 1870 to Laura J. 
Luse, and is still living in the township. 
Silas Bird, who was the father of S. Van 
Bird, the present county surveyor, came 
to this township in 1816; was married to 
Margaret Tuttle, daughter of Caleb and 
Mary Tuttle, in 1848 ; has been dead some 
twelve years. Henry Stickney was a long 
time resident of this township, having been 
born November 26, 1821, at the place near 
where he died, which is now occupied by 
his son William J. He was married No- 
vember 11, 1851, to Isabella J. Baird. He 
has likewise been deceased some ten or 
twelve years. William Eice was born in 
this county, February 17, 1833, and died 
in 1907. He was the son of Edward and 
Lucy Rice. He was married January 13, 
1856, to Matilda Goudy. He lived near 
the Greene County Line. 

John McClintoch was for a long time 
a resident of this township south along 
the Yellow Spring Pike, on the farm now 
owned by Mrs. Matthews. He died in 
1869. 

James P. Leffel, who lived south of 
Leffel's Lane, came to this township at 
an early date and became quite wealthy, 
owning 1,600 acres of land. He died in 
1887. He was the father of Colonel Jo- 
seph Leffel, of this city, who is still liv- 
ing. Michael Leffel, who lived on the Ke- 
bert place south of the city, was born 
March 20, ]822, and died in 1894. He 
was married in 1844 to Elizabeth Cosier. 
Another son, Reuben, was born in this 
county May 9, 1836, and was married in 
1858 to Rachel McClellan. He moved 
south of the city on the farm now owned 



by W. M. Rockel, in 1862, and died in 
1896. 

John H. Kobelantz, living north of the 
city of Springfield, was born on his pres- 
ent residence, March 15, 1839, and was 
married December 21, 1871, to Anna M. 
Snyder. 

William H. Berger was born in Penn- 
sylvania, January 21,, 1830, and settled 
near Lagonda in 1838. He was married 
March 18, 1852, to Mary J. Jackson and 
died in 1907. He was a well-known citizen, 
active in many capacities. 
_ George H. Reed, who lives east of the 
city, was the son of James Reed and died 
in 1857. George was married in 1870 to 
Eunice E. Bird. Mr. Reed is active in 
township affairs, having served upon the 
board of education, as assessor, and in 
other capacities. 

Judson Redmond, the owner of Red- 
mond mills, was born in New York in 
1824 and was married October 10, 1846, 
to Harriet Hinman. 

William T. Otstot is a life-long resident 
of this township, having been born on the 
farm where he now lives, December 16, 
1837, and married January 2, 1868, to 
Mary A. Willis. Mr. Otstot has served as 
township trustee and in other official posi- 
tions. 

Charles H. Petre, in the southern part 
of the township, is the son of the pioneer 
Louis Petre and lived all his life upon 
his present farm. Quite a number of the 
Crabill family live in this township, their 
father, Thomas V. Crabill, having been 
an early pioneer and accumulated a large 
tract of land. The sons living are Will- 
iam, David, James, John, Milton and Jo- 
seph. 

Geo. W. Bymaster was born in Penn- 



ne 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



sylvania in 1833 and came to Clark County 
in 1862 and resides at Sugar Grove. He 
was united in marriage to Mary Jane Til- 
ton. He is at present county infirmary 
director. 

J. and D. L. Snyder, brothers, were 
prominent residents of the west end of 
this township. They came here with their 
father, Henry Snyder, and located on the 
site of the present mills. During their 
lifetime they amassed a large fortime. 
John died, leaving a fine bequest to the 
City Hospital, and the park was donated 
by them. A brother, William, died before 
these brothers. 

Peter Sintz, living in the Sugar Grove 
neighborhood, was a life-long resident of 
this township, having died some ten or 
twelve years ago. John T. May kept a 
toll-gate along the Urbana Pike for many 
years. Daniel Young resided north of the 
city. 

The Paiges — William and Ira — live 
south near the Green Township line and 
others have been more or less prominent 
in township affairs. 

Justices of the Peace. — Anthony Byrd, 
1834, 1837, 1852, 1855, 1858 ; Reuben Mil- 
ler, 1835, 1840, 1843, 1856, 1859, 1862, 1868, 
1871 ; J. S. Halsey, 1836 ; A. D. Merriness, 
1837 ; John E. Leman, 1838 ; Samuel Mott, 
1838 ; John Whiteley, 1843 ; Samuel Par- 
sons, 1844, 1850 ; William Whiteley, 1846, 
1849; Pierson Spinning, 1846, 1849, 1854, 
1855; John Coffield, 1850; Alfred D. 
Coombs, ]853; James S. Christie, 1857, 
1860 ; Joseph D. Wood, 1861, 1864, 1865, 
1868; D. A. Harrison, 1863; George C. 
Eichardson, 1863; Charles Evans, 1857; 
J. J. Smith, 1873, 1885; Alden H. Gillett, 
1874; Henry HoUenback, 1877-1883; Will- 
iam H. Burnett, 1879 ; Frank Eightmyer, 



1883; William A. Stout, 1885-1888-1894; 
John G. Breckenridge, 1886 ; J. J. Miller, 
1888; John B. Clingerman, 1891-1897; 
Harry D. Brydon, 1897-190'0; W. Y. Ma- 
har, 1899-1900; A. C. Harriman, 1902- 
1908; Eoger V. Smith, 1903-1908; John 
M. Cole, 1903 (did not qualify). 

Township Trustees (since 1881) — ^Will- 
iam Davidson, 1881-1883; Joe Harrison, 
1881, 1883-1886; George Zimmerman, 
1881-1885 ; W. T. Otstot, 1882, 1884-1885 ; 
Wm. Craig, 1886, 1889-1897; John M. 
Stewart, 1886, 1898-1900; Wm. Berger, 
1887-1890; Thomas O'Brien, 1887, 1888; 
H. C. Williamson, 1887, 1888; Geo. 
H. Dalie, 1889-1901; Samuel Hough- 
ton, 1890-1892; John Crabill, 1892, 1893; 
D. H. LeFevre, 1893-1907; J. N. Tuttle, 
1894-1896; Wm. Myers, 1897-1899, 1903- 
3907; T. F. Nave, 1900, 1901, 1904-1907; 
Geo. Bymaster, 1-902, 1903. John H. 
Kobleantz member elect. 

Present Board of Education (1907) — 
President, Joseph Crabill, Jr., Fred 
Hirtzinger, John Otstot, J. W. Jenkins, 
Wm. Hyslip. 

Township Treasurers — John W. Par- 
sons, 1879-1883; W. S. Wilson, 1883-1885 
David M. Burns, 1885-1887; John W. Par 
sons, 1887-1888 ; J. F. Walter, 1888-1890 
11. H. Cumback, 1891-1893; J. J. Goodfel- 
low, 1893-1895 ; J. M. Todd, 1895-1899 ; P 
M. Stewart, 1899-1903 ; Anthony Haesler 
3903-1905; Clarence Arbogast, 1905-1907 

Churches. 

Probably the first denomination to erect 
a Church in this township were the 
regular Baptists, who organized a society 
in 1816. The original members were 
Nathaniel Eeeves, Mary A. Eeeves, John 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



317 



Buckles, Mary Buckles, Nicholas Pricket, 
William Haugii, William Beesely and 
James Buckles. This organization built 
a log church a few rods from the site of 
the Union Meeting House built at a later 
date. It was on the opposite side of the 
bid Columbus Eoad. They continued to 
worship here until 1840, when the prop- 
erty was sold to Caleb Tuttle. The so- 
ciety continued its organization until 1848, 
when it was abandoned. 

Reg-ular Baptist Church — In 1831 a 
number of Free-Will Baptists were joined 
by a number of citizens of various beliefs 
in the building of an undenominational 
church, that should be free to all chris- 
tians. This church was built on the old 
Columbus Road in the eastern part of the 
township on Section 6. The principal 
members of the society were James Don- 



nel and wife, John Bishop and wife, 
James Bishop and wife, Nathaniel Bees- 
ley and wife and John Pricket and wife. 
Between the years of 1840 and 1860 the 
Presbyterians maintained stated services 
here. It has been stated that the noted 
Mormans, Joe Smith and Eigdon, once oc- 
cupied the pulpit in this meeting-house. 

It is also said that the regular Baptists 
had undisputed services on the first Sab- 
bath and the Saturday before, the Pres- 
byterians the second Sabbath and the 
Saturday before, and the Free-Will 
Baptists the third Sabbath and the Satur- 
day before. Services are still continued 
in this organization. This church was re- 
paired last year (1907) at an expense of 
$650. Regular services are now held here, 
Rev. H. H. Tuttle being the pastor. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



VILLAGES. 



Allentown — Beaity — Bowlusville — Brighton — Brottensburg — Catawba — 
Clifton — Cortsville — Dialton — Dolly Varden — Donnelsville — Dur- 
bin — Eagle City — Enon — Harmony — Hennessy — Ilustead — Loav- 
renceville — Lagonda — Limestone City — Lisbon — Medway — New Bos- 
ton (see Chap. 5) ' — Neio Carlisle — New Moorefield — Northampton — 
OivUoivn — Pitchin — Plattsburg — Selma — Sugar Grove — South 
Charleston — Tremont City — Vienna — Villa — Windsor. 



Al;LEKTOWN. 

Allentown is the name given to a cluster 
of houses located on what is now called 
the Jackson Road, in Green Township, 
and about half a mile east of the Yellow 
Springs Pike; perhaps less than a mile 
from Hustead and about seven miles from 
Springfield. 

In 1834 or '35 Aaron Allen erected a 
steam saw-mill at this place. It was kept 
in operation by himself and son until 1852, 
when it burned down. It never reached 
sufficient importance to have a school- 
house or church and is now in consider- 
able decay. It at no time exceeded fifteen 
families. The schoolhouse sometimes go- 
ing by that name is half a mile east. 

Beatty. 

Beatty is located about three miles 
south of the City of Springfield at the 



junction of the Fairfield Pike and the Yel- 
low Spring Pike. At its lower edge is lo- 
cated Emery Chapel and likewise a car 
barn and sub-station of the Springfield 
and Xenia Traction Company. 

The Fairview Floral Greenhouse is its 
only industrial establishment. To the 
north there has recently been laid out 
some building lots in an addition called 
Fairmont. 

Its school facilities are at what is 
termed Possum Schoolhouse. Tradition 
says that when the first schoolhouse built 
here was opened for school, an opossum 
presented himself as the first pupil, hence 
the name "Possum." It has a postof- 
fice and rural delivery, both, the postof- 
fice being kept there mainly for the bene- 
fit of the floral company. 

The P. C. & St. L. Railroad stops at 
the southern end, at a station called Em- 
ery. Its present name was taken from 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



319 



former inhabitants and was adopted when 
the postoffice was established. This place 
was formerly called Chambersburg. 

Jacob Kershner had a blacksmith shop 
in a very early day, a short distance north 
of where Emery Chapel is now located, 
and in the thirties a log schoolhouse stood 
almost where the chapel is located. Cliff 
Haley is the present postmaster. Will- 
iam E. Melvin conducts the blacksmith 
shop. 

A short distance below this place, in 
the thirties, Adam Mayne conducted a 
tavern called ' ' Traveller 's Eest. ' ' It was 
freely patronized during stage-coach 
days. 

BOWLUSVTLLB. 

Bowlusville is located about eight 
miles north of the City of Springfield on 
the Big Four and Erie Eailway, about 
three miles west of the pike leading to Ur- 
bana. It was laid out in 1863, in a plat 
of lots nmnbering from one to seventeen, 
by Captain Samuel H. Bowlus, from 
whom it received its name. 

Its former name was Lawrence Station, 
it being thus named after Judge Law- 
rence of Bellefontaine. It has one store 
and elevator conducted by John L. Bow- 
lus. The United Brethren denomination 
have a church, built in 1888, located in the 
east part of this village, Eev. A. H. Leh- 
man being the present pastor. John L. 
Bowlus is postmaster. Mr. Bowlus made 
several strenuous attempts to sell lots, but 
without any material result. 

Brighton. 

Brighton is located on the National 
Eoad thirteen miles east of Springfield. 
The Springfield and Columbus traction 



line goes through the village. It owes its 
location to the fact no doubt of the build- 
ing of the National Eoad, and is in the 
northeastern part of Harmony Township. 
It was platted by David Eipley and Mar- 
vin Gager in 1834, lots 1-32, and in 1835 
another plat was added of lots 32-67. 
Afterwards an addition was added by 
Rathburn, lots 9-24, situated in the north 
of the National Eoad, and east of the road 
leading north was latterly vacated, only 
to be replatted by Jerome Stephenson in 
1881. The first house was built on the 
northeast corner by John Buckland and 
was by him occupied as a hotel. About 
the same time Joseph Eobinson built a 
saw-mill just east of the village. Gager 
and a man by the name of Alpin built a 
frame house on the southeast corner 
about the same time. In 1836 David Eip- 
ley built a two-story brick building on 
the northwest corner, which was used for 
several years as a hotel. A postoffice 
was established here called Brighton Cen- 
ter, in 1836, and Joseph Eobinson was 
the first postmaster. It was discontinued 
after two years, until about ten years ago. 
Then a postofSce was again established 
under the name of Orchard,- to be in time 
discontinued upon the mtroduction of 
free delivery. A carding-mill was built 
here in 1837 by George Snodgrass. 

Martin Gager, who was a blacksmith, 
built a shop about the time that the vil- 
lage was platted, or previous thereto. In 
1842 he attached a distillery to the same. 
A saw-mill was erected by Joseph Eobin- 
son, which was operated for some time. 
After the National Eoad was opened, the 
village thrived, and until the building of 
the railroad from Springfield to Colum- 
bus its hotels were frequent stopping 



320 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



places for travellers and teamsters. Like- 
wise it was a regular stopping place for 
the stage-coacli, the mail being delivered 
in that way. The recent location of the 
traction line through the village has given 
it a new lease of life and it shows evidence 
of returning prosperity. A traction sub- 
station is located here. 

Brottensbuegh. 

Brottensburgh is the name of a village 
that exists only in history. It was lo- 
cated about three-quarters of a mile this 
side of Enon, where the road turns north 
towards the river. In 1818 John and 
James Leffel erected a grist-mill on Mad 
River. Considerable traffic was carried 
on in that direction and quite a cluster of 
houses, principally made out of logs, were 
erected at this place and occupied by per- 
sons employed in the mill. In 1837 the 
postoffice was established at this place 
and J. R. Miller was postmaster. 

This was before Enon was of sufficient 
importance to demand a postoffice, and 
the nearest place to get mail was at 
Springfield. 

Historically this site of Brottensburgh 
may be remembered, because it was at one 
time the property of the noted and 
eccentric Lorenzo Dow. This noted 
preacher traveled frequently through 
parts of Ohio, prior to his death in 1834. 

Upon the establishment of Enon, Brot- 
tensburgh gradually went out of existence, 
until at this date nothing whatever re- 
mains to indicate its former location. 

Catawba. 

The village of Catawba is located in the 
northwestern part of Pleasant Township, 



on the road leading from Vienna to Me- 
chanicsburg, about fourteen miles from 
Springfield. It was regularly laid out by 
Cass and Marsh upon the lands owned by 
George Dawson, in 1838. Prior to this 
time there was considerable of a settle- 
ment at this place. Henry Neer built the 
first house in the village. The second was 
built by Miller Williamson, a blacksmith. 
William Pearson, a carpenter and cab- 
inet-maker, built the first frame house. 
In 1831 Joseph Newlove established a 
store in a small room on the site where 
Joseph Pearson recently had his store. 

In 1833 the postoffice was established 
and Herriman Chamberlain, who had suc- 
ceeded Newlove in his store, became the 
first postmaster. The first name for the 
place was Newburg, but there being an- 
other place of that name in the state, it 
was called Buck Creek. The first tavern 
was opened in 1838 on the southwest cor- 
ner of Champaign and Pleasant Streets. 
John Neer and Joseph Pearson were the 
first mail carriers. Letter postage at that 
time was twenty-five cents, payable at the 
office of delivery, if carried four hundred 
miles. 

Prominent inhabitants of this village in 
recent years have been Thomas Wingate, 
who has had a store here since 1865 ; N. S. 
Conway, now deceased, and Joseph Pear- 
son had the hotel and the store connected 
from 1875 until 1896, and lives there a 
retired life. The late Dr. M. R. Hunter 
was the practicing physician of this place 
for half a century. 

There are two churches and an excel- 
lent graded school. The village is incor- 
porated. Its inhabitants enjoy a culture 
and refinement beyond that usually found 
in co.untry villages, and it is their boast 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



321 



that no saloon ever did or could exist in 
their midst. 

The strong temperance sentiment, to- 
gether with the anti-slavery feeling that 
formerly existed here, have made this a 
stronghold of the Republican party. 

Some years ago Mr. Joseph Pearson 
erected a hall for services for public meet-" 
ings, the store underneath being occupied 
for many years by Mr. C. H. Runyan. 
Mrs. Fralick now has a general store 
there. 

The most stately residence is probably 
that of Mr. Eli Hunter. The village is 
situated on the crest of a ridge, which 
commands an excellent view of all the sur- 
rounding country. The nearest railroad 
facilities are on the Big Four at Catawba 
Station, abo'ut three miles to the north- 
west. 

The census of 1900 gives Catawba 231 
residents, the population being less in 
number than it was in 1880. 

C. H. Runyan is the present postmas- 
ter. J. E. Bumgardner is present mayor. 

Clifton. 

Clifton was platted by Bates and Lewis 
in 1840, in lots numbering 1-84. When 
Clark County was first laid off, the en- 
tire present village of Clifton was placed - 
within the boundaries of this county, but 
General Whiteman had but recently built 
a house, which is the old stone residence 
still standing a short distance east of 
Clifton. He did not wish to be taken out 
of Greene County and the boundary was 
afterwards changed so as to put his house 
back in Greene County. Although the 
place was not platted until 1840, yet from 
the fact that a mill was erected here by 



Owen Davis in 1800, there was no doubt of 
somewhat of a settlement here before the 
plat was made. It received its name prob- 
ably from the beautiful cliffs immediately 
west along the Little Miami River. The 
mill is now in Greene County, and is run 
by Mr. Preston. 

The village is almost due south of the 
city of Springfield, about eight and one- 
half miles. It has two grocery stores, an 
opera house, and a graded school build- 
ing of four rooms. The county line runs 
through the school building, the district 
being a special district composed of ter- 
ritory in both counties. The village con- 
tains three churches, the Methodist, 
Presbyterian, and United Presbyterian. 
The first church in this neighborhood was 
built by the Baptists, with the help of the 
Presbyterians. It was a log house built 
in 1807 on the north bank of the Little 
Miami, about eighty rods east of General 
Whiteman 's house. Its population at the 
last census was 262. 

Present Officials— A. H. Ellis, Mayor; 
G. E. Burney, D. A. Clark, B. Z. Luse, 
R. H. Sparrow, Richard Sparrow, Coun- 
cilmen ; W. M. Cultice, Marshal. 

COBTSVILLE. 

Cortsville appears to have been plat- 
ted, but the record of the plat is not in the 
recorder's office in this county. In 1830 
Robert Cort began the erection of a car- 
penter shop and residence for William 
Marshall. In 1835 he and Mr. Marshall 
became partners and built a small store- 
house at the crossing of the first road 
leading north from Selma into Green 
Township. This was the beginning of 
Cortsville, which is located in the south- 



322 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



eastern part of Green Township, about 
eleven miles from Springfield. 

Cort and Marshall died about 1843, and 
the business passed into the hands of 
other parties, but it was finally abandoned 
about 1852. There is a blacksmith shop 
there and a small grocery store and per- 
haps twelve to fifteen residents. In the 
time of the toll roads, there was a toll-gate 
at this place. There is a colored Baptist 
Church and the population at this time is 
principally composed of colored people. 
At one time there was a postoffice at this 
place but this was transferred to Selma 
in 1845. 

Dt.ilton. 

Dialton is a comparatively youth- 
ful place. No plat was ever made of 
that village. It is located in the north- 
eastern part of Pike Township half 
a mile south of the Champaign Coun- 
ty line and one mile east of the boun- 
daries of German Township. It owes 
its classification as a village to the 
establishment of a postoffice in that place 
in 1865, and was named after former 
Judge Dial, for his efforts at a previous 
time to have the office established there. 
The settlement had its origin in the build- 
ing and operation of a steam saw-mill at 
this place, in 1851, by Jacob M. Myers 
and Jonathan Lehman. For many years 
this was the principal industry of the 
town, the mill afterwards being con- 
verted into a hub and spoke factory. At 
one time twenty-two men were employed. 

"William Michael kept a grocery on the 
corner for many years. He was the first 
postmaster of this place. The village is 
thirteen miles from Springfield. The S. 



T. & P. traction company now goes 
through it. The Baker Brothers conduct 
a general store here. 

Doi>LY Vaeden. 

Dolly Varden is the name given to a 
plat of lands laid out by Simington Buf- 
fenbarger in 1872, lots 1-7, and in 1876 
lots 7-22. It was doubtless named after 
the locksmith's prettj^ daughter in Charles 
Dickens' novel of Barnaby Eudge. It is 
about seven and a half miles southeast of 
Springfield on the road leading westward 
one-half mile north of South Charleston, 
about three and a half miles from that 
place in Madison Township. It never ac- 
quired any particular prominence. The 
Spring-field and South Charleston Trac- 
tion line runs through it and there is a 
stopping place there for convenience of 
the neighbors. 

The schoolhouse is the principal build- 
ing. There are probably twenty-five or 
thirty people living in this place. It never 
reached sufficient importance to have a 
postoffice. 

DONNELSVILLE. 

Donnelsville was first platted in 18.30 
b}^ James Donnel, from whom no doubt 
it received its name. This plat included 
lots 1-36 on l3oth sides of the National 
Eoad. Afterwards, in 1844, Abraham 
Smith made an addition to the north of 
this first addition of 38-54, and in 1859 
John Leffel platted some lots. This vil- 
lage is located on the National Eoad, 
seven miles west of Springfield. Not far 
east of the Center of Bethel Township 
there is a voting place known as Don- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



323 



nelsville Precinct. Settlements were 
made at this place some time prior to its 
establishment as a village. For many 
years Silas Trnmbo conducted a general 
store in this village. He Avas succeeded 
in that business by J. B. Trumbo, who still 
conducts the store. 

Trumbo is a native of this township 
and served as County Commissioner in 
'1891-1897. The village has two churches 
— Methodist, organized about 1819 at the 
house of the father of Jeremiah Left el, 
north of the village, the building being 
moved there about the time the latter was 
laid out; and the Lutheran, organized 
about 1830. There are ssveral other sub- 
stantial residences in this village located 
east along the National Pike. The census 
of 1900 gave it a population of 200, being 
forty-three less than the census ten years 
previously gave it. 

Its transportation facilities are afford- 
ed by the Big Four Railroad, at a station 
called Donnelsville, aboirt two miles to the 
southwest, and by the Dayton and Spring- 
field Traction line, which can be reached 
on the Valley Pike one mile south of the 
village. 

DURBIN. 

Durbin is the name given to the station 
at the crossing of the Big Four and Erie 
Railway, about three miles southwest of 
Springfield. It was named after Greneral 
Durbin Ward who was general counsel 
for the Erie Railway at the time (1880) 
that the "Big Four" made its crossing 
here. It is also reached at present by the 
Dayton and Springfield Traction Line, 
and at this writing the Erie Railway 
transfers its passengers at this point to 

18 



a special car on the traction line, and in 
that way reaches Springfield. It has 
hardly assumed the dignity of a village, 
yet there are perhaps fifteen or twenty 
houses in the immediate vicinity. The 
schoolhouse was erected here in 1905. 

Eagle City. 

Eagle City is the name given to the 
postoffice located at what was formerly 
known as the Baker Mills, latterly owned 
by Mr. S. E. Hockman, and is located on 
Mad River about four miles north of the 
city of Spring-field, a short distance off 
of what is known as the St. Paris Pike. 
The name was given when the postoffice 
was established there about 1885. 

Since free delivery has been established, 
the office has been abandoned, but the 
place still retains its name. Its only in- 
dustry is the mill which is now owned by 
n. L. Detrick. The D. T. & I. R. R. runs 
not far west of this place and stops at the 
road crossing. 

In 1851 the Society of Bethel was or- 
ganized and steps were taken to build a 
house of worship on the site of Section 25, 
on the old Clifton Road. Richard Kelley 
served as teacher and Sabbath school 
leader for a number of years. It was 
abandoned in 1880. 

In 1835 a hoiise of worship was built 
near the present Emery Chapel, and it is 
said to have been the first church built by 
the Methodists in that part of the coun- 
try. Previous to this the people had held 
their worship in an old log church called 
Ebenezer, which stood in the same neigh- 
borhood. The first chapel was christened 
Emery Chapel, but it was frequently 
called by the name of Maine's Meeting 



324 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



House, from Adam Maine, who lived in 
the immediate neighborhood. This house 
was succeeded b}^ the joresent Emery 
Chapel in 1853. It is located on the Yel- 
low Spring Pike, immediately south of 
the village of Beatty, and is built of brick. 
Services are still held here. 

People living in the settlement known 
as Eockway built a church, which has 
been under the control of the Lutheran 
denomination and is still in active opera- 
tion. 

In the present year, 1907, a denomina- 
tion calling themselves ' ' Saints or Church 
of the Living God ' ' have erected a church 
a short distance this side of Eockway 
Chapel on the National Pike, west of 
Springfield. Services were first held here 
on October 28, 1907. The structure is a 
frame dwelling and cost $2,500.00. 

In 1888 Locust Grove Chapel was 
erected. This chapel is located on what 
is usually known as the Gillett Eoad, 
about three and a half miles- southeast of 
the city of Springfield. Sunday school 
and occasional services are held here. 

Schools. 

Springfield Township has no high 
school, the pupils taking advantage of the 
Spring-field city high school under the 
provisions of the Patterson law. 

The following is a list of the teachers 
for the coming year : 

Superintendent, J. M. Collins ; super- 
visor of music, W. H. Ijewis ; No. 1, Eidge, 
Clara Kempler; No. 2, Eeed's, John Cope- 
land; No. 3, Sinking d'eek, Effie Valen- 
tine; No. 4, Congress, Bessie Umpleby; 
No. 5, Cross Eoads, J. M. Collins, prin- 
cipal; Maggie Hinkle. primary; No. 6, 



Benson's, P. E. Eunyan; No. 7, Possum, 
Eedmond Higgins, principal; Bessie Gar- 
rison, primary; No. 8, Mill Creek, J. W. 
Arthur; No. 9, Eockway, C. E. Collins, 
principal; Glenna Suavely, intermediate^ 
Ella Kissell, primary; No. 10, Snow Hill, 
Pearl Weatherford, principal; Beatrice 
Kaufman, primary; No. 11, Victory, Fay 
Stafford; No. 12, Locust Grove, Margie 
Black; No. 13, Durbin, W. S. Maxwell. 

Enumeration of pupils for 1907 — Males, 
450 ; females, 388 ; total, 838. 

Enost. 

Enon is the principal village in Mad 
Eiver Township, and is located on the 
Springfield and Dayton Turnpike, seven 
and a half miles southwest of the city of 
Springfield. It was originally platted in 
1838, the time that the Springfield and 
Dayton road was laid out, and was at the 
intersection of the road leading from 
Xenia to New Carlisle. Elnathan Cory 
and E. D. Baker made the first plat of 
lands 1-60. 

In 1842 Mr. E. D. Baker made a second 
plat, the lots in which were numbered 
from 6-79, and another plat in 1845. 

In 1847 David Cross platted an addi- 
tion of lots 1-20, and in 1849 David 
Funderburg made an addition of lots 
which he numbered 117-135. There were 
settlements in this vicinity prior to its 
being platted as a village. 

In 1812 William Donnels built the first 
tavern in the township about one and a 
half miles west of the village. It was 
known as the "Hickory Tavern." The 
first hotel was built in Enon by Franklin 
Cook in 1838. It was built of stone and 
rough cast and for three-quarters of a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



325 



century was used for that purpose. A 
few years ago it was destroyed by fire. 

The first church erected in this town 
was the Methodist Episcopal, the or- 
ganization being formed about 1840. Rev. 
Hamilton is now pastor. 

The first sehoolhouse was built on 
North Xenia Street. The next school- 
house was built on South Xenia Street. 
It has another church called the Chris- 
tian Church, of which Rev. Jones is now 
pastor ; two grocery stores, at present one 
conducted b}' A. B. Dunkle and the other 
by Aaron Dellinger. Peter Hardman is 
the present postmaster. 

For many years John Baney carried 
the mail between Enon and the railroad 
station. 

The town enjoys the distinction of a 
fine Knights of Pythias hall, erected in 

1889 by Adolphus H. Smith, Jr. The 
census of 1900 gives the village a popula- 
tion of 295, a decrease of 36 over that of 

1890 and a decrease of 67 over that of 
1880. 

The village is thriving, however, and 
contains some very pleasant countrj^ 
homes. Immediately northeast of it is the 
celebrated Knob Mound, the most distin- 
guished mound in Clark County. The 
railroad facilities to this village are fur- 
nished at Enon station one-half mile to 
the north, where the Big Four and Erie 
Railroads parallel each other. The Day- 
ton and Spring-field Traction line can also' 
be reached on the Valley Pike one and 
one-half mile to the north. This village is 
located on or near the route that General 
Clark took on his way to the battle of 
Piqua in 1780, and it is said that his 
military staff reconnoitered from the top 
of the mound in this vicinity. 



The first house was built by Jesse 
Rhodes. The first merchant was John R. 
Miller. He came here at an early date 
from Brottensburg. After him came 
Stephen Wilson from Hertzler's Mill. 
Other merchants were Melyn Miller, 
Conrod Kurtz, Robert Gaston, J. L. 
Conklin, afterwards in Springfield; he 
was burned out here. David Zigler, Smith 
and Ohlwine, John H. Littler, Anthony 
Beam, John Goodwin, Miller and Wolfe, 
H. Strauss, John Wallace and others. 
Mr. Wallace Robinson, Kennedy and 
Miller Baker were tailors, Joseph Sipes 
Nelson Hardman, T. J. Barton, John Hall, 
Wm. Pottle and Franklin Roch were 
blacksmiths. James Vanostrain and Wm. 
D. Miller made the celebrated Miller plow. 
William Barton, Silas Chappell, Peter 
Miller, Edwin Barton and others ran a 
cooper shop. The first physician in the 
town was named "Hoylt. " 

H.\BM0NY. 

Harmony is situated on the National 
Road near the west line of Harmony 
Township, six miles from Springfield. It 
was platted originally in 1832 by Lay- 
bourn Newlove, lots 1-13, and in 1851 John 
Walker made an addition to the village on 
the north side of the road. 

Joseph Newlove and Robert Black were 
early hotel keepers of this village. About 
the year 1835, Harvey Ryan built a tan- 
nery there. He was succeeded in busi- 
ness by F. & N. Schoenberger and they 
in turn by John H. Larimer. The works 
have now been abandoned. 

The first sehoolhouse was built here in 
1835, John Newlove being the teacher. 
During the time that stage coaches passed 



326 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



over the National Eoad, the village had a 
bright and stirring appearance, bnt after 
the railroads came, this kind of travel 
ceased and Harmony lost much of its 
energy. About 1890 a postoffice was lo- 
cated at this place which was called Wise- 
man. This office was abandoned when the 
Rural Delivery was inaugurated. Re- 
cently the Springfield and Columbus trac- 
tion line has been built through this vil- 
lage and it has again assumed an air of 
some importance. Its population would 
not exceed seventy-five. The cholera of 
1852 almost wiped this village out of ex- 
istence. 

Hennessy. 

Hennessy is a station on the Pennsyl- 
vania Railway, in the southeastern part 
of Mad River ToAvnship, one-half mile 
north of the south line of Clark County, 
and the same distance east from the Yel- 
low Springs Pike. It is nothing more than 
a cluster of houses and a stopping place 
for trains on the railroad. 

At what time it first received its name 
is not known, but as it appears on Colonel 
Kizer's map in 1850, it must have been 
shortly after the Little Miami Railroad 
was built. 

Htistead. 

Hustead is situated on the Yellow 
Springs Pike six and one-half miles south 
of Spring-field and it receives its principal 
importance from the fact that the post- 
office is located there and a small grocery 
store. 

The name is taken from persons resid- 
ing in the neighborhood. It is located in 
the Eastern part of Mad River Town- 
ship, very close to the border line, be- 



tween it and Green Township. The popu- 
lation is about twenty-five. Its name does 
not appear upon the map prior to 1880. 
Mr. H. H. Turner is postmaster at pres- 
ent. 

IjAWRENCEVILLE. 

Lawrenceville is located six and one- 
half miles northwest of the city of Spring- 
field, in German Township, on the road 
leading from Springfield, known as the 
Coblentz Road. Its first plat of lots was 
made in 1843, numbered 1-15, by Emanuel 
and Margaret Circle. The place was then 
called Noblesville, and it continued to 
have that name until it acquired a post- 
office and then, it being found that there 
was another Noblesville in this state, its 
name was changed to Lawrenceville, 
after Judge Lawrence who was then a 
member of Congress from this district. 
A store was built in 1836 by Elias Over. 
A few years later three Germans, named 
Rice, Bipple & Rice built and operated a 
pottery. This industry has long since 
been abandoned. 

In 1905 John Rust laid out an addition 
of lots numbering from 1-2. The S. T. & 
P. Traction line having in the year 1905 
been built through this village, consid- 
erable stimulus has been given to its 
growth, and smaller tracts of land are of- 
fered in its surroundings for sale at this 
time. The high school built in 1874 for 
Gennan Township is located here, as well 
as a Reformed church, desigTiated as 
Mount Pisgah. This church was built by 
the Lutheran and Reformed denomina- 
tions in 1821. The town has never been 
incorporated. There are probably 150 
people living there. It has one store and 
blacksmith shop. James V. Ballentine, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



eighty-four years of age, was born in its 
vicinity and still resides in Lawrenceville. 
In 1907 the Traction Company built a 
station, in which Napoleon Wagner at- 
tends to selling tickets, cigars, etc., and 
C. H. Bailey conducts a general store. 

Lagonda. 

Lagonda while still preserving its name, 
is fast losing its identity as being now 
a part of the city of Springtield; yet at 
one time it almost held the position of a 
rival to Springfield. In Edwards' His- 
torical A^tlas of Clark County the follow- 
ing is given: 

"From the manuscript of William H. 
Berger, the following facts have been 
compiled. The first building erected in 
Lagonda was about 1800. James Smith 
was the first white man to pass through 
the valley, accompanying a party of In- 
dians. The journey occurred in 1760, and 
Smith saw elk and buffalo. Simon Ken- 
ton and others settled north of Spring- 
field in 1799. A mill was wanted; the 
Government offered thirty acres of land 
to any mill builder. Kenton built a mill, 
but got no land. Kenton's claim was 
deeded July 29, 1814, to William Ward, 
Sr. Caleb Tuttle, when a boy, took wheat 
to Kenton's mill, and, standing on a 
block, bolted the flour by turning the cloth 
with a winch. Kenton sold, December 5, 
one-fourth to William Beesley and 
Nicholas Eicket. The former erected a 
saw-mill with a butter-churning attach- 
ment, and both worked in unison. Eicket 
now built a frame mill near the old site, 
and put in two sets of burrs. Mrs. Tuttle 
ran this mill while her father was sol- 
diering to the northward. Indians came 



329 

round offering for sale cranberries. 
Beesley put up a carding and fulling- 
mill. During 1812 and 1814, Peter Eitt 
ran a distillery; it was built on the farm 
of J. T. Warder and run by M. Murray. 
On August 1, 1830, Jeremiah Warder pur- 
chased the village of Lagonda for three 
thousand dollars. The old mill was used, 
but was soon turned into a distillery. 
Warder erected a large mill south of the 
creek, and built a dam, which supplied the 
water-power for saw-mill, factory, still, 
and grist-mill. The grist-mill had a large 
patronage and ran for forty years. John 
Hunt was storekeeper in 1828. Mulhol- 
land was a jeweler. C. McLaughlin and 
George Warder were early storekeepers 
in a house which finally took fire and was 
consumed. The first English school in 
the neighborhood was taught in a small 
log house about one and a half miles 
north by east of Lagonda, on Mr. Cra- 
bill's farm. Later the school was moved 
into the Baptist Church, half a mile north 
of the village. During 1845 Eev. William 
J. Shuey taught the first school in La- 
gonda, with thirty or forty pupils. Next 
year a three hundred dollar house was 
erected by Nicholas Nimsgern. In 1858, 
a house thirty by forty-five was erected, 
at an expense of twelve hundred dollars. 
In 1867, a sixteen hundred dollar house 
was erected. A church was built in 1871, 
at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollarsj 
by the W. B. C. membership, one hundred 
and twenty-five. Dr. William A. Need- 
ham of Vermont, came to Springfield 
Township, and lived in a log house near 
Lagonda, in the year 1814. This person 
was well known and a popular physician 
of the times." 
Later there was a postoffice established 



330 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



there, with Henry C. Laybourn as post- 
master. This was abandoned when the 
corporation limits of Springfield were ex- 
tended in 1882. 

Wm. H. Berger died in 1907 having 
spent his lifetime in the vicinity of 
Lagonda. 

Limestone City. ' • 

Limestone City is located about three 
miles southwest of the city of Spring- 
field, immediately south of the Big Four 
Railway. It is not far from where Krebs 
Station was located in early history of 
this county. It was platted by George 
Sintz in 1886. It is principally occupied 
by persons working in the various stone 
quarries in that locality. The quarries 
accessible from this point are those of E. 
R. and "William Mills, the Moores Lime 
Company and the W. D. Moores Lime 
Company. Its population is probably 
from fifty to seventy-five persons. It 
takes its name from its surrounding lime- 
stone quarries. 

IiISBON. 

Lisbon is situated near the south line 
of Harmony Township on the road lead- 
ing from South Charleston to Spring-field 
and is about ten and one-half miles from 
Springfield and two miles from South 
Charleston. It is one of the oldest vil- 
lages in the county, having been platted 
in 1815 by Ebenezer Pattoeh and James 
Cheneworth. The latter was a Virginian 
and settled there as early as 1803. Ai 
one time it promised to be a village of 
considerable importance, but later the 
drift of population seemed to be towards 
its successful rival South Charleston, and 
this became more so after the building 



of the Little Miami Eailway. Today but 
little evidence of its old-time importance 
remains. 

In 1820 there was a schoolhouse built 
at this place, and later on Isaac Chamber- 
lain kept a hotel here, and a grocery store 
was also once conducted in this place. 

Nothing remains now but the black- 
smith shop and the schoolhouse. On the 
original plat there were fifty-six lots. The 
church in the neighborhood, known as the 
Lisbon Church, is of the Baptist denomi- 
nation, the Eev. David Kerr of Spring- 
field being the present pastor. 

Medway<' 

Medway is located on the Valley Pike, 
and is so called because it is nearly mid- 
way between Dayton and Springfield. 

In 1807 Eev. Archibald Steele built a 
grist-mill near this locality, which was the 
origin of the village. Mr. Steele in 1816 
made the only plat of lots that was ever 
made for this village. It consisted of 
eighty-nine lots on each side of what is 
now the Valley Pike, and the town has 
been built along these lines. It always 
has been a village of considerable pros- 
perity, as it is situated in one of the rich- 
est valleys in Ohio. 

Eecently the Springfield and Dayton 
traction line has been built through it, and 
they have erected here a power-house 
v/hich supplies power for the entire sys- 
tem, being one of the largest power-house 
plants in the country. This has added 
considerable importance to Medway, as 
the car barns are located there and a num- 
ber of men, working on the traction line 
as motormen, conductors, and in other 
capacities, have made their homes there. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVB CITIZENS. 



531 



The traction line lias also located one 
of its parks along this line, which is des- 
ignated by the name of Tecumseh, and is 
a frequent place for picnics and other out- 
ings from the Citj^ of Springfield and 
Dayton. A branch line has been bnilt 
leading to New Carlisle, so while the old 
industries connected with the various 
mills upon Mad River located in this vicin- 
ity have passed away, a new and import- 
ant one has come, and Medway bids fair 
in consequence to become a village of con- 
siderable importance in the future. It 
has a graded school and two churches-, 
Methodist and Mennonites. There are 
several stores which compare favorably 
with those carried on in villages of this 
character. It is not incorporated, but it 
is probably safe to say that it has a popu- 
lation of about 300. It is twelve miles 
from Springfield and is in the southern 
part of Bethel Township forming a 
precinct known as Medway Precinct. 

The first house was built by Jacob 
Hershey, who was also the first post- 
master of the village; he was then the 
proprietor of the "McQwen Mills." (See 
Mills.) 

The Methodist Church was erected here 
in 1842.. Newton Dunkel conducts a 
grocery and is postmaster at this time. 
William Lansinger is the manager of the 
blacksmith shop, Mrs. Zilkey conducts 
the hotel and Mrs. Heil the restaurant. 

NEW CARLISLE. 

Location. 

In the selection of the site for this 
pleasant village we have another illustra- 
tion of the influence that a running stream 



had upon our forefathers a hundred years 
ago, but if this was a factor in the early 
location of this village it has long since 
ceased to be a useful one. However this 
may be, New Carlisle is located upon as 
fine a plat of fertile territory as can be 
found in the Great Miami Valley, and this 
no doubt had its influence upon the mind 
of the early settlers. Besides it is in all 
probability located not far from one of 
the Indian trails that lead from the old 
village of Piqua (New Boston) over to the 
Indian villages upon the main part of the 
Miami River. 

Dr. Young in a former history of this 
county, says that the Indian village of 
Chinchima was located on the Smith farm 
immediately west of town. Honey Creek, 
a branch of the Big Miami, has its source 
north of the village some five or six miles, 
and meanders down and around the vil- 
lage going west into Miami County. 

Surroundings. 

New Carlisle is situated on a plateau, 
some twenty-five feet above the bed of this 
stream, which affords to it excellent 
drainage. On this stream the original 
proprietor built a mill as far back as in 
1836, but it has long since been a thing 
of the past. We have no particular ad- 
vice at this time that the lands surround- 
ing the village were in a condition other 
than is usually found in this fertile val- 
ley, and no doubt they were originally 
covered with walnut, oak, hickory and 
timber of like character. It has been pre- 
viously stated, in giving the history of 
the county, that probably the first set- 
tler was John Paul who afterwards built 
or located a mill situated a mile or three- 



332 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



quarters northeast of this village, but the 
founder of the town was William Eey- 
bourn. 

When^ Laid Out. 

It is said by Dr. Young that it was tirst 
laid out in 1810, and the first location was 
about 80 rods west of the present town 
(this was in the northwest corner of the 
Stockstill addition), and it was called 
York, and that in 1812 Eeybourn made 
his plat and called it Monroe. This plat, 
however, does not seem to have been re- 
corded until 1816. In 1828 the name was 
changed to New Carlisle. This original 
plat of Eeybourn 's was lots from 1-54 
and extended from the lower part of the 
town up along Main Street to Lincoln 
Street. One lot wide on the west of the 
street and two lots wide on the east. We 
do not know much about Mr. Eeybourn, 
except that afterwards one of his descend- 
ants went east and was recently the mayor 
of Philadelphia. Afterwards, in 1833, 
John Hay platted lots numbering 55-74, 
this plat of lots running north on Main 
Street above Eeybourn 's plat to Lake 
Avenue and then south on Church Street 
to Washington Street. In the same year 
Elnathan Corry platted lots 75-133, lot 
75 being on the southwest corner of Wash- 
ington and Church Street, and the plat 
ran from Washington Street as far west 
as Scott Street, south to Madison Street 
and some few lots further south along 
Church Street. In 1842 Corry made 
another addition of lots 134-181. This 
plat was west of Scott Street and be- 
tween Jet¥erson and Madison. For forty 
years there was no other platted addition 
made to the village. New life having been 
infused into the community by the 



building of what was then the I. B. 
& W. E. E. in 1881, in 1882 J. N. 
Stockstill made an addition of lots 
numbering 182-281 which includes that 
part of the village bound on the north 
by Lake Avenue on the west by 
Clay Street and on the south by Wash- 
ington and on the east by Church Street, 
further south by the alley between Church 
and Adams Streets. The same year Forgy 
& Mitchell made a plat of lots numbered 
282-300, being the western part of the 
town south of Tippecanoe Pike or Jeffer- 
son Street. In 1884 Sarah Smith, in the 
west part of the town opposite to the 
Forgy & Mitchell addition, laid out lots 
301-321. In 1887 B. H. Eannels laid out 
lots 322-359, this addition being north of 
Washington Street and west of Clay. 

Itstcobpoeation. 

The village is about sixteen miles north- 
east of Dayton and twelve miles west of 
Springfield. It was incorporated in 1831, 
but not being fortunate enough to be lo- 
cated on a road that was traveled much 
by stage coaches nor railroad prior to 
1881 its growth was necessarily slow. Its 
natural surroundings, however, were such 
that in early times its founders had hopes 
that it might ultimately be chosen as the 
county seat, but its location was not cen- 
tral enough to make it a formidable fac- 
tor in the final settlement of this ques- 
tion. It grew, however, and became noted 
as one of the most attractive villages in 
this part of the state, but the absence of 
railroad facilities after the railroads 
came was a serious drawback to its 
growth. It was strictly an agricultural 
communitv. When the I. B. & W. was 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



333 



built in 1881 tEe people were aroused 
from their lethargy and built up great 
expectations for the future, which has in 
a measurable degree been fulfilled. The 
village took on new life, made extensive 
improvements and now is one of the live 
villages of the county, compelling South 
(Charleston to put on her spurs to keep 
her rank as second in size among the vil- 
lages of this county. 

Population. 

The population we find has increased 
but very little. Going back as far as 1880, 
we find that the census gave the village 
872, in 1890, 958; 1900, 995. 

When the Dayton & Springfield Trac- 
tion Line was built, a spur was con- 
structed from Medway to New Carlisle, 
and so the people now have good facilities 
for reaching either Springfield or Dayton. 

EaeijY Residents. 

It is said that Jonathan Taylor and 
J. S. Mussey were early merchants of the 
place and that it had three churches, built 
as early as 1830, and that Dr. Robbins was 
the physician in that year. 

Elnathan Corry was the grandfather of 
our fellow townsman J. Quincy Smith and 
lived at this old homestead. The Corry 
family has been prominent in the affairs 
of the village from that date until the 
present. Among other old time residents 
may be mentioned Cyrus Lowman, whose 
father built the second stone house that 
Avas erected in Clark County. Cyrus lived 
in the vicinity of the village and during 
his entire life of more than fifty years 
was closely identified Avith its affairs. 



Another old time settler and one of great 
prominence in the village was Dr. John 
N. Stockstill. He commenced the practice 
of his profession in this village in 1842. 
He has been dead some fifteen years. The 
old homestead still standing on Main 
Street in its day was one of the finest 
residences of the town. Another old time 
physician of the place who was here for 
a half century was Dr. Isaac Miranda, 
who came here in 1851. During his life- 
time he was prominent in township and 
village affairs. Another person who is 
well remembered by the oldest people of 
the village is E. T. Weakley. He was a 
Virginian, proud of his ancestry and 
strong in his Democratic principles, set- 
tling here in an early date, and posses- 
ing considerable wealth. The politics of 
the village are generally Republican, but 
Mr. Weakley and Dr. Miranda ably ad- 
vocated and maintained the principles of 
the Democratic party. Mr. Weakley as- 
sisted in the organization of the New 
Carlisle Bank, and was well known in this 
and sui-rounding counties. 

Horace N. Taylor was a life-long resi- 
dent of this place. His father, Ezra G., 
came here in 1829 and from that time on 
until his death was one of the leading 
citizens. The younger Taylor for quite a 
while conducted a store under the firm 
name of Garver and Taylor. He was 
postmaster under Benjamin Harrison and 
for a long time was township clerk. He 
has been dead for some five or six years. 
Dr. Benjamin Neff was quite an active 
and distinguished citizen of this place 
from the time that he came here in the 
early 60s until his death in the early 90s. 
He represented this county in the state 
Legislature from 1871-1875, and conducted 



334 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



a drug store where T. J. Marinda is now 
located. His son Charles for some time 
was cashier of the New Carlisle Bank. 

Perhaps the most noted enterprise 
that the town ever had was the Smith 
Nursery. This was formed originally by 
Wm. H. Smith who came here in 1864, and 
in 1890 the industry had grown to be 
quite an extensive one. Some time after 
Mr. Smith died, and this industry has 
ceased to be an important factor of the 
village. 

Another person who was for a long 
time an active business man from this 
town, conducting a nursery likewise, was 
Thomas Brown, who commenced the busi- 
ness as early as 1846, and continued it as 
late as 1884. W. U. Sc^rff south of the 
village is now extensively engaged in this 
business. 

A person who brought considerable dis- 
tinction to the village of New Carlisle 
was the Kev. Thomas Harrison, who came 
here in 1852 and took charge of the select 
school that had been organized two years 
previously by the Eev. Berger. This 
school was afterwards called the Linden 
Hill Academy. Mr. Harrison was a 
thinker of some power, as his works in 
defense of religion and the Bible prove. 
His fame became noised around and his 
school became somewhat distinguished, 
sending forth a number of persons who 
were afterwards prominent in various 
walks of life. He remained here until 
1865, when the school was abandoned, be- 
ing succeeded by the New Carlisle High 
School, and the Eev. Harrison took up 
other fields of labor. 

The Eev. Henry Williams while living 
south of the village deserves more than a 
passing notice by reason of his long and 



continued pioneer pastorate in this vicin- 
ity. He was the father of a number of 
children disting-uished afterwards in pub- 
lic life. H. H. Williams being Common 
Pleas judge of Miami County, E. S. Will- 
iams a member of Congress from that 
county, and J. C. Williams having served 
as Mayor of this village and being still 
living, an honored citizen of the place. 

Banks. 

The first banking concern that New 
Carlisle had was known as the Bank of 
North America, and was organized in 
1852, by Phil Baker, Wm. Eobinson, Wm. 
Timmons, David Lehman, J. C. Stafford 
and Ezra Gr. Taylor, the latter being 
cashier. [t was founded on Virginia 
bonds, and went under in about one year. 
It was located in a blue brick building, 
corner of Washington and Main Streets. 

The New Carlisle Bank was organized 
in 1883 by C. S. Forgy, E. T. Weakley, 
Samuel Hamlet, Dr. Isaac Miranda, Dr. 
Benjamin Neff and others with a capital 
stock of $15,000. Charles H. Neff was its 
first cashier and C. S. Forgy its first 
president. For a time afterwards Sam- 
uel Hamlet was president. It subsequent- 
ly became the property of J. V. Forgy, 
j. Q. Smith, Mrs. M. M. Saylor and C. 
H. Saylor, the present owners. Mr. Her- 
bert S. Forgy is cashier. The last state- 
ment shows that it had $96,000 deposits. 

The First National Bank of New Car- 
lisle commenced business March 3, 1903. 
The original directors were I. K. Funder- 
burg, Frank Fissel, Fed. D. Shelton, Dr. 
Cook, Charles McGuire and Isaac Free- 
man and W. A. Higgins. The above also 
constitute the present board, except that 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



335 



J. I. Stafford has taken the place of I. K. 
Fuuderbui'g. It was organized under the 
United States banking laws, which per- 
mitted National Banks to organize with 
$25,000 capital. According to its last 
statement, it had $56,903 of deposits and 
$95,834 of assets. The present officers are 
Frank Fissel, president, Dr. Cook, vice- 
president, and William Fissel, cashier. 
Mr. William H. Sterrett has been one of 
the moving spirits of this institution. 
Prior to 1906, Mr. Pierce was cashier. 

In 1882 Charles F. King started a 
building and loan association, of which 
Chas. McGuire has been secretary for a 
number of 3''ears. 

MANUFACTraiNG InDUSTEIES. 

The first mill was built by William E. 
Eeybourn in 1836, northeast of the vil- 
lage. Latterly the one owned by a Mr. 
Meeks was built at this place. There is 
now conducted at this location, by C. A. 
Smith & Son, a feed store; steam-power 
however is used. 

The next mill was built' near the rail- 
road after the building of the I. B. & W. 
Eailway. It was erected by a Mr. Eals- 
ton, the village raising a bonus of $5,000. 
Afterwards it was conducted by the 
Pierces, the Funderburgs, later by John 
0. Brown, and finally by a man by the 
name of Eosell. Then a mill was built 
by David Nysewander and Joshua Eust 
as a woolen mill ; it was afterward owned 
by John Collins, Isaac Funderburg and 
John Scarff. Both of these structures 
were burned down. The Superior Pump 
Factory was built in the eighties; John 
M. Winger and others were interested in 
it. 

Now there is conducted at the railroad 



station an elevator and general imple- 
ment business, by Stewart A. Muff; also 
another elevator by J. B. Peffley. 

FlEES. 

Much of the business part of New Car- 
lisle owes its modern appearance to the 
three disasterous fires that have visited 
the village in a space of ten years. 
The first, which occurred in 1889, 
burned out the buildings on the west 
of Main Street, north of the hotel. 
Afterwards in 1891 a fire broke out in a 
stable behind the City Hall and all that 
part was burned out from and including 
the City Ilall down to the Odd Fellows' 
Building. Then, in November, 1896, a 
conflagration, supposed to have orig- 
inated in a small feed store from fire used 
in a jollification over McKinley's election, 
burned all that portion of the village lo- 
cated between the Weakley Block and the 
Odd Fellows' Building. The most notable 
loss in this last fire was that of the Opera 
House, which had been built by Mr. Bert 
Lowman and the Stockstill boys. It was 
a very commodious building for the vil- 
lage of New Carlisle, costing $15,000, and 
was a serious loss to the community 
for'^the reason that, not having proved a 
business success, it will probably be many 
years before the village has another build- 
ing so elegantly equipped for entertain- 
ments or presenting so handsome an ap- 
pearance. Since these various fires all 
the space burned has been built up. 

Hotels. 

The hostelry now known as the Carlisle 
Inn was the first hotel of the village, and, 
according to information now available, 
was established by John A. Hay, prior 



336 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



to 1830. He was successively followed as 
landlord by James Mitchell, William 
Forrer, Sheldon Weakley, George G-arst 
and by the present proprietor, J. M. Kis- 
singer. General Fred Funston was born 
in this hotel. The next hotel was one es- 
tablished by a man by the name of Vance 
in 1840. Afterwards Joe Keef was land- 
lord of this hotel and later William 
Forrer, and it then ceased running. On 
the present location of the Staley House 
was formerly a hotel by the name of the 
Panly House. 

The Staley House is at present conduct- 
ed by Mary A. Staley. Recently, imme- 
diately south of the New Carlisle Bank, 
the Holwager House has been opened, 
the same being conducted by Elizabeth 
Holwager. 

Post Office. 

I am not advised as to when the post 
office was established, but the following 
information in regard to the successive 
postmasters is kindly given by the pres- 
ent postmaster. Dr. E. C. Miller: 

Buchanan's administration from 1856 
to 1861 , Thomas Wise, postmaster. Abra- 
ham Lincoln's administration from 1861 
to 1865, Eichard Hubbard, postmaster, 
and on down to his death in 1873; then 
Mrs. Hubbard, his wife, filled the office as 
postmistress until Grover Cleveland's ad- 
ministration, when T. J. Miranda was ap- 
pointed postmaster and served a short 
term. He resigned and Frank Hughes 
was appointed in 1887 and died in 1888, 
when H. N. Taylor was appointed and 
served over seven years. Then Grover 
Cleveland began his second term and A. 
M. Kissinger was appointed and served 
four years, and on June 25th, 1900, E. C. 



Miller was appointed and his second term 
expires December 13th, 1908. New Car- 
lisle was a fourth-class office up to and 
during a part of Taylor's service as post- 
master, and then it was made a third- 
class. When the present incumbent, E. C. 
Miller, became postmaster in 1900 there 
was one rural route connected with the 
office — J. F. Brubaker, carrier — and the 
salary of the office was $1,200. At the 
present time there are five routes, and the 
salary of the postmaster is $1,600. The 
post office building occupies one of the 
most prominent corners in the town, it 
being leased to the department for ten 
j'ears, and on October 1st, 1906, there was 
installed a complete and up-to-date set of 
post office fixtures; room heated by fur- 
nace and lighted by the latest improved 
gasoline lighting system. The staff at 
present is as follows: E. C. Miller, 
postmaster; Thomas E. Miller, assistant 
postmaster; J. F. Brubaker, carrier. No. 
1 ; W. H. Kilpatrick, No. 2 ; W. C. North, 
No. 3; E. P. Funderburg, No. 4, and B. W. 
Quick, No. 5. The rural routes alone col- 
lect and deliver nearly a half-million 
pieces a year; this does not include the 
general delivery in the town. 

Attorneys. 

Charles M. King, who founded the New 
Carlisle Building & Loan Association in 
1883, was perhaps the first attorney who 
had his office located in this village. In 
the following year he went back to 
Springfield, where he died in 1885. 

About 1885 B. H. Eannells located in 
the village and continued in the active 
practice here for some ten or fifteen 
years, at this time residing, however, it 
is believed, in Dayton. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



337 



About 1890 Horace W. Stafford, who 
had recently been admitted to the bar, 
opened an office in the village and con- 
tinued here for a year or so, when he 
moved to Springfield and afterwards be- 
came prosecuting attorney of the county. 

In 1895 W. S. Robison located in the 
village and for a time was actively en- 
gaged in the law practice. Afterwards he 
accepted services for the traction com- 
pany, in which line of practice he is still 
engaged. 

For a time Mr. Swadner, now located at 
Osborne, kept an office in this village. 

Pioneer Association. 

In 1889 the New Carlisle Pioneer As- 
sociation was organized. About the same 
time there were other pioneer associations 
organized throughout the county, most of 
which have long since ceased to exist. 
The New Carlisle association, however, 
continues in active operation, Mr. J. C. 
Williams being president at this time. 

Annually, about the 18th of August, 
this association holds its meetings, gener- 
ally in the Smith Grrove, west of the vil- 
lage. At the last meeting (1907) Senator 
Foraker delivered one of his forcible and 
eloquent addresses. 

In the history of Bethel Township will 
be found a list of the pioneers who were 
present at that meeting. General Keifer, 
a native of Bethel Township, introduced 
Senator Foraker. It was a beautiful day 
and the meeting was a decided success. 

Newspapers. 

On several occasions newspapers were 
started or gotten out in the village, but it 



remained for J. M. Hoffa, in 1883, to es- 
tablish the present "New Carlisle Sun" 
upon a substantial basis. He continued 
there for some six or eight years, when 
the property passed into the hands of 
other parties and finally became the prop- 
erty of the present proprietor, Mr. J. A. 
Alexander. It is a paper that well repre- 
sents the village. However, owing to the 
daily rural delivery and other facilities 
for circulating the papers of Springfield 
and Cincinnati, it is a matter of con- 
siderable difficulty to maintain a news- 
paper in a A'illage of its size. 

J. C. Williams has materially contrib- 
uted to the success of this paper by his 
timely articles on matters of public in- 
terest. 

Cemetery. 

The New Carlisle Cemetery Associa- 
tion was organized October 3, 1856, and 
is located immediately south of the vil- 
lage, and presents a very creditable ap- 
pearance. 

J. V. Forgy is president of the organi- 
zation at this time; J. I. Stafford, secre- 
tary, and E. C. Miller, treasurer. The 
last report showed that there were no 
debts and a balance of $900 in the treas- 
ury. The custodian is Jethro Davis. 

Present Establishments. 

In the grocery line, Robison & Ray are 
located west of the post office on Jefferson 
Street, J. N. Corry on Jefferson Street 
and Mr. Hitchcock on the same street; 
Black Brothers and J. W. Martin on Main 
Street ;-C. D. Shelton, notions, etc. 

Among dry goods dealers there is C. F. 
McGuire, who likewise runs a boot and 



338 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



shoe store; Trostle & Son conduct a fur- 
niture establishment ; Helvie & Doom are 
undertakers ; George Hahn and Mart Kis- 
singer run livery barns ; Isaac Ulery and 
Brown Miller Brothers conduct a hard- 
ware business ; Mr. Baker and Ink Make- 
ly have tin and stove stores ; Cort Frahne 
conducts a cement block manufactory; 
Elias Clase a feed store; C. S. Goodall has 
a lumber yard; J. H. Brown & Mull, W. 
S. Hatten, Frank Ulerick and A. A. 
Stephens conduct blacksmith shops ; T. J. 
Miranda and W. A. Higgins, drug stores ; 
Simon Cradlebaugh has a machine shop 
on Clay Street and Smith & Son where 
the old mil] used to be; Samuel Reller is 
proprietor of a confectionery and restau- 
rant ; T. F. Hess is a cigar manufacturer. 

Physicians. 

The present physicians of the town are 
Drs. Ben Davis, Frank Stafford, J. H. 
Cook and C. E. Evans. In the past there 
have been Drs. Miranda, Stockstill, 
Shackleford, Hood, Robbins, Weinans and 
Smith. 

Mayors or the Village. 

The fire two years ago having de- 
stroyed all the official records, the follow- 
ing is given from memory and tradition 
as a list of some of the persons who have 
served as mayors: Richard Hubbard, 
James Stafford, Dr. H. H. Young, Dr. 
Fred McNeil, Cyrus Lowman, Dr. J. G. 
Hensley, Maurice Motz, A. P. Mitchell, 
George W. Pierce, W. E. Robinson, H. B. 
Rannels, J. C. Williams, W. H. Sterrett, 
J. W. Martin and the present incumbent, 
A. P. Mitchell. 



Secret Organizations. 

New Carlisle has the distinction of 
having the oldest Masonic lodge in Clark 
County. New Carlisle Lodge No. 100 was 
chartered January 5, 1831. Previous to 
this time there had been a Masonic or- 
ganization in Spring-field, but that organi- 
zation, during the anti-Masonic feeling 
created by the abduction of Morgan, lost 
its charter, and when a new lodge was 
organized in Springfield it was after the 
creation of the New Carlisle lodge. Dur- 
ing the excitement created by the Morgan 
abduction the New Carlisle lodge thought 
it prudent not to meet for a time. In the 
meantime some of the jewels and the 
charter were secreted along the banks of 
Honey Creek, the charter having been 
only discovered and returned to the lodge 
at a comparatively recent date. New Car- 
lisle Chapter No. 57 was chartered No- 
vember, 1868, and New Carlisle Council 
No. 30 afterward. 

Caritus Lodge No. 505, Odd Fellows, 
was instituted in 1872, and the New Car- 
lisle Encampment No. 222 in 1880; since 
which date Tecumseh Lodge, Knights of 
Pythias, Honey Creek Council No. 195, 
junior, and the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, Friendly Sons of Rest and other 
organizations have come into existence. 

Other matters of interest relating to 
churches, schools and early inhabitants 
will be found in the history of Bethel 
Township. At this time the question of 
natural gas is being agitated, an ordin- 
ance having been passed allowing the 
granting of a franchise in the village; 
likewise a water works system is in con- 
templation, and New Carlisle bids fair to 





lAST SIDI-. MATX STREET, NEW CARLISLE 





MASONIC BUILDING, NEW CARLISLE 



TOWN HALL, CATAWBA 





HOTEL, CATAWBA 



SCHOOL BUILDING, NEW CARLISLE 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



341 



become an up-to-date, modern village in 
every respect. 

The hourly service upon the traction 
line to Spring-field and Dayton make it a 
very desirable residence locality. At the 
last election the following persons were 
selected as officials for the village : 

Mayor, A. P. Mitchell. 

Clerk, J. E. Johnston. 

Council, J. W. Marshall, F. B. Ulrick, 
A. C. Fraber, C. M. Evans, John Shets 
and H. S. Porgy. 

Marshal, Myron Kester. 

Treasurer, Thomas Swanger. 

Cemetery trustees, E. C. Miller, J. I. 
Stafford and J. V. Forgy. 

New Mooeefield. 

New Moorefield is the principal village 
of Moorefield Township and is located on 
the Clark and Union Turnpike, seven and 
a half miles northeast of Springfield. Its 
name does not appear on Colonel Kizer's 
map, made in 1850, and it was probably 
about this time that the place received its 
name. It is on Buck Creek and the Dela- 
ware branch of the Big Four railway. 

In 1840 there was a mill built by Hugh 
Wilson at this place, and in 1850 he start- 
ed a store. In 1842 there was a saw-mill 
started near the same place. These have 
been succeeded by ia grist-mill, which is 
now operated by John W. Yeazell. The 
township house is located at this place. 
The first platted addition was made by 
Eliza Yeazell in 1883, lots numbering 1-27, 
and was principal!}^ that part that is 
south of the turnpike. 

In 1892 Louise D. Wilson platted an ad- 
dition in said town. The Methodist 
Church and the schoolhouse, together 



with the township building, are the prin- 
cipal buildings of the village. Demont 
Stepheson and Oscar Huffman severally 
conduct groceries. The village was never 
incorporated. It has a population of per- 
haps 150. 

Dr. Banes was the first physician, and 
Dr. McClintock attends to the people now 
in that capacity. 

Northampton. 

Northampton is located in Pike Town- 
ship, one mile west of the eastern bound- 
ary of said township, three miles from 
the northern boundary and ten miles from 
Springfield on the Clark and Miami Turn- 
pike. It enjo3^s the distinction of being 
the only village ever platted in Pike 
Township. The first plat was made by 
Peter Baisinger in 1829, with lots num- 
bering 1-16. 

In 1834 George Cost made a second ad- 
dition of lots from 17-24. In 1905 the 
Zinn heirs made a plat in addition to this 
town. The first merchant of .the village 
was Joseph Smith, who built a frame 
house here in the year 1830. 

The recent construction of the S. T. & 
P. Traction Line through this village has 
given it a marked impetus ; it bids fair to 
become a village of considerable impor- 
tance. 

The Knights of Pythias and Junior 
Orders both have erected good halls. The 
population of the village is now probably 
about 200. The Knights of Pythias hall 
was built in 1893, costing $1,500, and was 
remodeled in 1899. Junior hall was built 
in 1905 and cost $3,500. In addition the 
village h^s several stores. D. R. Taylor 
is postmaster. 



342 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



OWLTOWN. 

Owltown is the name of another village 
that has passed oi¥ the map. It was lo- 
cated about one mile east of Tremont City 
on Mad Eiver. Here, in 1839, was built 
by Kiblinger and Kneisley the largest dis- 
tillery in Clark County, and with the dis- 
tillery was also erected a grist-mill and 
likewise a saw-mill, and at one time there 
was also a cooper shop here and nine or 
ten dwelling houses. This distillery was 
run with great success, and as late as 
1864, under the name of Blose, Seitz & 
Blose. During the time that the " still "- 
house, mill and saw-mill were in operation 
it presented a scene of great activity, 
there being from tifteen to twenty-five 
men at work. In connection with the still- 
house, to take the refuse slop, there were 
large hog pens attached, feeding as many 
as three thousand hogs. 

The village received its name in this 
manner. For a long time the housewives 
of the neighborhood had been missing 
their poultry, and naturally attributed the 
loss to marauding owls. They finally dis- 
covered that the owls were in the shape of 
human beings and that the boys at the 
still-house had taken the chickens and 
roasted them in the furnace. Thereafter 
the place was called "Owltown." After- 
wards the distillery ceased operation and 
in a few years the grist-mill likewise, un- 
til now not a vestige of its former exist- 
ence remains. Immediately east there 
were two covered bridges across Mad 
River, displacing two old open wooden 
bridges, erected in 1865-7. At the west 
abutment of the east bridge Jesse Mead 
was drowned about 1888. When the cov- 
ered bridges were removed in 1904 for the 



construction of the one iron bridge, some 
Urbana parties ran over the west abut- 
ment of the west bridge one night about 
3 o'clock a. m. with an automobile and 
one person was killed outright. Suit was 
brought against the county and about 
$7,000 was collected. The present iron 
bridge was constructed in 1904, while 
Joseph H. Collins was commissioner. 

PiTCHIN. 

Pitchin is located southeast of Spring- 
field about six and a half miles, in Greene 
Township, on the pike leading to Selma. 
On the map gotten out by Colonel Kizer 
in 1850 it is desigTiated as Concord, de- 
riving that name no doubt from that of 
the Methodist Protestant Church located 
on this spot, which is identical. It is said 
that it received its name of Pitchin in the 
following manner: Formerly a man by 
the name of Ambrose ran a saw-mill there 
and to every one that applied for work 
when he was building it he would reply, 
"Pitch in." This is what an old citizea 
relates. 

In Everett's Atlas, 1875, this is found: 
"It seems that one David Bennett started 
a grocery, and opening a keg of beer told 
all to 'pitch in,' hence the name." 

The first Imilding was erected here by 
Green Porter, he building a residence and 
a blacksmith shop in 1845. 

In 1846 the Methodist Protestant 
Church, before referred to, was built. In 
1854 George Hansbrough built and oper- 
ated a steam saw-mill, which was run for 
a number of years after by John G. Hat- 
field and Aaron Dean. The population of 
the village was given as 120 in 1880 and 
probably it does not exceed that number 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



343 



at this date. For a long time G-ranville 
Elliott ran a grocery store here and J. H. 
Littler a blacksmith shop. E. L. Nave 
conducts the grocery at this time. A hall 
for general entertainments was erected 
about the year 1891. The schoolhouse con- 
sists of three departments. 

The Springtield and Charleston Trac- 
tion is about half a mile north of the 
village. 

Plattsbukg. 

Plattsburg is located near the center of 
Harmony Township, nine miles west of 
London and eleven miles east of Spring- 
iield. It was platted in 1852 by William 
Osborne and Amaziah Judy, lots num- 
bered 1-16 being taken from Mr. Os- 
borne's lands, and from 17-30 from Mr. 
Judy's lands. 

Boliyer Judy built the first warehouse 
an^ station on the railroad in 1853. A 
brick hotel was erected on the northwest 
corner by William Osborne. The People's 
house of worship was erected in 1846 by 
the Universalists and Christians. 

The brick schoolhouse was erected 
here as early as 1825. It was succeeded 
by another one built in 1848^ A township 
high school building was erected here in 
]904. 

Campbell & Price conduct a general 
store and the elevator for the purchase of 
grain. Their store burned down in 1905, 
but was promptly rebuilt. Eev. Mr. Hook 
is pastor of the church, which is now un- 
der the control of the Christian denomina- 
tion. 

Selma. 

Selma is located in the southwestern 
part of Madison Township on the Penn- 
sylvania Eailroad. It was laid out in 

19 



town lots in 1842 by Dr. Jesse Wilson. 
The State road from Springfield to Hills- 
boro crosses the Xenia and Columbus 
Pike at this place, and early made it a 
crossing of some importance ; so much so 
that it was deemed proper to plat it even 
before the road was built, and in 1845 the 
post office was transferred from Corts- 
ville to this place and Dr. Wilson was the 
first postmaster. The first merchants 
were probably the firm of Lans & White. 
In 1844 a storehouse was put up on the 
site now occupied by John Scanlan by W. 
G. Thorpe. 

A branch of Massey's Creek, called 
Willow Branch, flows through this village. 
The railroad was located a little north of 
the village as originally platted and 
through what was then known as swamp 
land at an early date. 

The old school building having been 
torn down, a special district was created 
in 1905 and the present very fine school 
building was erected at a cost of $15,000. 
Five original sub-districts are centralized 
in this school and it is giving good satis- 
faction. 

In 1888 a new precinct of Selma was 
created and in 1896 the present town hall 
was erected at a cost of $600.00. About 
1890 E. G. Calvert erected the elevator 
and is at present conducting the grain 
business there. Eobert Elder conducts a 
general store. Mr. Black runs a black- 
smith shop and William Grant is a hay 
merchant. Dr. Baumgardner is the vil- 
lage physician. 

There are three churches, the Friends, 
Methodist Episcopal and African Meth- 
odist. 

The original society of Friends was or- 
ganized in 1822, near the residence of 



344 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Samuel Howell, three-quarters of a mile 
northeast of Selma. In 1826 this society 
here and elsewhere divided; one was 
known as the Orthodox and the other the 
Hieksites, the Orthodox branch leaving 
the Hieksites in possession of the meeting- 
house and whatever property the original 
society owned at the time of separation, 
and in 1832 this branch numbered 220 
members and built a frame church where 
they worsliipped until 1871, when they 
built their present house of worship at a 
cost of $4,300. 

The other branch, to-wit, the Hieksites, 
continued to worship in their own church 
property until 1843, when this branch also 
had a division, and the building on the old 
ground was abandoned. A conservative 
portion began a house of worship a mile 
northeast of the former one. 

The first TNIethodist Church here was 
erected in 1830. The African Methodist 
Episcopal Church was built in 1875. 
Selma was known all over the country in 
slavery times as a station for the under- 
ground railway. 



tion is on the north, but this is but little 
used at the present time, as this railroad 
transfers its passengers to the city of 
Spring-field on a traction car coming- from 
Durbin. The station for the Masonic 
home is located here, and on this place 
was formerly the old Sugar Grove Hotel, 
which gave to the surroundings the name 
of Sugar Grove. This hotel building was 
erected in 1840 by Daniel Leffel. It was 
once destroyed by fire and afterwards re- 
built by Colonel Peter Sintz, and torn 
down a few years ago, when the Masonic 
Home was built. On this hotel immedi- 
ately over the door as the paint scaled off 
could be seen the letters 0. K., abbrevia- 
tion of "All Korrect." The origin of 
this expression is given in Howe's His- 
torical Collections of Champaign County, 
there having been a banner at a Whig- 
political meeting in 1840 which read, 
"The People Is All Korrect." There are 
perhaps all told one hundred people resid- 
ing here. The traction line has been re- 
surveyed to go around the hill by way of 
the station on the Erie Eailway. 



Sugar Grove. 



SOUTH CHAELESTON. 



Sugar Grove is west of Springfield, 
just beyond Mad Eiver, and were it not 
for the fact that Mad Eiver makes such a 
natural boundary line, it would before 
this have been absorbed in the city of 
Springfield. 

The first plat was made by Peter 
Schindler on behalf of the Spring-field 
Brick Manufacturing Company, in 1874. 
The main part of it was laid out by John 
H. Thomas in 1880, lots numbering 5-61. 

There are several stores now along the 
National Eoad. The Erie Eailwav Sta- 



South Charleston has the distinction of 
being the largest town or village in the 
county next to Springfield, although New 
Carlisle follows it very closely in this re- 
spect. Whether it had an identity before 
the first plat of lots was laid out in 1815 
by Conrad Critz is not now known. 
Neither is the historian of today able to 
give any reason for the name that it 
bears, nor can he say definitely why the 
town was originally laid out. It is located 
not far from the main channel of the Lit- 
tle Miami Eiver, that river having its 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



345 



source as recognized in history a few 
miles a little north or east of the village. 
Indian trails and early roadways were 
inclined to follow river valleys, and so we 
find that an early roadway went through 
or near this village leading up the Little 
Miami Valley and either going towards 
Columbus or Sandusky not far from 
where South Charleston is now located. 
One of the early roads laid out in this 
vicinity is the road leading directly south 
and directly north, the former dating 
from 1823 and the latter 1830. Lisbon 
was laid out the same year that South 
Charleston was and for a long time was 
its rival, but as the state increased in 
growth and population and the travel 
from Columbus towards Cincinnati be- 
came greater, South Charleston had the 
advantage in its locality, and when the 
P. C. & St. L. Railway Company was 
built in 1848, Lisbon could no longer be 
considered a rival to this village. Until 
the building of the Springfield, Jackson & 
Pomeroy Railroad, in 1878, much of the 
trade of South Charleston went to the 
towns of London and Xenia, it being about 
the same distance from these various 
towns. Prior to the establishment of 
Clark County, in 1818, the land upon 
which the village is now located was 
mostly, if not all, in Madison County. It 
is usually said to be twelve miles from the 
city of Springfield. 

Plats. 

It is mostly, if not all, located on land in 
the Military Survey, and not on Congress 
lands, and from this fact a peculiar con- 
dition of things exists, namely, that but 
one street — the Jamestown Road, from 



Columbus Street to Jamestown Street — . 
runs with the compass. This is a short 
street, being due north and south. As be- 
fore stated, Conrad Critz made the first 
plat in 1815 containing lots 1-32. The 
center of this plat was about where the 
Miami Hotel is now located. In 1824 
Christopher Lightfoot laid out lots 33-60. 
This plat of lots adjoined that of Critz 's 
along Chillicothe Street. In 1849 Wil- 
liam S. Warner made an addition of lots 
61-67 immediately south of the Critz plat. 
In the next year on Chillicothe Street, 
south of Jamestown Street, Robert Hous- 
ton laid out lots from 68-75 and in 1851 
Jacob M. Smith made an addition of lots 
from 83-88 near the extremity of James- 
town Street, and in the same year at the 
junction of the Xenia Pike and the Clif- 
ton Road, Edward Garrett laid out an ad- 
dition. In the same year Edward Evans 
made a plat of lots at the junction of 
Jamestown Street and the Jamestown 
Road. In 1855 Plasted & Moore laid out 
quite an addition to the Jamestown Road 
and Chillicothe Street and gave a number 
to their own addition of lots from 1-59; 
and in 1871 Henry E. Bateman made an 
addition of lots, which were numbered 
from 1-11. As late as 1906 Marion Kes- 
inger made a plat in this town. There is 
not much regularity in the lots in the 
village. Some, on principal streets, were 
sold by metes and bounds. 

In Beers' History it is stated that the 
early settler remembers a large pond that 
extended out and along where the town 
hall is now located, and that it was a fine 
place for duck shooting and that the fol- 
lowing persons were early residents of 
the village: David Vance, John Briggs, 
Nathan IjOw, James Pringle, Sr., Isaac 



346 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Davisson, Jesse Ellsworth, Jeremiah 
Bodkin, Samuel Thomas, Seth Saint John, 
John McCollum and Christopher Light- 
foot. 

Early Events. 

Conrad Critz built the first cabin in the 
village. The first roadway was laid out in 
1815. John Kelsey was the first justice 
of the peace. A man by the name of 
Surlot kept the first store in the village, 
and a person by the name of Best was the 
proprietor of the first tavern. 

Ephriam Vance was the second keeper 
of a public house. Robert Halsted was 
the first resident doctor, and Eli Adams 
the first shoemaker. The first preacher 
in the vicinity was a man by the name of 
Trader, who preached in 1818 in the cab- 
in of Jeremiah Sutton. Daniel Cutler, 
alDOut 18,30, built a saw-mill run by oxen. 
Tlie first burial in the Charleston Ceme- 
tery was that of Mary Lott, in 1825. The 
first election for township officers was 
held September 19, 1818, at the house of 
George Searlott. Moses Pierce is said to 
have been the first school teacher. James 
Woolsey is said to have built the first 
two-story frame building, and Phillip 
Hedrick the first brick building, and it is 
likewise said that E. Rowan and GTeorge 
Hempleman were engaged in the distill- 
ing business at an early date, but the loca- 
tion of the distillery is not known; prob- 
ably it was a miniature aiTair. 

The wi'iter is not aware as to when the 
post office was established in this place, 
but the followTDg persons have served 
as postmasters: Absalom Mattox, K. 
Brown, Asbury Houston, John Buzzard, 
1857; Milt Houston, 1861; R. B. McCol- 
lum, 1869; Levi Burnsides, 1885; T. J. 



Hicks, 1889 ; George Wilkison, 1893 ; E. P. 
Plynn, 1897. 

The nature of the land surrounding this 
village is such that it has always been 
l^rominent in stock-raising, and one of the 
first agricultural fairs of Ohio outside of 
Hamilton County was organized here in 
1837. 

PoPXJLATIOJSr. 

While South Charleston is splendidly 
located, its growth, like that of many 
other villages, has not been very rapid. 
In 1850 its population was 413; 1860, 516; 
1870, 818; 1880, 933; 1890, 1,041; 1900, 
1,096. While it may not have increased in 
population rapidly, yet for its size it is 
one of the wealthiest villages in the 
state of Ohio, having palatial residences 
which would do credit to a city of much 
larger size. And while it has had no par- 
ticular manufacturing industry (although 
historians state that as early as 1825 
Clement Stickley conducted a tannery in 
its western suburb), it has always been 
a good distributing center, by reason 
largely of the elevator and general busi- 
ness conducted by the Houston Brothers, 
which is one of the leading establishments. 
Of recent years the building of the rail- 
roads and traction lines have added much 
to its desirability as a place of residence. 
The traction line was built from here to 
Springfield in 1904, and is now known as 
the D. T. & I, Railroad. It was built from 
Spring-field south through Washington C. 
H. in 1878. 

B.-VNKS. 

The wealth of this place is well indi- 
cated by its two thriving banks. While 
one of these banks is called the Citizens' 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



347 



and the other the Bank of South Charles- 
ton, yet they are more generally known 
by the names of the "Houston" and 
"Rankin" banks, taking these names 
from persons who are the principal stock- 
holders. The Bank of South Charleston, 
as it is now called, is the successor of the 
First National Bank of South Charleston, 
which was organized in 1863, with L. W. 
Haughey as president and Milton Clark, 
cashier. In 1877 it ceased to be a national 
bank and took its present name, John 
Eankin becoming president and Mr. Clark 
continuing as cashier. Mr. Rankin con- 
tinued to be president until his death, 
which occurred a few years ago, and the 
bank is now managed by his two sons, 
Stacy B. Rankin as president and James 
F. Rankin as cashier, S. C. Arbuckle and 
T. S. Orbison being tellers. The bank has 
always been recognized as a thoroughly 
safe and well managed institution. 

In 1879 L. H. Houston, with others, or- 
ganized the Citizens' Bank, and has con- 
tinued to act as its president until the 
present time, Mr. Houston being recog- 
nized as one of the best business men of 
Clark County. Edwin D. Houston is now 
vice president and W. A. Malsbary cash- 
ier. The following persons, in addition to 
the Houstons, appear in the directory: 
Alex Comrie, J. S. Kitchen, Ann K. Clark, 
Peter Comrie and James Vince. 

In 1891 the Mutual Home and Savings 
Association was organized and continued 
in operation until the spring of 1904, at 
which time, owing to irregularities in 
management and the defalcation of an of- 
ficer, the business of the concern was dis- 
continued and the depositors received but 
sixty-six cents on the dollar of their sav- 
ings. 



Newspapers, Etc. 



Since 1840 South Charleston has prided 
itself as having a local newspaper, that 
being the time that what is now known as 
the South Charleston Sentinel was organ- 
ized. Various persons in the past have 
edited this paper. E. P. Flynn held that 
position prior to the time he became post- 
master. Ralph Harrold is now editor and 
proprietor. In the '50s the paper was 
published by a man named Whorton, as- 
sisted by "Artemus Ward." The paper 
ceased publication during the war. When 
the war closed it was resumed under the 
name of the Charleston Banner, edited by 
A. N. Barlow. His successors were M. H. 
Young, E. B. Zartman, Wells Trader, 
Harvey Rice, Hamilton Smith, Toney 
Bratton, Westley Rowe (when the paper 
took its present name), E. P. Flynn and 
Ralph Harrold. 

In 1897 W. R. Montgomery, a practical 
printer, now deceased, established the 
South Charleston Echo, which became 
quite a rival to the Sentinel for public 
patronage. Mr. Montgomery died in 
1906, and the paper is no longer issued. 

South Charleston prides itself in a 
number of churches. (See history of 
Madison Township.) And during the 
present year there is being built a new 
sclioolhouse, which will be a credit to the 
village. It has a very fine town hall, 
which was erected in 1877 at a cost of 
$25,000. Artemus Ward, when a journey- 
man printer, worked on the South 
Charleston paper, and Whitelaw Reid, 
afterwards distinguished as a journalist 
and now minister to St. James, was at 
one time superintendent of the schools 
and resided here. 



348 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Hotels. 

The village has two hotels. The Miami 
House dates its history from near the 
time that the village was originally laid 
out, that locality furnishing a stopping 
place for travelers before the building of 
railroads. Thurman Johnson is the pres- 
ent landlord, Mr. Furgeson and S. H. 
Carr having preceded him. 

In 1871 several of the enterprising- 
people of the village organized what is 
now known as the Ackley House, which 
is the principal hotel of the village at this 
time, and is one very creditable to a vil- 
lage the size of South Charleston. For 
more than thirty years B. F. Dodds wel- 
comed the guests to his hostelry; before 
him was Mr. See ; Mrs. Emeline Clark is 
now the manager. Wliere Heilman's Inn 
is now located, near the railroad, was for- 
merly a tavern called Gallagher's Place. 

Mercantile. 

As far back as 1861 the Houston broth- 
ers founded a business in grain, groceries, 
wool and produce. It was continued in 
their name until 1904, in which year it 
became a corporation; Leon H. Houston 
is the principal manager and is ably as- 
sisted by his brothers, Edwin and Foster. 

A. Clemans bought out the old McCul- 
lom grocery store in 1896 and in 1905 
F. E. Murray established his store and in 
1906 Barmann & Hamm established their 
store and they have recently bought what 
is known as the Milikin Block, where 
they will conduct their business on and 
after January 1st. 

Barmann & Scheetz have been in the 
meat business since 1895 and "W. E. 



Cook since 1906. J. E. Wheeler formerly 
conducted the bakery now owned by G. H. 
Flowers, and C. H. Wentz a saddler and 
harness shop. For twenty-five or thirty 
years W. H. Brown conducted a dry goods 
store opposite to the Ackley House. H. E. 
Gross carries on a dry goods store, as 
does Pierce Simmerman. Besides these 
there is one novelty store, one bowling 
alley, one jewelry store, two pool rooms, 
two plumbing shops, five saloons and 
three restaurants. 

Professional Men. 

Thirty years ago Hamilton Smith was 
an attorn ey-at-1 aw in this place. After- 
wards he became the owner of the news- 
paper, and having disposed of that enter- 
prise, he went away and has since died. 
I'oUowing him was Lawrence Heiskel, 
whose father, Daniel 0. Heiskel, was an 
old i-esident of this township and lived a 
short distance south of the village. Mr. 
Heiskel afterwards moved to Port Wil- 
liam, where, I believe, he still resides. 

Some ten or twelve years ago Charles 
E. Ballard opened a law office in this vil- 
lage and was a resident here for a time. 
He afterwards established his main office 
in Springfield, still retaining the office in 
this village and coming here every Tues- 
day. John L. Dickey for some time had a 
law office in this village, but afterwards 
removed to Springfield. James B. Ma- 
lone, a native of this place, was recently, 
admitted to the bar and has opened an 
office in Springfield. To him the writer 
is indebted for many of the facts concern- 
ing the village history. 

E. T. Collins was a resident physician 
of this village for more than a half- 




Il' WICKIIAM PIANO PLATE CO., SPRINGFIELD 




THE THOMAS MANUFACTURING CO., SPRINGFIELD 





HIGH SCHOOL, PLATTSBURG 



■THE PEOPLES' HOUSE," PLATTSBURG 



AND EEPEE3ENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



351 



century. He was born in Moorefield 
Township in 1818, and commenced prac- 
ticing in this village in 1845, and was per- 
haps the best known physician that South 
Charleston ever had. He amassed con- 
siderable wealth and died some years ago. 
Dr. M. H. Collins is his son. Dr. W. H. 
Barnwell commenced the practice of med- 
icine in this village in 1871 and remained 
here for a considerable period. Dr. T. J. 
Farr came here in 1872 and Dr. William 
H. Graham in 1900. They are still in 
active practice. Dr. J. J. Moores is also 
a practitioner in this village. Dr. H. E. 
Conklin plies the vocation of a dentist. 
Dr. J. M. Immel being a veterinary sur- 
geon. 

Other Persons Eecently Prominent. 

E. B. McCollum was a native of this 
township and for a long time conducted a 
grocery store here. For some time he 
was postmaster of the village. With him 
in the grocery business was his brother 
Seth. 

A person well known in this vicinity 
twenty-five or thirty years ago was J. M. 
Jones. He married the daughter of 
James Pringle, and his daughter Ethel 
became the wife of Ed. Houston. Mr. 
Jones was an ardent Sunday school man, 
making addresses at many Sunday school 
celebrations or conventions; so much so 
that he received the nickname of "Sun- 
day School Jones." After his wife died, 
about 1893, he and his son Pringle went 
west and engaged in other enterprises. 
He has been dead some three or four 
years. 

For a long time E. C. Jones conducted 
a drug store in our village. At one time 



he was in partnership with A. N. Barlow 
in editing what was then known as the 
"South Charleston Banner." Laban W. 
Haughey came to this village in 1849 and 
continued an active business until his 
death a few years ago. He amassed 
quite a fortune. He was known as a 
quiet, courteous gentleman, of very good 
business qualifications, and was the first 
president of the Bank of South Charles- 
ton. 

Milton Clark came to this village in 
1849 and first went into the drug business, 
then the grain and grocery trade. After- 
wards he was railroad express agent and 
then cashier of the South Charleston 
Bank. He was another of the substantial 
citizens of the town. He is now deceased. 

A well known character of this town for 
many years was Michael Way. He 
seemed to have a knack of obtaining pub- 
lic positions, at different times being 
mayor, justice of the peace and assessor. 
He was a shoemaker by trade. He came 
to the village before the war and has been 
dead some fifteen years. His son John, 
who likewise held a number of public 
positions, died a few years ago. 

Alonzo F. Taft was one of the old-time 
merchants of this village. Mr. Taft was 
mayor of the village within recent years 
and is still living and in good health. 

James Pringle, while not living within 
the village limits, was a well known per- 
son in and about this place, having been 
born in its proximity. He made a busi- 
ness of dealing in Clydesdale and Perch- 
eron horses and met his death some ten 
or twelve years ago in a railroad accident 
on the edge of the village. 

Among other persons who have been 
actively engaged in village affairs may be 



352 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



mentioned Isaac Landacre, who for 
long time was engaged in the brick busi- 
ness, likewise now deceased. Henry E. 
Rateman and Seymore Harrold are re- 
tired farmers. 

John W. Warrington, now a distin- 
guished attorney of Cincinnati, was born 
near this village. His brother, William 
Warrington, is now justice of tlie peace. 
Another brother, Charles Warrington, 
formerly a well-known attorney of the 
Queen City, has, on account of ill-health, 
resided in South Charleston. 

Political. 

The best information at hand indicates 
that tlie village of South Charleston was 
chartered before the organization of 
Clark County, to-wit, in January, 1816. 
The writer has no information as to the 
various persons who liave served as pres- 
ident of council or as mayors of tlie vil- 
lage, other than it is known that some 
twenty-five or thirty years ago Michael 
Way was mayor and after him came Wil- 
liam Barrett, Almon Bradford, S. E. Hud- 
son, William Cheney, Lou Diffendal, to 
the present mayor, J. B. Allen, W. L. 
Wentz being now clerk. 

At the recent (1907) election Jason 
Mercer was elected mayor and W. L. 
Wentz, clerk; T. S. Orbison, treasurer: 
Charles Dut¥ey, marshal, and Ed. Hous- 
ton, Aquilla Carr, Peter Hill, L. C. Lewis, 
L. H. Holdren and George Slaughter, 
members of council. The salary of these 
officials is not large, being fixed by a re- 
cent ordinance as follows: Mayor, $150 
per year; marshal, $100; clerk, $150, and 
treasurer, $75. 



MlSGELL-ANEOUS. 

The South Charleston Cemetery was 
purchased by the town council in 1855. 
It is situated a short distance north of the 
village, in a very pleasant location. The 
Catholics also possess a cemetery about a 
mile east of town. 

South Charleston has its fair share of 
secret societies. Clark Lodge No. 166, I. 

0. 0. F., was chartered July 18, 1850. 
The charter members were John A. Skin- 
ner, Pressly Jones, Isaac P. Paist, Daniel 
Smith, William Paist, Jr., Michael 
Lidigh and William L. Warner. 

South Charleston Encampment No. 200, 

1. 0. 0. F., was organized May 31, 1876. 
The charter members were Eobert S. Ful- 
ton, Greorge E. Armstrong, William Wat- 
son, S. B. Hoadly, Edward Eott, Dar- 
win Pierce, Abihu Eaines and George W. 
Jones. 

Fielding I-odge No. 192, A. F. & A. M., 
South Charleston, was chartered October 
13, 1850. The original petitioners were 
John A. Skinner, E. W. Steele, Alex 
Eowand, G. W. Jones, William Paist, 
Jr., Daniel Bruner, David Morgan and 
James R. Bailey. 

Recently charters of the following or- 
ganizations have been established : Catli- 
olic Order of Foresters, Daughters of 
America, Junior Order of American Me- 
chanics and Sons of America. A lodge of 
the A. P. A.'s had but a short life here 
some years ago. 

Teemont City. 

Tremont City is located on the Mad 
Eiver Valley Turnpike, seven miles north 
of Springfield, about two and a half 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



353 



miles west of the Urbana Pike. It is in 
the northeastern part of German Town- 
shop. There was a settlement here early 
in the Nineteenth Century. It was orig- 
inally called ClarJvsburg- and as such was 
platted, aecording to references in old 
deeds, by John Ross. This plat had a tier 
• of lots on each side of Main Street, west, 
beyond the mill. The northeast corner 
of Main and Mulberry Streets, was lot 
one. The hotel comer was lot sixteen. 
This plat seemed not to have been rec- 
ognized, or at least was changed by 
subsequent persons. At what date it 
was made is not definite. It was re- 
corded in 1S38. It is known that as 
early as 1836, where the Seitz Mill is now 
located, that there was a small carding- 
raill, and in that year John Ross erected 
a small distillery there. Afterwards Mr. 
Lance erected another distillery a short 
distance .east of the village, where the 
residence of Michael Sullivan is now lo- 
cated. In 1843 Samuel Bechtle and 
others made a plat, somewhat re-arrang- 
ing the original plat of lots. This plat in- 
cluded the ground running west of Main 
Street to Seitz 's Mill and north to the 
Methodist Church and east to the second 
lot beyond the hotel. 

In 1845 Benjamin Turman laid out a 
plat. This extended north from the 
Methodist Church along both sides of 
Mulberry Street, and in 1847 Gabriel Al- 
bin laid out an addition to the lots from 
1-6. This was the land immediately east 
of the Reformed Church. 

In 1870 Daniel B. Morris purchased a 
tract of land belonging to Christian Neff, 
east of the village, and laid out an addi- 
tion of lots, 66-138. And in 1877 John H. 
Blose made an addition on the north of 



the Morris addition in lots number 139- 
196. In 1836 the Rosses, John and Wil- 
liam, kept a dry goods store where the 
Knights of Pythias Hall is now being 
erected. In 1837 John Hupp erected a 
hotel, which was demolished by Gus 
Yfeigel to erect his residence. The post 
office was established in 1839 and the 
name of the town was then changed from 
Clarksburg to Tremout. 

The name of this place was originally 
Treemount and signified that the burg 
was located at the foot of a large hill 
upon which there were a number of large 
trees at an early date. 

The towns of Fremont and Tremont 
were so alike in their spelling, especially 
the first letters of each— T and F— when 
made in writing, that very much mail 
which was sent to Tremont went to the 
larger place, Fre'mont, and to avoid this, 
about the year 1879, the word "city" was 
added to Tremont and thus we have its 
present name of Tremont City. The in- 
dustries of the place have not been very 
many. While possibly as far back as 
1802 there was some kind of a mill erect- 
ed somewhere near where Seitz 's Mill 
now is. Up to the present time the run- 
ning of mills has been the principal in- 
dustry. In the '80s there was a chair 
factory established and later a steam 
saw-mill in the north part of the town, 
and afterwards a table factory. These 
have all vanished, the chair factory hav- 
ing been moved to Urbana and the table 
factory to Richmond, Indiana. For a 
long time the village's progress was re- 
tarded because suitable ground could not 
be obtained for its enlargement and also 
because it had no railroad facilities. 
In 1893 the D. T. & I. Railroad was 



354 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



built, and shortly thereafter Mr. Emerson 
E. Gard erected the elevator at that place, 
which is now conducted by Omer Snyder. 
When the post office was first established 
in 1839, Dr. McLaughlin was postmaster. 
During the war period Daniel B. Morris 
served in that position. Afterwards 
came J. E. Fennimore, John McKinley, 
Walter McKinley, Ras. Nichols and E. B. 
Hinton, the present postmaster. . There 
is one rural delivery, J. R. Elvin being 
the carrier. 

For a long time Dr. McLaughlin and 
Dr. Senseman attended the sick of the 
community. Both were rather noted in 
their profession. Dr. McLaughlin, a 
physician of the old school, was consid- 
ered the best fever doctor in the county. 
Dr. Senseman being more of a specialist 
in pulmonary diseases. Later came Dr. 
A. H. Nesbit and a brilliant yoimg doctor 
by the name of Hughes, who was here for 
a few years. The present physicians are 
Dr. Hirons and Dr. Neece. 

The first brick schoolhouse that was 
built in the town was built in 1835. This 
was near where the residence of Joe Rit- 
ter is now. This schoolhouse was torn 
down in 1865 and a two-story building 
erected, which was used until the present 
school building was erected, 1885. 

The old Methodist Church was built in 
1838 and the present one erected at the 
same place in 1880. The German Re- 
formed Church "on the hill" was organ- 
ized in 1863, the Rev. Jesse Richards, who 
is still living, being instrumental in its 
organization. For some time past a de- 
nomination known as "Saints" have oc- 
cupied the hall in the northern part of the 
village, but recently it has become dis- 
organized. 



Liberty Hall was erected by a stock 
company some time in the later seventies. 
It is a very substantial structure. When 
first erected it had a nice stage, with 
suitable paraphernalia, but it seems that 
the town was hardly large enough to sup 
port an entertainment hall. Before the 
war a hall was erected close to where Gus 
Weigel now resides known as an Armory 
Hall. This served as a place of entertain- 
ment quite a number of years; later it 
was particularly used by the Grange. At 
this writing the Knights of Pythias have 
about completed a commodious hall on 
the southwest corner of Main and Mul- 
berry Streets, upon what was the site for 
many years of Carter's store. 

The hotel on the southeast corner is at 
present unoccupied. It first became a 
hotel site in the early '30s, Peter Ferree 
being the landlord in 1846. He was suc- 
ceeded in 1859 by George Heller, and he 
by Jeremiah Ilges in 1867. Later there 
came Emanuel Masonhammer and Jacob 
Sanders; afterwards came David Carter, 
Jr. and Sr., J. E. Fennimore, Josiah 
Faber and Mrs. Adelia Genell. In .the 
forties John Balentine erected this hotel 
and conducted it for some time. 

David Carter, who ran a grocery store 
where the Knights of Pythias Hall is now 
located, was for many years a merchant 
of this place, having at one time a store 
north of the office of Dr. Senseman; 
Daniel B. Morris for a number of years 
conducted a store a little north and op- 
posite to the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
The oldest merchant in the town and one 
who continued longest in the business was 
the late Daniel H. Thomas, who com- 
menced keeping store here as early as 
1861 and continued until his death in 1907. 



AND RBPEESENTATIVE CITIZENb 



355 



Mr. Thomas was a man of some ability, 
but mingled very little with the world, it 
being a rare thing to see him outside of 
his store building, but by the application 
of good business principles he acquired a 
considerable fortune. 

Later Captain Lafayette Bechtle had a 
grocery store on the northeast corner of 
the square and was followed some time 
afterward by Mr. Jasper E. Ward and C. 
T. Rohrer, and he by the present oc- 
cupant, Erasmus Nichols. 

J. E. Fennimore conducted a drug 
store for a number of years, and at the 
same place Adelia Genell had a grocery 
from 1898-1906, Josiah Faber having like- 
wise carried on a grocery store at the 
same place. For a number of years Wal- 
ter McKinley has been conducting a store 
upon North Mulberry Street. 

Grus Weigel & Son conduct a general 
butchering business, and J. H. Breneman 
is conducting a poultry business ; he also 
deals to some extent in live stock. 

Among the older settlers now may be 
mentioned Eli Gard, 75; David Enoch, 
past 82, and Sarah Morris, 87; Henry 
Dean, 82; William E. Woodward, Henry 
Rockel, Daniel B. Morris and John H. 
Blose. 

Not only the Knights of Pythias, but 
the Redmen and the Maccabees and the 
G. A. R. have thriving societies. The 
Grange was organized here as early as 
1876, Hugh Staley being secretary at this 
time. 

The village was never incorporated and 
has a population, however, of about 350. 
In 1902 a special school district was 
formed of what was formerly a special 
district, including the village and sur- 
rounding country. This school is graded, 



having high school, with a total enumera- 
tion of 122 pupils. 

Vienna. 

Vienna is situated on the National Road 
ten and one-half miles from Springtield. 
It was platted by John H. Dynes in 1833. 
At the time that this plat was made the 
National Road had been surveyed, but not 
yet made. In 1904 another plat was add- 
ed by Charles Arbogast of lots 57-64, and 
in the same year John Goodfellow platted 
an addition. The first house built in this 
place was erected by a person by the name 
of Taylor and was situated in the west 
part of the village; like many of the build- 
ings of that day, it was of the log cabin 
character. Caleb Barrett was the first 
merchant, who began business here in 
1834 and continued for about twenty-three 
years. At an early date Emanuel Mayne 
erected a hotel building on the southeast 
corner. This property was sold m 1836 
to Daniel Brown. 

In 1839 Mayne built a building on the 
northwest comer and managed it for 
some time as a hotel and in after years 
David Davis and Andrew Ryan, William 
Johnson and others kept public entertain- 
ment at this place. In 1837 D. W. Hinkle 
built a tannery in the northeastern part 
of the village, which he continued until 
1852. About 1848 William Golden and 
Garner Melntire biiilt a brick shop on the 
north side of East Main Street for a 
tavern. These various businesses have 
been abandoned. In 1850 the Odd Fel- 
lows erected their building on West Main 
Street. This was remodeled in 1870. The 
brick storehouse on the opposite side of 
the street, built in 1849 by W. S. Funston, 



356 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



was demolished by an explosion of powder 
in 1871. About 1898 Charles Snyder 
bnilt the large storeroom on the north- 
west corner. The Knights of Pythias 
building- south ■ of the traction line was 
built about fifteen years ago and was very 
substantially remodeled in 1907. 

William Harris, now deceased, was 
storekeeper in this place for many years, 
and likewise tilled the place of justice of 
the peace and postmaster. 

For the past ten years John McCoy has 
conducted a grocerj^ in this village, this 
grocery having its location in the Snyder 
building. The Enterprise Manufacturing 
Comioany, composed of John McCoy, John 
Goodfellow and Dr. E. H. Smith, com- 
menced business in the year 1900. The 
industry is principally that of manufac- 
turing blankets and is now in a prosper- 
ous condition. It gives employment to 
from ten to twenty persons. 

McCoy & Goodfellow conduct a general 
implement store. For many years James 
S. Rice has conducted a saw-mill located 
in the eastern part of the town. 

The Spring-field & Columbus Traction 
Company goes through this village, leav- 
ing the National Road a short distance 
west of the town, and going south, and 
afterwards coming back on the road. 
This village enjoyed prosperity in stage- 
coach days. After the railroads were 
built a good deal of the former business 
was transferred to Plattsburg. Since the 
building of the traction line, however, the 
village has assumed a renewed appear- 
ance, and considerable improvement has 
manifested itself in the last few years. 

Many of the Catawba people drive their 
horses to this village and take the trac- 
tion ears from here to Spring-field. The 



first post office was established in 1838. 
13y reason of there being some other post 
office by the name of Vienna the office at 
this place was called Vienna Cross Roads. 
The first postmaster was Caleb Barrett. 
In stage-coach days, existing for almost 
twenty, years after the establishment of 
the post office, the mail was carried daily 
on the National Road by four-horse stage 
coaches, and after the railroad was built 
it was for a time supplied from West Jef- 
ferson in a one-horse coach. Latterly the 
people got their mail from Plattsburg. 

The Odd Fellows Lodge was instituted 
in 1859. The Christian Church was built 
in the same year at a cost of $1,200. The 
Liethodist Episcopal Church was first es- 
tablished here in 1835. In 1836 George 
Jones built a large two-story brick build- 
ing two miles west of Vienna on the north 
side. In 1848 this property was pur- 
chased by Phillip Weaber and fitted up 
as a hotel and was conducted in that ca- 
pacity until the stage coaches were aban- 
doned. This is now used as a private res- 
idence. 

The first schoolhouse at Vienna was 
built in 1835. It was succeeded by a brick 
building in 1845. In 1866 the present 
brick house was built. 

Formerly the coopering business was 
quite an industry of this place. Samuel 
Sullivan came here in 1837, and with his 
son-in-law, Zaehariah Jones, carried on 
the business as late as 1880. Mr. Sulli- 
van died in 1898 at the ripe old age of 
ninety-eight years. 

Clark & West, merchants, in the Snyder 
l)uilding, had a severe fire on the night of 
October 23, 1907. 

Dr. D. H. Thomas is present mayor. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



357 



Villa. 

Villa is located in the southern part of 
Moorefield Township, on the Clark and 
Union Turnpike, two miles north of La- 
gonda. It has never been platted, and the 
name was given to a cluster of houses 
built on small portions of land surround- 
ing the pike crossing at that place. It 
afterwards reached the dignity of a post 
office, and Joel Little was the first post- 
master. There is at present a small 
store there and a blacksmith shop. Since 
the free delivery the postoffice has been 
abolished. 

Windsor. 

There is no way at present of determin- 
ing the former location of Windsor, ex- 
cept from the plat of lots that was made 
by Simeon Bardwell in 1816. This plat 
contained 105 lots and was located in the 
northwest quarter of Section 24, Town 6 
and Range 9. This would locate Windsor 
between schoolhouse No. 5, in the north- 
western part of Harmony Township along 
the Columbus Road and the western line 
of Section 24, and not far from where the 



road turns north through Pleasant Town- 
ship, on the lands of C. A. Neer. The 
only record we have of anj' business ever 
being conducted in this place is that prior 
to 1825 Caleb Barrett conducted a store 
here, which was abandoned by him after 
the completion of the National Road, 
when he removed to Vienna. Windsor 
was located about seven and one-half 
miles east of Springfield on the old Colum- 
bus Road. At one time there was a 
blacksmith shop there. Windsor was 
known by name by all early travelers, and 
was a landmark of travel in those days. 

Mr. John Jones built a house here at 
an early date, and put a paved walk in 
front of it, which was then quite a dis- 
tinguishing feature. An Englishman 
came along, and, with a little more pom- 
posity than Jones thought proper, in- 
quired where Windsor was. Jones told 
him to look around and he would find it. 
The Englishman then inquired where the 
mayor was. Jones replied, "I can't tell 
you where the mare is, but I am the 
horse." The old house is still standing, 
having been moved across the road, and 
is used for a sheep stable. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



CITY OF SPRINGFIELD. 

Distances from Springfield to Other Cities — Springfield in 1007 — Location, etc. — 
Naming and Flatting of the City — Plats and Additions to City — Early Settle- 
ments — Selection as County Seat — Early Events — Council with the Indians — 
Early Customs — "Sleepy Holloiv" and Old Virginia — Eaely Settlers: 
James Demint, Griffith Foos, Robert Rennick, John Daugherty, John Ambler, 
Cooper Ludloiv, Walter SmaUicood, Pierson Spinning, Rev. Paul Henkle, Ira 
Paige, Maddox Fisher — Condition in 1828 — Condition in 1832 — Village Days, 
1834-1850 — Condition in 1850 — City Government --'P.ost^b. op Officials: 
President of Council — Mayors of City — Solicitors — Treasurers, City Clerks 
— Police Department— Chiefs of Police — Police Judges — Police Prosecutors 
— Police Clerks — Board of Public Safety — Roster of 1907 — Fire Depart- 
ment : Volunteer — Paid Fire Department — Roster of Present Department — 
Public Buildings: Market House — City Hall — City Jail and Station House — 
Public Library — Hospital — Postcffice — Postmasters — Snyder Park — Foun- 
tains, etc. — Hotels: Foos Tavern — Loivry Hotel — Ludlow Hotel — Ross 
Tavern — Hunt's Hotel — MacElroy Hotel — Norton Hotel — Werden Hotel — 
Buckeye House — Hagenbach Hotel-r-Murray — Cherry House — Williss House 
— National Hotel — American and Western Houses — Lagonda — Bookivalter 
Hotel — Arcade Hotel — Palace Hotel — Palmer House — Opera Houses: Black's 
Opera House — Grand Opera House — Fairbanks' Theatre — The New Sun — 
Office and Store Buildings: Kizer — Old King — Union Hall — Commercial — 
Bookivalter — Buckingham — Mitchell — Arcade — Johnson — Zimmerman 
— Gotwald — King — Bushnell — Wren's Department Store — Fairbanks — 
Dial — Financial Institutions : Mar? River National Bank — First National 
Bank — Citizens' National Bank — Lagonda National Bank — Springfield Na- 
tional Bank — Springfield Savings Bank — Springfield Building and Loan Asso- 
ciation — Mercliants and Mechanics' Building and Loan Association — Other 
Associations — American Trust and Savings Company — Manufacturing In- 
dustries: Defunct Industries — Paper Mill — Oil Mill — Woolen Mills — Car 
Shops —Threshing Machines — Seiving Machines — Whitely, Fasslqr S Kelley 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 359 

— Champion Machine Co. — The A. C. Evans Co. — Champion City Manufac- 
turing Co. --Tricycle Factory — Present Industries — International Harvester 
Co. — P. P. Mast Co. — American Seeding Co. — Thomas Manufacturing Co. — 
Springfield Metallic Casket Co. — Crowell Publishing Co. — Good & Reese Co. 
— James Leffel £ Co. — Wickham Piano Plate Co.-Bettendorf Metal Wheel 
Company — Rohbins S Myers Co. — Foos Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Ma- 
chine Tool Co. — The 0. 8. Kelly Co. — Springfield Malleable Co.— Mast, Foos 
S Co. — Indianapolis Switch d Frog Co. — Miller Improved Gas Engine Co. — 
Patric Furnace Co. — Trump Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Gas Engine 
Co. — The E. W. Ross Co. — Foos Gas Engine Co. — Heating and Lighting 
Plants: Gas — Electric Light — Home Liahtinq. Pon-er d Heating Co. — The 
People's Light, Heat S Poxver Co-. — AnstedSBurk — Barnett Flouring Mills 
— Stone and Lime Industries — Springfield Breiveries — Stjmmaky of Indus- 
triajj Matters: Machinery, Material d Supplies — Gas S Steam Engine 
Group — Iron d Steel Products — Mamifacturing Publishers — Manufacturing 
Florists — Medicine, Chemical and Coffin Ccrinpanies — General Factories — 
Miscellaneous Factories — Mekcantile Affairs : Retailers — Groceries — Bry 
Goods — Clothing — Bruggists — Jewelers — Shoes — Meats, etc. — 
Livery Men — Hatters^ — Hardware Stores, etc. — Books and Book Binderies — 
Cemeteries: Columbia Street Cemetery — Greenmount Cemetery — Ferncliff 
Cemetery — Catholic Cemeteries — Lagonda Avenue Cemetery — St. Bernard's 
Cemetery — Calvary Cemetery. T-h.^ Press: First Paper, The Farmer — The 
Republic — Press Republic — The News — Mad River Democrat — Transcript — ■ 
Democrat — Gazette — Morning Sun — Farm d Fireside — Farm News — Poul- 
try Success^Springfield Journal Adder — Miscellaneous — Editors, etc.^-^o- 
ciETiEs: Commercial Club — Lagonda Club — Country Club — Literary Clubs — 
Men's Literary Club — Young Men's Literary CVuh — Miscellaneous Clubs — 
Women's Club — Authors — Masons — Odd Fellows — Knights of Pythias — 
Miscellaneous— Trades and Labon Organizations. 

Distances From Springfield to Other Jackson 108 

Kansas City 097 

Cities. London ^^0 

Mammoth Cave -l.i 

Miles Mechanicsburg 18 

Bellefontaine 82 New Orleans 1,000 

Boston (Mass) 822 New York 712 

Buffalo 348 Niagara Falls 370 

Burlington 341 Omaha 723 

Chattanooga 415 Philadelphia 592 

Chicago 2S1 Pittsburg 238 

Cincinnati 80 Salt Lake City 1.^43 

Cleveland 1(>5 Sandusky ^135 

Columbus 45 San Francisco 2.<;37 

Cresline 88 Savannah 1,220 

Davton 24 St. Louis 421 

Delaware .50 Toledo 139 

Detroit 204 Troy 24 

Franklin 41 Urbana 14 

Galveston 1.444 Washington C. H 35 

Horse Shoe Bend 3r^3 Washington, D. C 532 

Indianapolis 130 Xenia 20 



360 



HISTOEV OF CLARK COUNTY 



Speingfield in 1907. the searching ej^es of the pioneer had ever 

r'opuiation 45.000 sazed npon. 

Assessed Valuation $l'3.0l 10.000 -,-,», \-,- t^ • -,,-^r^ , ■, 

Area in Acres 5,760 VV hen bimon Kenton m 1/ /9 was taken 

Efe^ation'^ Above 'iMde'waterV in ■i>et^^'.■.^'.■.^^■i^ooo a captive through the vai'ious Indian vil- 

fmpTo\%d^ Streets; ■MiierV////;/;;////////;//.".^ 73 iag'es he traversed from Old Chillicothe, 

¥^\'eTtrlL.^unll' .*.^!".'..:::::".:::::::::::::il no^'th of xenia, np through the old in- 

wTtlf jiafns.^Miie^'': *^"'' ' ! ! ' ' ! ! ! ] ! ] ! ! '. ! ! ! ." ! ! ii ^' ^^" village of Piqua north along the Ur- 

Sewers. Miles Constructed 12 bana Pike, theiice through Urbaua to the 

Sewers. Jliles T.nder Construction 120 _ . . 

Street Raiiwa.v, Miles 30 Indian villages of Wapakoneta up to 

Traction Line Terminals 6 ,,-. . • i \ ^ , ■ t 

vSteam Railways, Systems , 4 Wapatomica, he was no doubt impressed 

Manufacturing Industries 325 •J_^ i_t i i t j ^ j} 

Capital Invested $15,000,000 With the beautv and natural resources or 

Number of Waee Earners. Men 8.000 j.i,' n i -j. i i i i.i i 

Number of Wage Earners, W'oraen .500 thlS ValleV, and it Was probably through 

Value ^of i-JoduYtr.': .-'".°.".'.'!^: .•.■.:;:;: : :$?i;ooo;ooo l^is instrumentality that the live families, 

including his brother-in-law, Jarbo, and 
More than one half the product is rep- Demint, came from Kentucky in 1799 and 
resented under the classification* of agri- first located west of the city near Buck 
cultural implements, but one city in the Creek, building some twelve or fourteen 
United States, Chicago, exceeding Spring- block houses. Kenton later on went fur- 
field in this industry. ther up the old Indian trail along which 

he had been led while a captive, and built 

liOC-iTioN, Etc. . his cabin not far from the present Hunt 

residence. Demint likewise went further, 
No doubt to many a citizen of Spring- stopping north of Buck Creek near the 
field, viewing it now as a city of 45,000 or location of the present school building, 
more, • the query has presented itself, and close to a beautiful spring of clear 
"'Why was a town located upon this ciystal water, there building for himself 
site?" For, as viewed today, the natural the first house that stood in the city of 
advantages are not many, otherwise than Springfield. Inhabitants of Spring-field 
as it is located in a fertile country and today can hardly realize the wild, pic- 
inhabited by an active, intelligent class of turesque appearance of site of the city 
people. No great river bears its com- of Springfield as nature made it. 
merce on its bosom to and from wharves ; Along the north bank of Buck Creek, 
no great mines of coal or iron are found or as the Indians were prone to call it, 
in its locality; but to the pioneer of one "Lagonda," was a ledge of over-hanging 
hundred or more j^ears ago in this local- rocks of limestone formation. On the 
ity these things did not present them- south was a piece of apparently level 
selves as necessities. Springfield owed its tableland. Along where High Street now 
location, no doubt, to the site appearing is located it appeared quite rough and 
to man at that time as a desirable one for hilly. 

a village, if not for a city. It was on a Mill Eun, now arched over and hidden 

never-failing crystal water stream run- in its greater portion through the city, 

uing through one of the finest valleys that was then a placid spring water stream 



AND REPRESENTATrVE CITIZENe 



361 



with boggy, miry prairie land, for several 
rods beyond each side of its banks. 

Buck Creek was easily forded at the 
present Ijimestone Street Crossing, but 
in the condition of nature the surround- 
ings were such that persons might easily 
be upon one side of the stream and not 
discover a house or dwelling on the other, 
and thus it appears that when G-riffith 
Foos and his party first came through 
what is now the city of Springfield, they 
stopped at a spring located not far from 
the present intersection of Main and 
Spring Streets and then went on their 
way down into the Mad River Valley with- 
out discovering the hut that Demint had 
built on the rocks and ledges north of the 
creek. Plenty of good fresh water was 
one of the essentials that the pioneer first 
looked for in the location of his habita- 
tion. 

Foos and his companions were im- 
pressed with the desirability of locating 
in this valley on the site of Springfield, 
in absolute ignorance that another had al- 
ready determined to locate here. Another 
important factor in selecting this site as 
a location for a city and which operated 
no doubt largely upon the mind of the 
pioneer, were the advantages afforded by 
the waters of Buck Creek and Mill Run, 
which could be utilized for mills of va- 
rious descriptions. This was before the 
age of steam and no other source of power 
than water suggested itself to these pio- 
neers. 

These mills, of which a great number 
were afterwards located upon the streams 
flowing tlirough the city of Springfield 
and the surrounding country, were a great 
factor in the increase of its population. 
In an early day, when the surplus corn 



must be hauled to Cincinnati or Sandusky 
to be finally marketed, and flour to meet 
the necessities of the family must be pur- 
chased and hauled from the same places, 
the local mill to convert the one into the 
finished product of whiskey and thus find 
a home as well as a foreign market, and 
to make flour to meet the necessities of 
the family, was of immeasurable import- 
ance to the pioneer. 

The following description of the scenery 
and surroundings of Spring-field was writ- 
ten by Dr. John Ludlow for a former his- 
torical work. 

"The scenery had all the irreg-ularity 
and variety of a iNTew England landscape, 
without its hardness and abruptness. For 
several miles east and south of the new 
village of Springfield, the country was an 
midulating plain, which in the summer 
was covered with tall grass, mixed with a 
great variety of flowers, among which a 
species of wild pea, very fragrant but 
now extinct, was abundant. The coimtry 
north for miles was an unbroken forest of 
large trees in great variety. The beauti- 
ful and never-failing stream called Buck 
Creek, or Lagonda, fringed its northern 
border with clear, running water. Mad 
River, with its rapid current, was within 
a couple of miles of its northwestern boun- 
dary. The 'Rocks,' or the perpendicular 
bluffs, filled with deep strata of solid lime- 
stone on either side of Buck Creek as it 
advanced toward its. junction with Mad 
River, were covered with cedars, hanging 
vines, ferns, mosses and flowers ; the wild 
grape-vine hung from the stately trees 
and dipped its tendrils into the placid 
stream below: the sycamore bent its pro- 
jecting boughs over its banks, while the 
sugar, maple and mulljerry, towering 



362 



HISTOEY OF CI.AEK COUNTY 



above, with the dogwood, redbud, spice- 
wood, butternut, buckeye and other trees, 
with their variegated leaves, formed a 
beautiful and attractive picture. Near 
the mouth of Mill Eun, a little rivulet 
which flowed near the south and west lines 
of the village, the scenery was unusually 
attractive and romantic. The little 
stream went tumbling over the rocks in 
order to reach the brief valley below and 
empty its waters into Buck Creek. On 
each side of this cascade, there were high, 
projecting rocks, covered with honey- 
suckles and wild vines and beautiful ferns, 
which hung down in festoons as a curtain 
to the chasm below, which was taller than 
a man's head. On the east sid'e of this 
chasm, there was a large spring of water 
flowing from a round hole in the rock, 
with a strong current, remarkably cold, 
and depositing a yellow sediment. On 
the west side, there was another spring of 
delicious water, which, in after years, 
slaked the thirst of little fishing and 
picnic parties, who found delight on the 
banks of Buck Creek in the wild and pic- 
turesque valley." 

Naming and Platting of the City. 

James Demint, after he had finished his 
house, which was of the double-log cabin 
variety and located on the south part of 
the grounds of the northern school 
building, began to think seriously of lay- 
ing out lots for a city. 

Demint had entered and held by cer- 
tificate from the government a tract of 
land of considerable size, south of Buck 
Creek and west of Spring Street. His- 
torians are not all agreed as to whom 
should be given the credit for furnishing a 



name to the embryo city. Some state that 
it was named by the wife of the founder, 
but Mr. Woodward in a narrative of his 
meeting in later years with Simon Kenton 
and his wife, says that Mrs. Kenton told 
him that she suggested the name for the 
city, and it was because of the innumer- 
able and beautiful fresh water springs 
that were to be found in that vicinity. 

Not long after Demint had arrived on 
the site of Springfield there came to his 
cabin a young surveyor by the name of 
John Daugherty, and to him was as- 
signed the duty of making the first plat of 
the town. This was commenced by him in 
March, 1801 . The land immediately south 
of the creek presented itself as the best 
adapted by nature at that time for a town 
plat, and the principal streets were made 
to run parallel with the creek. 

Columbia Street was made the prin- 
cipal thoroughfare. Main Street was des- 
ignated as South Street. Lot number 1 
is where the D. T. & I. depot is now lo- 
cated. The numbers ran south on both 
sides of Limestone Street up to High 
Street. Where the county buildings are 
now, a public square was laid out, and 
this was the center of the first plat. 
These lots were six rods wide and twelve 
rods long 99x198 feet. Later on Demint 
made other additions running west to the 
first alley beyond Shaffer Street and 
north to Cedar Street. 

It is said of the founder of Springfield 
that while he was "a man of some ability 
and possessed of many good qualities, yet 
he had a passionate fondness for whiskey 
and gambling. That he would frequently 
mount his fine bay horse for a visit to 
neighboring towns, where he usually in- 
dulged in a prolonged spree. On these 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



363 



visits lie would supply himself with a new 
deck of cards and eagerly engage with 
anyone for small wagers. That at one time 
when he was playing with a man who had 
a fine deck of cards, he took such a fancy 
to them that he decided to purchase them, 
but the owner refused to sell them. Mr. 
Demint offered him a deed for any lot in 
the plat of Springfield that he might 
select, for the cards, and he was induced 



to part with the treasure. An exchange 
was made and the consideration for one 
of the finest and most valuable blocks in 
the city was once a gambler's deck of 
cards." 

Since Demint 's plat of the city of 
Springfield was made, there have been 
many additions, a list of which shows the 
development of the city, with the names of 
those who had faith in its future. 



James Demint 
James Demint 
James Demint 
.Tames Demint 
Giffith Foos 
David Lowry 
P. A. Sprigman 
.James Lowry 
Wallace & Cavileer 
Jeremiah Warder 
Jacob W. Kills 
Joseph E. Anthony 
Josiah Spencer 
John A. Grain 
Grant & others 
Hannah Reeder 
Robt. Rodgers 

Nevvbolt Crocket 
Wm. & G. L. Foos 
Mary S. R. Turner 
Oliver Clark 
Burkley Gillett 
John W. Baker 
Houck & Small wood 
John M. Gallagher 
Dr. Robert Rodgers 
Peter Murray 

Peter Murray, Assigned 
Peter Murray, 2d 
John Kenney 
John Patton 
Letitia Baker 
John A. AVarder 
Patton & Gowdy 
Saul S. Henkle 
White Rodgers 
White Rodgers 
Ramsey & Steele 
Harvey Vinal 
Henry Ruhl 
Jonathan Bruner 
Pierce & Edmondson 
W. H. Spencer 
Geo. Dibert 
Dr. Robert Rodgers 
Jacob Hubeu 
Elizabeth Clark 
Wm. H. Houck 
Wm. Houck & P. Slack 
Wm. G. Brain 
Wm. S. Thompson 
Dr. Robt. Rodgers 
E. N. Tihbetts 
Thomas & Mast 
Hay ward ,& Sherills 
.T. li. Baumes 



No. of Lots. 
1- 96 
102-225 
103-225 
225-295 
296-300 
301-316 
317-337 
338-403 
404-412 
413-426 
427-431 
431-447 
448-476 
477-498 
499-521 
522-567 
568-579 
579-595 
596-603 
604-646 
646-677 
700-712 
713-733 
734-738 
739-748 
749-762 
763-770 
770-812 

813-822 
823-828 
829-847 



990-1057 
1058-1080 
1081-1101 
1102-1109 
1110-1123 
1124-1142 
1143-11.58 
1159-1179 
1180-1189 
1190-1205 
120.5-12,32 
1233-1262 
1263-1273 
1294-1305 
1306-1322 
1323-1334 
1.33.5-13.52 
13.53-1424 
142.5-1432 
1433-1437 
1438-1496 



Date. Part of City. 

1803 Around Court House. 

1805 W. of Center N. of Main. 

1814 

Not found 



1832 
1832 
1832 
1833 
1835 
1843 
1846 
1847 
1847 
1848 
1848 
1848 
1848 
1850 
1848 
1848 
1849 
1849 
1849 
1849 
18.50 

issi 

1851 

18.54 
1853 
1853 
1853 
1853 
1849 
1853 

18.54 
1854 
1854 
1854 
18.54 
1854 
18.54 
1860 
1865 
1864 
1865 
1S66 
1867 
1867 
1867 
1868 
1868 
1868 
1868 
1868 
1869 



E. High. 

W. High near Center. 

High E. of Fountain. 

S. of High, W. of Fountain. 

E. Main N. side. 

E. Main S. to High. 

W. of Mill Run. " 

W. North near Factory. 

Main S. E. of Yellow Springs. 

Between Bridge & Gallagher. 

S. Center. 

S. of Clifton. 

N. of Ansted & Burk Mill. 

W. of Fisher on Columbia. 

E. High at York. 

W. Columbia at Isabella. 

S. Factory at Pleasant & Clarke. 

N. of Clifton along Vine. 

S. Center. 

N. Clifton along Mill. 

E. of Gallagher. 

N. of Main along Murray. 

No. of Main, Water to Creek. 

N. of Main, Water to Creek. 

N. of Main, Water to Creek. 

W. of I'ountain Ave., at Mulberry. 

S. of Clifton, Pearl & Gallagher. 

E. of S. Fountain at Pleasant. 

Penn & High. 

Pearl along Euclid to Clifton Ave. 

E. High. 

Between Y'ork & East N. of Summer to R. R. 

Between York & East N. of Summer to R. R. 

E. of Limestone along Euclid. 

s! 'of 'iligh bt.' Plum' & 'Race.' 

Bt. Miami & Plum along Pair. 

S. of W. High. 

S. of W. Washington. 

W. of Yellow Springs along Dibert. 

E. of N. Limestone along Chestnut. 

W. of S. Limestone & N. of Liberty. 

S. Center. N. of Liberty. 

S. Limestone, E. along Maple & Liberty. 

S. Fountain opposite jliller. 

E. of Scott along Pleasant. 

W. .N'orth, west of Y'ellow Springs. 

N. Limestone E. along Stanton. 

N. of Euclid from Tavlor to Pearl. 

N. of Chestnut. E. of Elm. 

S. CpTiter along Clark. 

N. of Clifton between Taylor & Scott. 



364 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Middleton & Rawlins 
Geo. Spence 
J. W. Wertz & Son 
Wm. Grant 
Lewis S. Clarlc 
Edwin L. Honck 
Andrew Gowdy 
Thomas Sliarpe 
Leuty & Spence 
Thiomas C. Stewart 
Wm. Jlilhollin 
Jolin L. Petticrew 
Chas. Eabbitts 
Steele & King 
Lewis S. Clark 
Oliver S. Clark , 
David Shaffer's heirs 
Dr. Robt. Rodgers 
Dr. Robt. Rodgors 
Jeremiah Toland 
Coffin & Whitehead 
Coffin & Whitehead 
Geo. Dibert 
Jabez Seggar 
Coffin & Whitehead 
Cassilly & Frey 
Jabez Seggar 
I. B. Rawlins 
Edwin L. Houck 
Wm. H. Houck 
John Grube 
Coble & Shattles 
Anna Warder 
Chas. Rabbitts 
W. D. Miller 
Chas. Stroud 
Andrew Gowdy 
Mitchell's heirs 
Mary B. Green 
J. P. & K. Reinheimer 
Miller & Uotsenpillar 
Wm. T. Melntire 
P. P. Mast 
Spencer & Davisson 
R. S. Spencer 
Geo. H. Frey 
Bechtle heirs 
Nancy Gowdy 
J. J. Snyder 
Rice & Johnson 
E. R. Hotsenpillar 
Chas. Stroud 
Thalls. Davis & Goode 
Peter Butzer 
Geo. Hils 
E. N. Tibbetts 
.Johnson & Scott 
Pringle & Johnson 
C. & C. & P. Grube 
M. M. Tiers 
Geo. H. Frey 
McCreight heirs 
Robt. Johnson 
Lorimer & Wolfe 
.Tas. Dorv's heirs 
Wm. AVhitely 
Arthur Cole's heirs 
A. B. Allen 
Wittenberg College 
Chas. Kellar 
Geo. Brain's heirs 
Smith & Thompson's 
Edwardsville 
Hastings H. & Webb 
P. Q. King 
Benj. Seever 
S. H. Gard 



No. of Lots. 


Date. 


1-197-1524 


1869 


1525-1641 


1869 


1042-1664 


1868 


1665-1092 


1869 


169.S-1713' 


1869 


1714-1749 


1869 


17.50-17.53 


1870 


17.54-1774 


1870 


1775-1806 


1870 


1807-1812 


1870 


1813-1816 


1870 


1820-1825 


1870 


1826-1838 


1873 


1839-18.53 


1872 


1854-1874 


1873 


1875-1896 


1873 


1897-1902 


1873 


1903-1999 


1873 


2043-2049 


1873 


2000-2004 


1873 


2005-2042 


1S73 


2176-21S7 


1878 


2049-2142 


1874 


2143-2175 


1871 


2176-2187 


See above. 


218S-2211 


1874 


2212-2239 


1874 


2240-2250 


1874 


2257-2318 


1874 


2319-2330 


1874 


2331-2388 


1874 


2339-2354 


1875 


2355-2480 


1874 


2.512-2528 


1875 


2528-2557 


1875 


2558-2589 


1875 


2590-2.599 


1875 


2613-2626 


1876 


2627-2637 


1876 


2638-2665 


1876 


2666-2681 


1876 


2682-2705 


1876 


2711-2765 


1876 


2766-2777 


1876 


2778-2796 


1876 


2796-2812 


1875 


2813-2851 


1878 


28.52-2.S61 


1879 


2862-2947 


1879 


294S-29S0 


1880 


2987-3040 


1881 


3041-3146 


1881 


3147-3167 


1881 


3168-3189 


1881 


3190-3218 


1881 


3119-3251 


1882 


3252-3380 


1882 


3381-3422 


1882 


3423-34.33 


1882 


3434-3456 


1881 


3457-3466 


1882 


3467-3636 


1882 


3637-3672 


1882 


3673-3688 


1882 


3689-3709 


1882 


3710-3726 


1882 


3725-3757 


1882 


37.58-3771 


1882 


3772-3791 


1882 


3792-3852 


1882 


3853-3924 


1882 


3925-4013 


1882 


4014-4316 


1882 


4317-4348 


1SS2 


4349-4366 


1883 


4367-4395 


1883 


4396-4429 


1883 



Part of Citij. 

E. Main S. of R. R. Crossing. 

S. of High along Liyht to Shaffer S. to Fair Grounds. 

Bt. Chestnut & Maple Avenues. 

N. Yellow Springs to Plum. 

From Factory W. on Fair. 

S. Yellow Springs bt. Clark & Pleasant. 

Along Gallagher. 

E. of East & S. of Kenton. 

W. North from Shaffer to Western Ave. 

S. E. corner Yellow Springs & Clark. 

S. E. corner of Yellow Springs & Jefferson. 

S. W. corner Race & High. 

N. Limestone West side S. of Creek. 

Clifton Avenue opposite Maple. 

West Clark W. of Factory to R. R. 

West Clark W. of Factory to R. R. 

N. side W. Main W. of Shaffer. 

S. of Stanton Ave., from Mason St. 

E. to Mill Race. 

S. E. of Clifton St. and Scott. 

Bt. Columbia and North E. of Spring. 

Bt. Columbia and North E. of Spring. 

S. of Fair Grounds to Southern Ave. 

S. of E. High along Forrest Ave. 

N. Limestone W. along Cassilly. 

Mound S. to R. R. 

W. of East. 

S. Yellow Springs Southern Ave. to State. 

Southern Ave. : Limestone to Factory. 

N. E. cor. of Yellow Springs and Mulberry. 

Bt. W. Main & High. , 

Between R. R. & Creek. 

S. E. corner of McCreight & Limestone. 

Eden Ave., & W. Pleasant. 

S. Shaffer W. side. 

Liberty & Gallagher. 

N. W. corner of Plum & Mulberry. 

Clifton St. bt. York & Taylor. 

Dibert Ave., from Yellow Springs to R. R. 

S. Limestone. N. W. to Maple. 

Front St. bt. Creek & Race. 

E. of George Street from R. R. to Maiden Lane. 

E. North to Warder & Creek. 

E. of Water S. of Creek. 

Fountain Ave., W. to Center N. <.f College. 

A\\ of Bechtle Ave.. S. of Maiden Lane. 

Gallagher. 

S. of Main on AVestern Ave., AV. side. 

N. AA'. cor. Pearl & Southern Ave. 

Near Old Dayton Road. 

From Plum on State to Yellow Springs. 

N. of AA'. Columbia & Western Aye. 

W. Cedar N. to Creek. 

S. Y'ellow Springs E. at Grand. 

Pearl E. to Taylor in Grand. 

Oak Street, X. of S. Clifton St. 

AA'est of the above. 

N. Race. 

N. Limestone & E. Cecil. 

N. of College, l^'oiritain & Center. 

McCreight Ave.. S. to Cecil, AV. of Limestone. 

S. of Clifton opposite Laurel. 

On Ward AA'. of Center. 

Limestone to Clifton on Grand Ave. 

East. Harrison & Alound. 

Limestone to Clifton on Southern. 

Southern Ave. from A'ellow Springs to R. R. 

S. W. cor. I'^actory & Ferncliff. 

S. of Clifton Ave., East side. 

E. High S. side. 

Maiden Lnne to Snvder Park. 

Lagonda Ave., E. of R. R. 

Clifton, opposite City Hospital. 

College Ave. & Center. 

S. Amelia Street near old Dayton Road. 

S. Limestone AA'. to Factory, along Grand. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



365 





No. of Lots. 


Date. 


J. B. Rubsam 


4430-4468 


1883 


Kerslmer & Spence 


4469-4508 


1883 


Wm. H. Houck 


4509-4556 


1884 


liobt. Johnson 


4557-4596 


1885 


G. L. Frankenstein 


4507-4603 


1885 


J. P. Reinheiraer 


4604-4607 




Geo. Brain 


4608-4705 


iss6 


Robbins ife Myers 


4706-4719 


1886 


Geo. Brain 2d 


4720-4779 


1886 


McCreight heirs 


4780-4789 


1886 




No. of Lots. 


Date. 


G. J. C. Hils 


4790-4822 


1887 


W. & A. J. Hilker 


4823-4873 


1886 


Honry Hnbert 


4874-4895 


1887 


Wm. Perrin 


4876-4922 


1887 


Wm. Maitland 


4923-4932 


1887 


Lena Marmion 


4933-5008 


1887 


John Ludlow's heirs 


5009-5090 


1887 


Kershner's heirs 


5091-5095 


1887 


S. A. Bowman 


5096-5111 


1887 


I. Ward heirs 


5112-5164 


1887 


P. Lohners heirs 


5165-5257 


1888 


Geo. Spence 


5258-.5285 


1888 


Houck it Coleman 


5286-5373 


1888 


H. J. Punk 


5374-5425 


•1888 


F. M. Hagan, Ass. Miller 


5426-5436 


1888 


L. F. Young, Ass. Goblentz 


5437-5443 


1890 


G. H. Frey 


5444-5460 


1886 


B. IL Warder 


5461-5499 


1890 


A. S. Bushnell 


5500-5510 


1891 


I. Ward Frey 


5511-5522 


1891 


J. W. Bookwalter 


5523-5548 


1891 


L F. McNally 


5549-6222 


1892 


O. V. Hensley 


6223-6329 


1892 


W. H. C. Goode 


6330-6348 


1892 


Robt. Johnson 


6349-6355 


1893 


J. L. Zimmerman 


6356-6377 


1893 


Oschwald 


037S-C393 


1893 


G. S. Dial, Adm'r Stronger 


6394-6451 


1892 


B. 0. Hagan, Ass. A. B. Smith 


6452-6530 


1896 


J. L. Little 


6531-6553 


1898 


S. H. Gard 


6553-6572 


1899 


Perrin et al. 


6573-6775 


1900 


Smith & Thompson 


6794-6823 


1900 


A. M. Rilevs 


6824-6850 


1901 


W. PI. Houck 


6854-6958 


1901 


I. Ward Frey 


6959-7011 


1902 


Geo. H. Brain heirs 


7012-7125 


1902 


C. N. Slyer 


7126-7147 


1902 


Real Estate Co., H. D. Keefers 


7155-7195 


1902 


Anton Singers 


7196-7247 


1902 


W. H. Berger 


7248-7290 


1903 


Brain et al. 


7291-7562 


1905 


H. D. Keefers 


7563-7580 


1905 


J. W. .Tames 


7581-7598 


1906 


Brain-McGregor 


7599-7668 


1907 


A. C. Link et al. 


7669-7740 


1907 


E. G. Banta 


7741-7766 


1907 


Lewis S. Clark 


7767-7900 


1907 


Geo. Brain's heirs 


7901-7966 


1907 


Lots Not Consecvtively N umlered . 


Date. 


A. Ratfensberger 




1869 


Penfield 




1870 


Riceville 




1871 


Benj. Seevers 




1874 


J. Bauers 




1873 


Lewis Jenkins 




1876 


Hester A. Neel 




1875 


Florenceville 




1880 


T. Fetseh 




1880- 


S. Siglar 




1880 


W. H. Berger 




1880 


E. T. & P. Dudley 




1881 


W. H. Berger 




1881 


C. Retter 




1882 


O. y. Hensley 




1892 



Part of City. 

N. Race near Creek. 

S. of W. Southern Ave. 

Limestone W. on Southern & Factory. 

Shaffer, (irant & Cedar. 

Pleasant, Cliftou & Spring. 

Dibert Ave. & L. M. R. R. 

Sheridan, Green, Mound & Ludlow. 

S. of Lagonda Ave. near R. R. 

E. Harrison. 

N. of McCreight Ave. 

Part of City, (Streets, etc. 

Tellow Springs to R. R. on Euclid. 

W. of Western Ave. N. of Maiden Lane. 

E. High. 

S. Limestone W. on Perrin 

E. High 

N. Limestone E. side. 

E. High S. on Ludlow. 

East Street. 

Park Place. 

Fountain to Center N. of Ward. 

Park to R. R. 

S. Dayton Pike. 

S. Fountain .-Vve. W. to Western Ave. 

N. Shaffer. 

Old Dayton Road. 

W. of Main & Thompson. 

Fountain. Ward & College. 

E. Main, North Greenmount. 

Lagonda A\ie. & R. R. 

Woodlawn. 

Lagonda Ave. E. R. R. 

E. Main, Florence, Belmont iS: Columbus Ave. 

West of S. York. 

Main, Columbia & Western Ave. 

Rice, Clifton & Southern. 

Pearl. Rose, Clay & Catharine. 

N. of Lagonda Ave. on Park Ave. 

W. Pleasant and Old Dayton Road. 

N. Western Ave., Cedar, Shaffer & Grant. 

Clay St. 

W. Grand. 

Highlands. 

S. of Snyder Park. 

South of Ferncliff Cem. 

E. of S. Limestone. 

North of Eastern Ave. 

Blmwood. 

Pearl, Catharine, Clay & Fremont. 

Lagonda Heights. 

S. of Highlands. 

Hill Top. Lagonda. 

Kenwood Heights. S. E. of City W. of Belmont. 

N. of Park Ave. 

W; Columbia, R. R. & Snyder. 

Columbus Ave. c& Florence St. 

Old B. H. Warder homestead. 

Clifton & Wheldon Lane. 

Grand Ave. to State, Plum to Fountain. 

Harrison S. to Sheridan. 

Part of City. 

E. Springfield. 

South Clifton. 

Rice & Pearl. 

W. Main. 

Near Lagonda Shop. 

W. Main near R. R. 

W. High and Walter. 

Lagonda Ave. to R. R. at Florence St. 

E. Main & Florence. 

W. Main & Siglar. 

Lagonda Ave. 

Pearl & Rice 

Lagonda Ave. 

E. of Clifton Ave. N. of Johnson Ave. 

S. E. of City. 



366 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Lots 'Not Consecutively Numbered. 

I. Ward Frey 

Jas. B. Thompson 

I. Ward r'rey 

Ziehler 

M. & J. Donnelly 

W. H. McCain 

I. Ward Frey 

John Melking 

Early SettijEments. 



We have before referred to the fact that 
in 1801 Griffith Foos had camped near the 
junction of Main and Spring Streets and 
had gone on down the Mad River Valley 
without discovering the hut of Demint on 
the north of Buck Creek, and that it was 
only after he and his companions had 
gone up the valley and crossed over the 
tableland and came down Buck Creek that 
they found Demint 's cabin. 

Foos and his companions stopped here 
for several days. They were well pleased 
with the country and Demint offered them 
land at a very reasonable price and in- 
formed them of his intention of laying out 
the town. Mr. Foos and his party re- 
turned to Franklinton, a village now part 
of Columbus, where he and his com- 
panions had left their families, and with 
them returned to the city of Springfield. 
This was in 1801. Soon after Mr. Foos 
returned he began the erection of a house 
to be used as a tavern. This building 
was located on the south side of Main 
Street, a little west of Spring Street. It 
was open to the public in June of that 
year and continued to be a public hostelry 
until 1814. From this time on, the town 
began to show some evidence of what it 
might become in the future, and in 1804 
it contained about a dozen houses all built 
of logs. These houses, as given in Beer's 
History, were located as follows : 

Near the southeast corner of Main and 



Date. 


Part of City. 

S. of City (Landsdowne). 


1892 


1882 


W. Main, S. in Siglar. 


1897 


Landsdowne. 


1897 


W. Main. 


1900 


E. Main & Buxton Ave. 


1901 


Melrose. 


1902 


Landsdowne. 


1905 


S. Limestone next to Landsdowne. 



Market Streets a man named Fields kept 
a small repair shop. "West and almost op- 
posite was a cooper shop owned by John 
Tveed. On the northeast corner of the 
same street stood a log house, and a short 
distance west on the south side of what is 
now Main Street, near Primrose Alley, 
was a larger log structure, occupied by 
Charles Stowe of Cincinnati as a gen- 
eral store. Another log house was on the 
northeast comer of Limestone and Main 
Streets, and Colonel Daugherty's large 
log house was nearly opposite. A large 
two-story log-house, which in the time 
of Indian incursions was used as a block- 
house, stood near the southeast corner 
of High and Limestone, not far from 
what is known as the Old Buck- 
eye corner. Near the public square was 
another cabin in which two Frenchmen, 
named respectively Duboy and Lucroy, 
sold goods suitable mostly to the Indian 
trade. The two taverns conducted by 
Foos and Lowrey, with two or three other 
cabins on Columbia Street, composed the 
village of S|)ringfield. 

This hotel of Lowrey 's was a large two- 
story hewn log house on the first alley 
west of Limestone Street, about half way 
to High Street. 

Selection .^vs Coiitstty Seat. 

One of the most important events that 
occurred in the early history of Spring- 
field was its selection as the seat of justice 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



367 



of the county which had just been organ- 
ized. This was in 1818. Springfield had 
for its competitor the town of New Bos- 
ton, located on the site of the old Indian 
village of Piqua, and had very little to 
boast over its competitor for the race was 
so close that Springfield only won by. two 
votes. This gave new impetus to its 
growth for soon thereafter the county 
buildings were erected and court was held. 
(See County Buildings.) 

EarijY Events, Etc. 

As already stated, the first log house 
was erected by James Demint, and the 
first tavern was put up in 1801 by Grif- 
fith Foos. The first frame house was 
erected in 1804 on the northeast corner 
of Main and Factory by Samuel Simming- 
ton. This house was destroyed by a wind 
storm before its completion. The first 
brick house was probably erected by Will- 
iam Ross. It was a two-story brick build- 
ing on the southeast corner of Main and 
Market Streets. 

This building was at first occupied as 
a dwelling and store and afterwards as a 
hotel known as Ross ' tavern. This build- 
ing was standing as late as 1869, when it 
was removed to make room for the build- 
ing now occupied by Theodore Troupe's 
drug store. 

A very respectful authority, however, 
gives credit to John Ambler for having 
built the first brick house. His building 
was located on the north side of Main 
Street, about half way between Factory 
and Mechanic Streets and was built in 
1815. This building is still standing and 
occupied by Charles T. Davis as a resi- 
dence upstairs, and as a millinery store 
and restaurant in the lower floors. 



The first school was conducted by Na- 
thaniel Pinkeret in 1806. He opened a 
school in a log house on the northeast 
corner of Main and Market Streets. This 
building was not erected entirely for 
school purposes. 

In 1813, at about where Shaffer's Feed 
Store is located on W. Main Street, Sam- 
uel Smith conducted a school, and the first 
building erected for religious services was 
directly across the street from Smith's 
school building, about opposite the drink- 
ing fountain on Center Street. 

The first mill was eercted by Demint 
in 1803. 

The first store was opened by a Mr. 
Stowe from Cincinnati. He brought with 
him a small stock of goods. The second 
store was opened bj' two Frenchmen in a 
cabin near the public square. Samuel 
Simming-ton may not have conducted the 
store in his frame house, for Pearson 
Spinning bought that property in 1812 
and kept a store there for many years. 

John D. Nichols kept the first book- 
store in 1830 and 1831. The postofSce was 
first established in 1804; others seem to 
think that a postoffice was not established 
until 1814. Robert Rennick was the first 
postmaster. The first date is the correct 
one, for we are informed elsewhere that 
in 1804 a mail route was established, 
which went from Cincinnati through Leb- 
anon, Xenia, Spring-field and Urbana; 
thence to Piqua; thence down the Miami 
to Dayton, Franklin, Hamilton and Cin- 
cinnati. This was a weekly delivery. The 
first daily mail arrived in the city of 
Springfield in 1828 and came by four- 
horse coach. The first newspaper was 
established in the city of Springfield in 
1817 and was called the "Farmer." 



36'8 



HJ STORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



The first bank was organized in tlie 
winter of 1846 and 1847 and was tlie pred- 
ecessor of tlie present Mad River Bank. 

The first census was taken in 1820 and 
showed that there were 510 inliabitants of 
the city of Springfield. 

James Shipmau was the first tailor, 
Walter Smallwood the first blacksmith, 
and Cooper Lndlow the first shoemaker. 

In 1803 a road was surveyed between 
Franklinton, a village near Columbus, to 
Dayton. This road was made to pass 
through what was then known as South 
Street, now Main Street, and did not pass 
through Columbia Street because of the 
extensive swamp lying at the east end of 
this street. The laying out of this road 
led to the building of the business por- 
tion of Springfield on Main Street and it 
became the main thoroughfare from the 
vicinity of Columbus to Dayton. 

The first wife of the founder, Demint, 
died in 1803 and was buried in the old 
graveyard on C'olumbia Street. 

Maddox Fisher came from Kentucky 
in 1813 with $20,000 in money. He pur- 
chased twenty-five lots near the public 
square from Demint at $25 a lot. 

Quite a number of mills were erected at 
an early date. (See Chapter on Mills.) 

CovNCiLS With Indians. 

A notable event, which is recorded by 
all historians, is the following: 

"One Myers was killed near Urbana by 
a party of wandering Indians, and a fam- 
ily named Elliott, living on Mad River, 
was visited by an Indian of Tecumseh's 
tribe, who demanded a butcherknife of 
them, was refused, , and told to leave. 
Mrs. Elliott was soon after out getting 



firewood in the door-yard, when a rifle- 
shot was heard and a ball whistled 
through the front of her sunbonnet and 
grazed the skin upon her throat. These 
acts, coujiled with the gathering together 
of the Indians under the Shawnee 
brothers, induced a panic among the 
people of this and other counties. The 
bold and warlike organized into com- 
panies. The tavern of Foos was made a 
temporary stronghold, while many fam- 
ilies left in haste for their previous homes 
in Kentucky. The whites demanded the 
aggressors : the Indians denied knowledge 
of their committal, and it was left to a 
council to be held at Springfield. The 
commissioners for the whites were Gen- 
eral Benjamin Whiteman, Major Moore, 
Captain Ward, and two others. The In- 
dians were led by Tecumseh, Round Head, 
Black Fish, and other chiefs. The council 
took place in a maple-grove across the 
street from the tavern. The Indians had 
come in two bodies ; the band of Tecumseh 
from towards Port Wayne, and one from 
the north, some seventy in number, in 
charge of MePherson. Each party, un- 
friendly to the other, charged them with 
the deeds unlawfuj. MePherson 's party, 
by request, had left their arms at a dis- 
tance, but Tecumseh and his braves re- 
fused to disarm themselves, the chief say- 
ing that in his tomahawk was his pipe, 
and it might be needed for a smoke. 

"Just arrived from Pennsylvania was 
a tall, slim young man known as Dr. 
Richard Hunt. Anxious to conciliate, this 
person advanced and offered Tecumseh 
his dirty-looking clay pipe with short 
stem. The chief stepped proudly for- 
ward, received the offering carefully be- 
tween thumb and finger, looking ^with 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



369 



sparkling eye of contempt at it, eyed the 
owner a moment to his extreme discom- 
liture, then flung the pipe, with a loud 
grunt, over his head and away from him. 
The Indians carried the point and re- 
tained their arms. 

"Inquiry showed that the murder of 
Myers was an individual act. Speeches 
were made, hostilities disavowed, recon- 
ciliation effected, and quiet to the settle- 
ments, for the time, restored. The In- 
dians stayed three days in town and 
amused the settlers by feats of agilitj^ 
Whiteman, above named, had long made 
the forest his home and the Indian his 
acquaintance. A companion of Kenton 
and Boone, he had learned many savage 
dialects, and, at the council, conversed 
with Tecumseh in the Shawnee tongue 
with freedom." 

Eaely Customs. 

"In these days of ready-made clothing, 
close-fitting dresses, convenient and cost- 
ly furniture, excellent thoroughfares by 
rail and pike, hostility to the sale and use 
of liquors, fine houses and places of busi- 
ness, physicians on call, and car or hack 
to convey to or from desired localities, it 
is both curious and useful to revert in our 
history to the humble and arduous lives of 
the old pioneers, and therein learn a les- 
son for present needs. During these daj'^s 
of which we write, there was a condition 
of complete social equality; the exclusive- 
ness of caste and the claims of aristocracy 
were not known, and the broad line of 
distinction was run between the worst 
class and the people in general. Their 
occasions of fellowship and good will 
were the old raisings of log and bent, the 



sharp contests for rapid execution of 
parts of the work at log-rollings, and 
sportive gatherings for corn-huskings. 
Their sports were shooting at a mark and 
exercises calling for muscular exertion, 
and races ran in competition prepared for 
races for life in contests with the savages. 
Rollicking amusements among the young 
were untranmieled and innoqent. All 
sought for ])leasurable enjoyment, and 
were happy in seeing others happy. Dress 
was common to rich or poor, the men 
went clad in liunting-shirts of linen made 
from self-raised and manufactured ma- 
terial, .-ind Buckskin pants; the women 
dressed themselves in garments of their 
own handiwork,— these, according to new- 
ness, were com_mon or holiday dresses. 
The bridal costume was a medium Amer- 
ican cotton check, which then cost a dol- 
lar per yard and took five 3-ards for the 
pattern. Silks, satins, alpacas, and fancy 
goods were not in the market or posses- 
sion. The interior of a cabin was simple 
in the extreme. Over the broad fireplace, 
held by wooden hooks, rested the trusty 
rifle; bedsteads were often no more than 
forked sticks driven into the earthen 
floor, with cross-poles for the clapboards 
or the cord. For cooking there was a pot, 
kettle, and fryingpan. ITpon the table, a 
few plates and dishes held the food. For 
seats, some had split-bottomed chairs, but 
stools and blocks were in general and sat- 
isfactory use. No mention have I made 
of carpets; this smooth, swept earth or 
puncheon floor were all that was needed. 
The battalion drills on muster-days, elec- 
tions, celebrations, and all public occa- 
sions were enlivened by free use of whis- 
key, pure from the home stills. Hunting, 
now regarded as a pastime, was to them a 



370 



HISTOEr OF CLAEK COUNTY 



business to secure the winter's meat, and 
corn-pones formed part of every meal. 
Flour was purchasable at Chillicothe, 
Zanesville and at Cincinnati. Groods were 
high ; they were hauled in wagons to Pitts- 
burg, floated down the Ohio to Cincinnati, 
and thence hauled or packed up. Tea re- 
tailed at $2 to $3 per pound; coffee at 
75 cents; and salt brought $10. to $12 
per hundred pounds; calico was $1 per 
yard; whiskey was $1 to $2 per gallon, 
and the Indians were excellent customers. 
Storekeepers are said to have given liquor 
free to encourage purchasers." 

Sleepy HoLiiOw and Old Virginia. 

Many of us in this period of the his- 
tory of our city have no doubt wondered 
why the vicinity of the Court House went 
by the name of "Sleepy Hollow." It 
seems that in earlier times Mill Run made 
a natural division of the city. This 
stream, especially south of Columbia 
Street, ran through a miry bog, and cross- 
ing it was a matter of some difficulty. 
Perhaps the best crossing was on Colum- 
bia Street, as the surface there was closer 
to the rock than elsewhere and of a more 
substantial condition. 

A number of enterprising Virginians 
became possessors of a good portion of 
the young city that was southwest of the 
stream. They built hotels, established 
schools and churches and considered 
themselves more enterprising than their 
neighbors on the other side of Mill Run, 
for which reason they soon gave to the 
latter locality the nickname of "Sleepy 
PIollow," and this name has continued at- 
tached to it until the present time, and 
with a good deal of aptness, for scarcely 



any business has been conducted in the 
immediate surroundings of the original 
square laid out by Demint. At this date 
there is nothing on Columbia Street with- 
in two squares of the Court House, ex- 
cepting two livery stables, a carriage shop 
and a saloon. The people of "Sleepy 
Hollow" in turn designated that part west 
of Mill Run as "Old Virginia." This 
name has been lost as applied to that 
vicinity in the growth of the city. 

Early Settlers. 

From Mr. Martin's collection in a 
former work, we have gathered some use- 
ful information in regard to a number of 
the early settlers of Spring-field. These 
sketches bear evidence of a painstaking 
effort to give a truthful narrative. 

James Demint. 

Not much is known of the antecedents 
of James Demint. He came with Kenton 
and the others to the vicinity of Spring- 
field in 1799. In 1800 he built his log 
cabin north of the crystal waters of Buck 
Creek. 

In 1801 he began a plat of the future 
city. About this time also he conducted 
a still, no doubt in the rude and limited 
fashion of the early pioneers. In 1804 
he built his grist mill at the mouth of 
Mill Run. This was an enterprise of 
great importance in view of the growing 
crops, though the mill was but a rude af- 
fair, having a capacity of grinding twen- 
ty-five bushels of corn in every twenty- 
four hours. Before this there were no 
mills nearer than Ijebanon. 

In 1803 Demint 's first wife died and he 



AND BEPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



371 



remarried. His widow afterwards became 
the wife of a teamster who lived for sev- 
eral years west of the city of Springfield 
on the Old Dayton Road, by the name of 
John Rust. Demint added two more plats 
to the city of Springfield. He was a large 
consumer of the products produced by his 
own industry, and frequently went away 
on prolonged sprees. H-e died suddenly 
about the year 1817, at the tavern of the 
widow Fitch in TJrbana. This is the sum 
and substance of our knowledge of the 
founder of Springfield. 

Griffith Fogs. 

Griffith Foos is entitled to almost equal 
honors with Demint in the founding of 
the city, for without knowledge of 
Demint 's having already built a habita- 
tion, he had conceived and acted upon the 
idea that it was a good place in which 
to make a settlement. Of better habits 
and with more industry than Demint, he 
supplied that energy and industry that 
were required to ensure to the embryo 
city a permanent existence. He came to 
Springfield in 1801 and immediately be- 
gan the erection of a house to be used 
as a tavern. It was the first tavern in 
the City of Springfield and the second 
house to be erected. So far as we know, 
it was located on the south side of Main 
Street, a little west of Spring. He opened 
it in June, 1801, and continued it until 
1814. 

Foos, in 1817, built an oil mill on Mill 
Run, about where the Foos Gas Engine 
works are now located. He died in this 
city in 1858. He was an uncle of Gus, 
"Wm. and John Foos. 



Robert Rennick. 

Robert Bennick was one of the party 
that originally came to Spring-field with 
Demint and was a joint owner with 
Demint in the western part of Spring- 
field, and when the same was set-off in 
severalty he became possessed of that 
part west of what was then called Yellow 
Spring Street, now Plum. He built a mill 
in 1806 on Buck Creek, a short distance 
below where the spring is now located in 
Snyder Park. He was the first post- 
master. 

JoHJsr Daugherty. 

This personage has been before re- 
ferred to as coming to Springfield about 
1800 and making the first plat of this 
town. He was an active Virginian, quite 
an industrious, enterprising citizen, and 
held various ofBces. He died a few miles 
south of Springfield in 1832. 

John Ambler. 

John Ambler came to Springfield in 
1808 and immediately engaged in the mak- 
ing of brick and the building of houses. 
In 1812 he was a merchant and kept a 
tavern nearly opposite the Mad River Na- 
tional Bank. He is credited with having 
built the first brick house in Springfield. 
This house is still standing and is oc- 
cupied by Mr. Davis, 142 W. Main Street. 
When Clark County was organized he be- 
came the first treasurer and kept his office 
in his residence on W. Main Street. He 
died shortly after his term of treasurer 
had expired. The mother of the late John 
Shipman was his daughter. 



372 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Cooper Ludlow. 

Cooper Ludlow came to the vicinity of 
Springfield in 1805. He was a tanner by 
trade. In 1812 he moved to Springiield 
and kept a tavern on the corner of Main 
and Factory Streets. The late Dr. John 
Ludlow was a son by a first wife and the 
late Abraham Ludlow by his second wife. 
His residence for many years was where 
the high school building is now located. 

Walter Smallwood. 

This person came to the City of Spring- 
field in ISO-l, bringing his wife with him 
from Virginia, and purchased a lot on the 
south side of ^Main Street and erected a 
residence a short distance west of Center 
Street. They 'lived in this town until 
1852, when they moved to Missouri, where 
he died in 1869. 

PiEKSON Spinning. 

This person came to Springfield from 
Dayton in 1812. He bought a frame house 
that Mr. Simington had erected and con- 
ducted therein a store until 1834. In 1827 
he built a residence on the east side of 
Limestone Street, where Bennett & Young 
now have a printing office, south of the 
Citizens' Bank. He afterwards built the 
brick residence on the southwest corner 
of High & (xallagher Streets, now occupied 
by Mrs. Dr. Titlow. He died in this city 
in 1857 in his seventy-first year. Some 
of his grandchildren are residents of the 
city at this time. 

Eev. Saul Henkle. 

The first minister of the Methodist 
church to locate in Springfield was the 
Kev. Saul Henkle. He came here with his 



wife in 1809. Li 1827 he edited and pub- 
lished a religious paper called the "Gospel 
Trumpet." In 1830 he was elected county 
clerk. He died in 1837. 

Ira Paige. 

Ira Paige came to Springfield in 1814 
and a short time thereafter established a 
woolen factory on the lower floor of 
Fisher's Mill on Mill Eun. This was con- 
ducted by him for about fifteen years. He 
represented the county in the Lower 
House of the Legislature. He died in 
1847 in his fifty-eighth year. His son 
Algeron lived south of Spring-field upon 
the farm where his grandchildren still 
reside. 

Maddox Fisher. 

Maddox Fisher came to Springfield 
from Kentucky in 1813. He is said to 
have brought a considerable sum of money 
with him and purchased twenty-five lots 
from Mr. Demint in the vicinity of the 
public square. In 1814, he built a cotton 
factory near where Mill Eun empties into 
Buck Creek. He was prominent in mat- 
ters of a township character. He assisted 
in building the first court house, jail, and 
was perhaps the most distinguished lob- 
biest Springfield had in causing it to be 
chosen as a county seat, and in the estab- 
lishment of Clark County. In 1825 he 
built a residence on the lot where Dr. 
Eogers now lives. He served as post- 
master in 1824. In 1830 he erected the 
Fisher Block, afterward enlarged and re- 
built, on the southwest corner of Main and 
Limestone Streets, and now owned by 
his grandson, C. W. Fisher. He died in 
1836 in his sixtv-fifth vear. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVB CITIZENS. 



373 



Oliver Aemstkong. 

Oliver Armstrong was born in Benning- 
ton, Vt., in 1783 and came to Clark Coun- 
ty in 1814. He was prominent in city and 
county affairs for a number of years. 
Mrs. Greorge Frankenberg, who is still re- 
siding in this city, is his daughter. She 
is now past eighty-three years of age. 
His son Cyrus was for twentj' years treas- 
urer of the county. 

Other early settlers here were Granny 
Icenberger, Joel Walker, Marifield Vic- 
tory, James Wallace, Dr. Needham, 
Elijah Beardsley and Major Christy. 
Sketches of Generals Mason and Anthony 
will be found in the article entitled 
"Bench and Bar" contained herein, and 
the lives of early physicians in the 
article treating on that profession. The 
roster of public officials of the county 
will likewise show the names of many 
who were prominent in city affairs 
during the early period, and so may be 
found in the history of the churches of 
the city more or less information about 
the ministry. 

The folluwing is a list of persons buried 
at Ferncliff who were born prior to 1800 : 



'Name. 


Nativity. 


Birth. 


Death. 


Aae. 


John Bacon 


Connecticut 


1797 


1870 


73 


Adam Baker 


Pennsylvania 


179.5 


1863 


68 


James Barnett 


Pennsylvania 


17S7 


1861 


64 


Samuel Barnett 


Pennsylvania 


1791 


1869 


78 


Henry Bechtle, Sr. 


Maryland 


17S2 


1839 


57 


Geo. H. Benson 


Virginia 


1787 


1877 


90 


Wm. Berry 


Virginia 


179S 


1879 


81 


Geortre Brain 


England 


1784 


1851 


66 


Pr. Georce Brown 


Pennsylvania 


1792 


1871 


79 


Chas. Cavalier 




1787 
179.5 


1850 

18,54 


63 


Oliver Clark 


Massachusetts 


59 


.John Dclsworth 


England 


1798 


1880 


83 


.Tames Foley, Sr., 


Virginia 


1779 


1863 


84 


.fohn Foley 


" 


1777 


1845 


68 


.Tames Hiimnhreys 


" 


1791 


1858 


67 


John Huranhrevs 


Ireland 


1704 


1857 


94 


Riohard W. Hunt 


New Jersey 


1790 


1848 


58 


Michael Kaufman 


Pennsylvania 


1788 


1872 


84 


Mary ICeifer 


Ohio 


179f! 


1849 


53 


Jacoli Kershner 


JIarvland 


1777 


18.53 


76 


David Ivin? 


Ohio 


1799 


1879 


80 


Frederick ICobelanz 


Germany 


179S 


1880 


82 



Nainr. 


Nufiriti/. 


Birth. 


Death. . 


Age. 


John N. Kurtz 


Pennsylvania 


1792 


1852 


60 


David Lowry 


Pennsylvania 


1767 


1859 


92 


Jane Lowry 


\'irginia 


1778 


1867 


88 


Sampson Mason 


New Jersey 


1793 


1869 


96 


Reuben Miller 


Pennsylvania 


1797 


1879 


82 


Thomas Montjoy 


Ireland 


1797 


1866 


69 


Thomas IT. Jloore 


Ireland 


1792 


1872 


80 


Nimrod Morgan 


Kentucky , 
Bishop M.E. Ch 


1793 


1881 


89 


Thomas A. Morris 


. 1794 


1874 


80 


Edmond Ogden 


England 


1789 


1868 


79 


Sarah Paige 


New York 


1799 


1877 


78 


Baker W. Peck 


New .Tersey 


1791 


1873 


81 


Joseph Perry 


Pennsylvania 


1782 


1852 


70 


Phoebe PI. Petts 


New Hampshire 


: 1798 


1877 


79 


Geo. Rabbitts 


England 


1797 


1849 


52 


Rhoda Rabbitts 


England , 


1786 


1868 


82 


Daniel Raffensberger Pennsylvania 


1796 


1877 


81 


Riohard Rogers 


Pennsylvania ' 


1799 


1871 


72 


Rev. John Seys 


Santa Cruz.Mex. 


1799 


1872 


73 


George Smith 


England 


1780 


1861 


81 


Henry Snyder, Sr. 


Pennsylvania 


1783 


1869 


86 


John L. Snyder. Sr 


'. Pennsylvania 


1797 


1867 


70 


Pierson Spinning 


Xew Jersey 


1786 


1857 


71 


Jacob Thomas 


Jlaryland 


1796 


1877 


79 


Joseph S. Wallace 


Kentucky 


1799 


1876 


77 


Anna A. Warder 


Pennsylvania 


1784 


1871 


87 


Rebecca Wertz 


Pennsylvania 


1796 


1878 


82 


Rachel Werden 


New Jersey 


1784 


1860 


76 


William Werden 


Pennsylvania 


1785 


1869 


84 


Patrick Wiseley 




1791 


1881 


90 



Condition in 1828. 

Shortly after Springfield was incor- 
porated as a village (by act of Legisla- 
ture. January 23, 1827), the first complete 
census was taken of which we have any 
record. That enterprising paper, the 
Western Pioneer, in its issue of Septem- 
ber 28, 1828, said: "We have for the in- 
formation of our readers and our own 
gratification taken the pains to enumerate 
the population of our village. There are 
in Springfield 935 souls — 6 blacksmith 
shops, with 15 hands ; 4 wagon shops, with 
13 hands ; 4 shoemaker shops, with 9 
hands ; 3 tanneries, with 8 hands ; 6 tailor 
shops, with 18 hands ; 3 saddle shops, with 
10 hands; 3 bakeries, with 5 hands; 2 
hatter shops, with 6 hands; 3 cabinet 
shops, with 8 hands; 1 tin shop, with 4 
hands ; 3 cooper shops, with 10 hands ; 2 
chair shops, with 5 hands; 14 stores, with 
32 hands ; 4 groceries, with 4 hands ; 1 
paper mill, with 20 hands; 1 gun shop, 
with 3 hands." 



374 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



In addition the census showed 3 brick- 
yards, 27 carjDenters, 1 clockmaker, 3 
butcheries, 2 distilleries, 4 attorneys, 5 
physicians, 2 sign and 1 portrait painter, 
and 1 extensive flour mill. Incidentally 
they mention 4 schools, a courthouse, 
brick jail, 3 churches, six print shops and 
"a post office at which 24 mails are re- 
ceived weekly in elegant four-horse 
coaches." 

Condition i.isr 1832. 

In 1832 the village had a population of 
1,250. There were 180 dwelling houses, 
courthouse, clerk's office, jail, 4 churches, 
one paper mill, one grist mill and one 
carding and fulling mill, one brewery and 
one distillery, 16 dry goods stores, one 
book store, five groceries, 3 taverns, one 
printing office, by which was issued a 
weekly paper. There were five lawyers 
and six physicians. During the past 12 
months (up to that date) there have been 
erected 51 buildings, three of which were 
brick, twenty-one one story in height, 16 
two-story and one three-story. About 
this time quite an impetus was given to 
the growth of the town by the construc- 
tion of the National Eoad. When this 
road was built it was necessary to bridge 
Mill Run on Main Street and thus again 
Main Street had the advantage over 
Columbia in the facilities for intercourse 
between the different parts of the town, 
and the business element became perma- 
nently fixed on this street. 

VnxAGE Days, 1834-1850. 

Spring-field became incorporated as a 
village in 1834, with Edward H. Cumming 
as president and James S. Halsey as re- 
corder. 



This form of government was continued 
until 1850, when by an act of the legisla- 
ture, Springfield became a city of the sec- 
ond class. Within this period the village 
had a steady growth, and when it became 
a city its population was 5,109. During 
its village days not much evidence was 
given of its future greatness as a manu- 
facturing center. True, a number of mills 
of various kinds had been erected upon 
Mill Run and Buck Creek. Wittenberg 
College had been founded in 1845. 

Jeremiah Warder had purchased the 
village of Lagouda in 1830. David West 
had began the manufacture of buggies in 
1837; William Whiteley the making of 
plows in 1840. James Leffel began the 
foundry business in 1840 and James 
DriseoU the carriage business in 1847. 
The Pitts Threshing Machine was manu- 
factured here as early as 1842. These 
were practically all the manufacturing in- 
dustries, except mills, etc. (See mills.) 

During the village period the first rail- 
roads entered the town and gave it a 
strong impetus toward its future impor- 
tance. 

Perhaps more is due to James Leffel in 
this period than to any other one person. 
He built his foundry west of the city, near 
Buck Creek, in 1840. The Barnett Flour- 
ing Mills were commenced in 1841, large- 
ly through the instrumentality of Mr. 
Leffel. 

A woolen mill was likewise started dur- 
ing this period, which afterwards became 
the property of Mr. Charles Rabbitts. 
Within this period, in 1840, the town was 
visited by quite a fire, which consumed 
the entire business block from Fisher's 
west to the Kizer Alley, and also the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



375 



building located where the Cherry House 
now stands. 

In 1849 Springfield was visited by that 
dread scourge, the cholera, which re- 
moved some of the most enterprising cit- 
izens. 

While the National Road was opened in 
the year 1832 as a thoroughfare, it was of 
its greatest importance during the village 
days of Springfield, as by the building of 
this road Springfield became a point of 
importance on a great thoroughfare. 

Condition in 1850. 

In 1850 Springfield had a population of 
5,109, showing a substantial increase over 
previous years. On the 21st of March, 
by a special act of the legislature and 
upon a vote in favor of the same taken in 
the village, Springfield became a city. 

The first mayor was James J. Hunt, 
and the councilmen were Alexander Ram- 
sey, John G-. Filler, C. D. McMarshall and 
Martin Carey. The following is given as 
a summary of the condition at this time: 

At this time the city contained twelve 
churches, one female seminary, one read- 
ing room and three large halls for ex- 
hibitions, lectures, etc. ; eleven physicians 
and sixteen lawyers, two banking institu- 
tions, seven hotels, seventeen mercantile 
and three book stores, three drug stores, 
five iron and hardware stores, forty-three 
groceries, three bakeries, two dental of- 
fices, one daguerrean room, ten boot and 
shoe stores and shops, nine tailor shops, 
five saddle and harness shops, four stove 
and tin shops, three cabinet warerooms, 
four hat stores, three jeweler's stores, six 
wagon and carriage shops, several black- 
smith and cooper shops and several ware- 



houses, four extensive founderies, one oil, 
one paper, two saw, one planing and three 
flouring mills, two book binderies, three 
printing offices and one publication office 
for a paper printed in Urbana, Ohio. 

City Government. 

Under the constitution of 1852 the legis- 
lature proceeded to classify the cities of the 
state, which work was carried to such an 
extreme that many of the cities were final- 
ly in classes by themselves and Springfield 
became a city alone in its class. This per- 
mitted the enactment of legislation applic- 
able to it only and not affecting any other 
cities in the state. This whole scheme of 
classification was declared in 1902 to be 
tmconstitutional, and the new municipal 
code was adopted in Ohio. Previous to 
this present code and while Springfield 
was in a class by itself, legislation such 
as was desired by its citizens was fre- 
quently obtained. For a long time per- 
haps until the latter part of the eighties, 
the members of the council, as divided 
into committees, looked after various 
street affairs, and it became the common 
saying that when a person desired to go 
to council it was for the purpose of fixing 
up the streets in his vicinity. Owing to 
the city's growth, and perhaps to take 
away from councilmen the temptation to 
favor their own vicinities, boards of pu- 
lic affairs were created, and therewith 
Spring-field chose to have a law enacted 
that these boards should be of a non- 
partisan character, that is, coinposed qf 
an equal number of members from each 
of the dominant parties. 

This condition of affairs was the result 



376 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of a compromise. There were frequently 
some strenuous times in the council cham- 
ber. At one time William N. Whitely 
spoke all day and all night to prevent the 
enactment of certain measures. At an- 
other time the sergeant-at-arms was spir- 
ited away so that recreant members could 
not be brought in by arrest. Each party, 
when in the majority, was guilty of out- 
rageous gerrymander of the various dis- 
tricts for partisan purposes. On several 
occasions the Supreme Court had to de- 
side the legal status of affairs. Under 
the former law the entire membership of 
the council was elected by wards. Under 
the present law a certain number are 
elected by the city at large and the re- 
mainder by wards. This will probably de- 
feat attempts at gerrymander. Under the 
present system of government the mayor 
is the executive head of the city Board of 
Public Affairs, which has charge of 
streets, water works and various matters 
of that kind, and consists of three mem- 
bers. The Board of Public Safety and 
the head of the Fire Department consists 
of two members of opposite polities. The 
city solicitor is the head of the Legal De- 
partment and appoints an assistant, who 
is prosecutor of the Police Court; the 
police judge presides in the Police Court. 
The Water Works Department is under 
the control of the Board of Public Affairs. 
In addition there is a Hospital Board, 
which is appointed by the Board of 
Health. There is a health officer appoint- 
ed by the Board of Health, as well as a 
dairy inspector. The members of the 
Board of Education are elected, some by 
the city at large, and the others from the 
various wards. 



ROSTEE OF OFFICIALS. 

President of CouisrciL. 

While Springfield w-as under village 
government the highest local official was 
known as president of council, and the 
following constitutes a list of such of- 
ficials : 

Edward H. Gumming lS3i 

W. v. A. Gushing 1835 

Samson Hubble 1S3U 

Reuben Miller 1S37, '38, '39, '40 

John Mui'dook 1841 

William Moore 1S42, '43, '44 

Steven Bell 184-5 

William Moore _( again) 184U, '47, '48, '49 

Mayors of City. 

James M. Hunt 18.50, '51, '.52, '53 

James S. Goode 18.54, '55, '56 

A. G. Burnett 185T. '08, '59, '60 

John C. Miller 1861 

W. D. Hill 1862 

J. J. Snyder 1863, '64, '65 

(A) James Fleming 1866 

J. J. Snyder (again) 1867, '68 

( B ) Jacob R. McGarry 1869, '70 

(G ) G. H. S. Showers 1870 

J. J. Hanua 1871, '72, '73, '74 

Milton Gole - 1875, '76, '77, '78 

Edward S. Wallace 1879, 'SO 

E. G. Coffin 1881, ;82 

Gharles W. Gonstantine 1883, '84 

James P. Goodwin I880, '86 

O. S. Kelly 1887, '88 

W. R. Burnett 1889, [90, '91, '92 

James Johnson, Jr 1893, '94 

P. P. Mast 1895, '96 

John M. Good 1897, '98 

( D ) X. J. Kirtpatrick 1898 

Ghas. J. Bowlus 1899, '00 

.Al. L. Milli^an 1901, '02 

Chas. J. Bowlus 1903, '04 

James M. Todd 1905, 'OS 

W. R. Burnett 1908 

(A) Mayor J. J. Snyder was removed and James 
Fleming was appointed to fill the vacancy. (B) Mayor 
Snyder, having been re-elected, resigned and J. R. Mc- 
Garry was appointed to fill the vacancy ; Mr. McGarry 
was "afterwards elected for a full term. (G) Mayor 
McGarry resigned and H. S. Showers was appointed to 
fill the vacancy. (D) John M. Good, having been 
found guilty of violating the law in making promises 
previous to the election, was ousted from office and T. ' 
J. Kirki^atrick was appointed until the next regular 
election. Mr. Kirkpatrick was candidate for mayor 
and John M. Good was again a candidate and was suc- 
cessful, succeeding Mr. Kirkpatrick. 



Solicitors. 

George Spence 18.53 

A. G. Burnett 1855 

James M. Hunt 1857 

I>. M. Cochran 1859 

J. K. Mower .• 1867 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



377 



i"*! B'ere'"^^ ;:;'";";ii76 ^^'^^n the vUlage became incorporated a 

F- M- Hagan 1879 marshal was elected. James B. Berrj^ 

M. T. Burnham ISSl , n /. , i , . , . „ 

F. M. Hagan (again) 18S3 was the tirst that Served m this official ca- 

A. 'h. i^nkie ['.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 1891 pacity. William H. Hughes was the last. 

y'. y'. Smith. '^^' .'!.■;.'.'.';;.'!!;!!!!;!!."!!!!!!!!' 'i90i K. F. Hay ward served in this capacity for 

Stewart L. Tatum , .1903-1908 -r,■,-,yy^^^a-,' r.f ^.oa,.c 

Roger Q. Smitb 1908 a numbei o± years. 

After the Police Department was estab- 

There is one instance of a city solic- lished, which was in 1867, the marshal's 

itor resigning, that of D. M. Cochran in duty became fixed by ordinance, and he 

1866. was particularly an officer of the Mayor's 

Teeasubeks. Court. At this time the Police Depart- 
ment consists of thirty-eight men. A 

In 1862 the office of city treasurer was battalion system is operated in connec- 

abolished and since then the county treas- tion with the department. The policemen 

urer has been treasurer of the city. ..re appointed by the mavor from persons 

In 1907 the office of city treasurer was recommended to him by the Board of 

created and Frank Eolfes was elected to p^j^ic Safety. All applicants must pass 

that position. ^^j^ examination. When the Police Depart- 

The incumbents of the city clerk's office ^lent was organized the old Union Fire 

since 1850 have been as follows : Company's house on Spring Street was 

converted into a city jail or station house 

C[TY Clerks. ^j-^j served for that purpose until the 

wiiiTam "Anderson ".'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.]'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. iilss orectiou of the present patrol and station 

T.' p. cilrke'.'.". ■.■.■.;■.;;■.;■.'.■.■.;!;!■.■.■.;;!".;!;;!". iiii ^o^^se combined, on North Fountain 

W. F. Cnmmings 1861 AveUUe. 

James W. Cnmmings 1862 

T. P. Clarke (again) 1867 The first patrol house was the gift of 

Charles R. Miller 1869 -^ . ^ 

•Tohn s. Shewaiter 1870 (xovemor Bushnell, and was situated on 

Thomas D. Wallace 1890 , , , ., , j. ^m i -i • rM, 

s. .T. wiikerson 1892 the northwest corner ot Columbia Street 

Philip Huonker 1898 i -m j. • a /^ -n i 

R. N. Lantz 1900 fnu !< ountaiu Avenue. Grovernor Bush- 

^- ^- ^'""' ^^^" nell bought this property and fitted it for 

Under the new municipal code, adopted ^ P^^rol house and allowed the city to use 

in 1902, the office of city auditor was ^^^ ^^™*^ ^^^^^ «^ «^P«"^« ^^^ ^^«^t ten 

created, .C. C. Bauer filling the same until y^^^^' ^^^^^ ^^^^'^ buildmg was sold to the 

thenextelection, when KM. Harris was Traction Company, and until the new 

elected building was erected the horses and 

wagon were kept in Dr. L. E. Russell's 

POLICE DEPARTMENT stable south of East High Street. 

Governor Bushnell was prompted to 
The earliest officials to look after the this act of generosity because he felt that 
police welfare of Springfield were con- the time had come when the city should 
stables of the township. First of these have a patrol wagon. He not only fur- 
were Hiram Goble and Israel Bayless. nished the building, but also bought the 



378 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



"wagon, and for some time paid tlie operat- 
ing expenses. 

Chiefs. 



The following is a list of the chiefs of 
police : 

John Rea 1869-1870 

James Fleming 1871-1876 

Fred Sclrachman 1876-1885 

.Tames C. AValker 188.">-1SS7 

James Ambrose 1887-1889 

James Cushman 1889-1892 

John McKenna 1893-1894 

W. H. Van Tassell 189.5-1897 

Stewart L. Black 1897-1899 

R. E. O'Brien 1899- 



Prior to 1887 the mayor of the city of 
Springfield performed the duties of a 
police magistrate. In the previous year 
the Legislature had passed a law provid- 
ing for the office of police judge, and at 
the same time a police prosecutor and 
police clerk were provided for. The fol- 
lowing persons have filled these offices : 

Police Jtulges — Luther F. Young, 1889- 
1891 ; Charles E. Morris, 1891-1893 ; 0. B. 
Trout, 1893-1895; William R. Horner, 
1895-1899; J. J. Miller, 1899 to date. 

Clerks of Police Cowrt— Arthur Mor- 
rell, 1887-1890 ; William White, 1890-1893 ; 
Stewart L. Black, 1893-1896; George 
AVinans, 1896; Arthur Plank, 1902, and C. 
E. Schaefer, 1903—. 

Police Prosecutors — Frank Eightmeyer, 
1887—; William E. Horner, 1891; George 
S. Dial, 1895; J. J. Miller, 1897; Forest 
Kitchen, 1399; John M. Cole, 1903, and 
Albert Busch, 1908. 

Board of Public S.'^fety. 

As present constituted J. E. Elliott and 
Clarence Ehoads are memljers of this 
board. 



EosTER OF City Government (1907). 

Mayor— James M. Todd (W. E. Bur- 
nett, elect 1908). 

City Council — E. B. Hopkins, president 
(1908, D. F. Snyder); John N. Garver, 
vice president; Frank Crothers, clerk; 
James C. Walker, Sergeant-at-arms ; 
First Ward, J. N. Garver (Harry Sel- 
lers, elected) ; Second Ward, Charles P. 
Dunn; Third Ward, W. H. Bryant (John 
M. Good, elected) ; Fourth Ward, D. E, 
Hayward; Fifth Ward, J. C. Clippinger 
(Orville Burkett, elected); Sixth Ward, 
Albert Eglinger. 

Council at Large — Edward T. Eidenour 
(Warren Alexander, elected). Pearl A. 
Lewis (Charles Bauer, elected), John T. 
Eicks (George E. Kershner, elected). 

City Auditor — L. M. Harris. 

Treasurer — Clarence W. Arbogast. 

Solicitor — Stewart L. Tatum (Eoger 
V. Smith, elected) ; John M. Cole, assist- 
ant city solicitor (Albert Busch, elected). 

Clerk of Council — Frank A. Crothers 
(William Mahoney, elected). 

Engineer — Wm. H. Sieverling (Martin 
Bahin, elected). 

Sealer of Weights and Measures — 
Frank J. Buchanan. 

Superintendent of Markets — N. M. 
Leatherman. 

Weighmaster — John C). McClintick. 

Board of Health — William R. Burnett, 
president; John H. Eodgers, Harry E. 
Eice, E. C. Eind, E. B.^'Hoover, E. B. 
House. 

Health Officer — Dr. Henry Baldwin. 

Sanitary Marshal— L. 0. Keller. 

Food Inspector — James K. Kershner. 

Board of Public Service — President, 
A. J. Moyer (C. W. Eich, elected) ; vice 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



379 



president, William Sharon (William 
Tfautwein, elected) ; executive member, 
Samuel J. Lafferty (Patrick Cafferty, 
elected) ; clerk, Frank A. Crothers. 

A Ticket of 1861. 

City Ticket — Mayor, James L. Torbert, 
William T). Hill ; marshal, Benjamin P. 
Best, Martin Carey, Samuel McCoy 
Horace Perkins, Henry C. Hawken, 
Grove W. Green; treasurer, Theodore A. 
Wick, Horace Poole; school board (two to 
be elected). Dr. M. M. Oldham, Eev. 
Henry W. Woods, John I. Chorpening, 
James Johnson, Jr., Joseph Harrison; 
Third Ward council, Abraham E. Ludlow, 
John M. Deardorff; assessor, C. Hotsen- 
piller, Henry Tnlow, Henry B. Grove; 
supervisor, John Click, Lewis Blaser. 

Water Works. 

For some time prior to 1881 there was a 
good deal of discussion as to the supply 
of water for the city. Finally, in the 
year previous, proper legislation was ob- 
tained and bonds were issued by the city 
for the amount of $400,000. A board of 
water works trustees, consisting of 
George H, Frey, J. H. Thomas and 
Oliver S. Kelly, were elected. Under the 
supervision of this board the old water 
works and pumping house was estab- 
lished. This is located immediately east of 
the Sandusky branch of the Big Four 
Eailway and consists of a tract of 63.71 
acres, purchased from Eoss Mitchell, in- 
cluding in this the ground upon which 
the stand pipe was erected on East Main 
Street. The entire cost of ground was 
$20,400. The engine and boilers cost 



$20,350.74, and the building $10,544.37. 
The stand pipe cost $28,505.87. 

After this old plant had continued in 
operation some ten years it was discov- 
ered that the water supply was not ade- 
quate to the demands of the city. The 
supply of water was obtained from the 
gravel bottom at or beneath the surface 
of Buck Creek. It was also found that 
the water taken here seriously atfected 
the water rights of the mill owners below. 
It was then determined that a new supply 
must be procured, and the present 
grounds, consisting of 67 acres all told, 
were purchased at a cost of $10,290. 
The cost of engine No. 1 was $31,000, en- 
gine No. 2 $39,000 and the crane used 
there $2,380; boilers, $9,736.00; building, 
$18,213.96. This new pump house was 
put in operation July 11, 1895, and the 
daily average of water pumped in 1906 
was 3,948,341 gallons. The capacities of 
the present pumps in gallons are as fol- 
lows: Gaskill engine, 5,000,000; Eey- 
nolds engine, 7,000,000, and William 
Todd engine, 10,000,000. 

During the past year the total expendi- 
tures were $76,721.32 and the receipts for 
the past nine months were $62,503.90. 
A change in the time for the collection of 
rents having been made, only the record 
of receipts for the last nine months was 
obtained. The present bonded indebted- 
ness is $355,000. Until the adoption of 
the new municipal code the Water Works 
Department was controlled by a board of 
trustees. Since the adoption of the new 
code (1902) the department is in the con- 
trol of the Board of Public Affairs. 

The following persons have served as 
secretaries : E. H. Brennan, March 24 to 
June 21, 1881; W. E. Smith, June 21, 



380 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



1881, to April 27, 1882 ; E. C. Gwyn, April 
27, 1882, to December 18, 1883; W. E. 
Smith, December 18, 1883, to May 11, 
1898; V. Y. Smith, May 11, 1898, to May 
17, 1899; William Myers, May 17, 1899, 
to May 12, 1901; Ealph Boyd, May 12, 
1901, to May 12, 1903; Frank Bolger, 
May, 12, 1903, to February 1, 1906; F. H. 
Eolfes, February 1, 1906—. 

FIEE DEPAETMENT. 

A fire in the Barnett Mills in 1863 or 
'64, which was more destructive than it 
might have been had there been a proper 
handling of the fire department, suggest- 
ed to the city that it was time to have a 
paid fire department. 

VOLTJNTEEE COMPANIES. 

Prior to that date the various "en- 
gines," as they were then called, were in 
charge of companies which were formed 
voluntarily. In those early days, when 
there was a fire, it was the duty of every 
citizen to lend a helping hand, to catch 
hold of the rope as the apparatus went 
through the street and to assist in drag- 
ging it to the fire; also when that was 
reached, to lend his aid with might and 
main in the "pumping department," or 
otherwise, as might be most desirable. 
The first fire company on record, the 
"Utility," was organized in 1837.. Prior 
to this time fires were extinguished by a 
bucket brigade. About the time that the 
village was incorporated each citizen was 
required to provide one or two or more 
leather buckets, according to the amount 
or value of his property, and these were 
kept in an accessible place so that they 



might be easily gotten at if there was a 
fire. This "Utility" company was dis- 
banded in 1853 and the greater part of 
its members afterwards joined the "Nep- 
tune Company." In 1838, prior to this 
company's disorganization, there was an- 
other fire company organized, which had 
the title of the "Independent Fire Com- 
pany." This also was disbanded in 1853 
and most of its members went over to the 
"Eover Company." The "Neptune" and 
the "Eover Company" were rivals for 
public favor. The original "Eover Com- 
pany" was organized in 1854. The build- 
ing that they then occupied was situated 
on West Main Street, about where the 
Marshfield Steele property is now located, 
immediately west of the new Sun Opera 
House. The "Neptunes" were organized 
a short time after the "Eovers" and the 
rivalry between these two companies was 
carried to such an extent that neither 
one would attend a fire when the other 
had preceded it. 

This resulted finally in the "Eovers" 
giving up their old organization and 
forming a new one, which was in fact an 
independent company, accepting and ask- 
ing no favors from the city. It enrolled 
in its membership some of the very first 
and best of Springfield's citizens and the 
rivalry between the "Eovers" and the 
other companies which were acting under 
city authority was continued with a good 
deal of intensity on both sides. Some- 
times it was friendly and at other times 
hardly so. Before the reorganization of 
the "Eover Company" the "Neptunes" 
had the central part of the city for its 
territory and the "Eovers" the western 
part. This led to the organization of the 
"Union Company" in 1856. This com- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



381 



pany had for its particular territory the 
eastern part of the city. This company 
was sometimes nicknamed the "Dutch 
Company," mainly from the fact that 
Daniel Huben and George Seibert, Ger- 
mans, were the principal organizers. The 
"Neptune Company" was organized in 
1856, with Jerry Klinefelter as president. 
The "Union Company" had for its en- 
gine-house the building that was after- 
wards for many years used as the city 
jail or station-house, south of the post 
office on Spring Street. The "Nep tunes" 
had for their building a structure that 
was demolished to make way for the 
Arcade, and was situated on High Street, 
immediately west of the Wren Depart- 
ment Store. When the "Rovers" became 
an independent company they abandoned 
their old engine-house on West Main 
Street, and a new company was formed 
and they bore the name of the "Silver 
Grays" ; they received this name no doubt 
from the fact that most of their members 
were somewhat advanced in years, old 
Mr. Tegarden being a leading person in 
its organization. Dr. H. H. Seys was its 
president and captain. James C. Walker, 
present sergeant-at-arms of council, was 
a member of this company, as was also 
Captain William E. Moore. All of these 
companies, with the exception of the 
"Rovers," disbanded about the time that 
the paid tire department was established. 
The "Rovers" continued their organiza- 
tion until about fifteen years ago. The 
last fire they attended was in 1873, when 
the Ferrell, Ludlow & Rogers Manufac- 
tory on South Limestone Street was afire. 
When they disbanded they presented a 
$25 gold piece to each of their members. 
Perhaps no company was ever organized 



in the city of Springfield in which its 
members took a greater pride than the 
"Rovers" Fire Company. To mention 
this company to any of its comparatively 
few survivors is to instantly get an ex- 
pression of enthusiastic admiration as to 
what it did, and to hear it emphatic- 
ally asserted that those were "great old 
times." It was their aim to throw water 
eight feet higher than the steeple on the 
First Presbyterian Church, and they 
speak with pride of a run that they made 
to a place in the country five miles west 
of Springfield, where they saved a man's 
house, and of the elegant entertainment 
they had on their way back at the resi- 
dence of Colonel Peter Sintz. A group 
picture of the members of this company 
is hanging in the rooms of the Historical 
Society of this county. 

Paid Fire Department. 

In 1866 the paid fire department was 
oi'ganized, an ordinance having been 
passed in 1864 authorizing bonds to the 
amount of $12,000 to be issued to pay for 
a steam fire-engine. In honor of the coun- 
cilman who introduced this measure, the 
first fire-engine was called "Jacob 
Myers." The old engine-house formerly 
occupied by the "Neptunes" was for a 
time used by the new department. In 
1876 the engine-house now known as the 
Central was established on South Market 
Street at a cost of $18,000. 

About the same time property was 
purchased where the Western is now situ- 
ated and converted into an engine-house. 
Thus matters continued until the city 
water works were established and then it 
was thought that the water pressure from 
the pumping-house would be sufficient for 



382 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



all fires. However, it was plainly demon- 
strated , when the Krell French Piano 
Works were destroyed by fire in 1902 
(this was the north wing of the G-reat 
Fjast Street Shops), that this could not 
be relied on. An agitation was then be- 
gun for the purchase of engines, and the 
city again became the possessor of sev- 
eral steam-engines, and now possesses 
what might be considered a very well- 
managed and adequate fire department. 
When the department was first organized 
the first president of the old "Rovers" 
was chosen as its head. A. R. Ludlow 
served for several years, or until 1871, 
when R. Q. King was elected, the latter 
serving until 1880. J. C. Holloway suc- 
ceeded him, and in 1882 he was succeeded 
by William E. Moore, Jr., who served un- 
til December, 1884 ; E. W. Simpson served 
from that date until 1895, and Q-eorge 
Follrath from 1895-1905, when the pres- 
ent incumbent, Samuel F. Hunter, suc- 
ceeded to that position. 

In 1881 the signals used for the fire 
alarm were contained in thirty-one boxes ; 
there are now one hundred and twenty- 
four. 

The following is a roster of the pres- 
ent department (1907) : 

Chief Fire Department — Samuel F. 
Hunter. 

Superintendent of Telegraph — Michael 
M. Duffy. 

Central Steam Fire Company No. 1 — 
Engine-house west side of South Fountain 
Avenue, between Jefferson and Washing- 
ton; H. M. Rankin, captain. 

Engine Company No. 2 — Engine-house 
east side of North Factory Street, be- 
tween Columbia and North; C. M. Mof- 
fett, captain. 



Engine Company No. 4 — Lagonda 
Avenue, between C, C, C. & St. L. Rail- 
road and Florence ; J. Edward Bryant, 
captain. 

Engine Company No. 6 — Southeast cor- 
ner Mound and Glenn Avenue; E. J. 
Perkins, captain. 

Chemical Engine Company — Engine- 
house west side of South Y''ellow Springs, 
between Pleasant and Dibert Avenue; 
William Fanning, captain. 

Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 — 
Engine-house west side of South Foun- 
tain Avenue, between Jefferson and 
Washington. 

Hook and Ladder Company No. 3 — 
Northwest corner Clifton and Boler; H. 
T. Evans, captain. 

Southern Steam I'ire Company No. 3— 
Engine-house northwest corner Clifton 
and Boler ; H. T. Evans, captain. 

Hose Company No. 4 — East side La- 
gonda Avenue, between C, C, C. & St. L. 
Railroad and Florence. 

Hose Company No. 5 — South side Main, 
near Park ; Ij. L. Metcalf , captain. 

Hose Company No. 6 — Southeast cor- 
ner Mound and Glenn; E. J. Perkins, 
captain. 

Hose Company No. 7 — South side Cecil, 
between Fountain Avenue and Lime- 
stone ; Pat H. Lawler, captain. 

Hose Company No. 8 — ^West side South 
Yellow Springs, between Pleasant and 
Dibert Avenue; William Fanning, cap- 
tain. 

PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ETC. 

Market House. 

The first city building that Springfield 
had was what was called a market house. 





ZIMMERMAN LIBRARY 



HAMMA DIVINITY HALL 




,;.jAl_ji.*' " ■^'■^•^ 




DORMITORY 



MAIN COLLEGE BUILDING 



FOUR VIEWS OF WITTENBERG COL 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



385 



It was a long wooden structure with two 
rows of stalls, side tables and a pavement 
between. According to the ordinance this 
building was located on West Street and 
South Street, South Street being the pres- 
ent Main Street. 

This structure served for a market 
house until the building of the old City 
Hall, which formerly stood on the espla- 
nade immediately west of what is now 
the Arcade Building, fronting on High 
Street. It was built in 1848. The lower 
I^art of the building was arranged for 
market purposes, having stalls in the cen- 
ter and along the sides. On the upper 
floor there was a hall used for town meet- 
ings, public conventions and similar gath- 
erings. This building, including the bell, 
cost, $7,800. 

A great many meetings of various 
kinds were held in this building from the 
time of its erection in 1848 until, its de- 
molishment in 1888. West of it there 
was a pavement extending to the railroad. 
Market wagons were backed up to this 
pavement on both sides. If the walls of 
this old building could have spoken, 
stories of many interesting events occur- 
ring in the history of the city might have 
been told. County conventions were 
often held here, and the fights, quarrels 
and enthusiasm attending such meetings 
were frequently seen here. Here some of 
the most distinguished public speakers in 
the country poured forth their eloquence. 
It is interesting to know that in the same 
year in which this hall was erected a 
town clock was placed upon the spire of 
the First Presbyterian Church. Excel- 
lent photographs of this old building are 
in existence. 



Present City Hall. 

The present city building, one of the 
finest in the state of Ohio, was begun in 
1888 and finished in 1890. It extends 
from Fountain Square to Center Street. 
In architecture it is not to be surpassed 
anywhere, and to a native son of Spring- 
field, Charles Creager, now deceased, is 
due the credit for its design. It cost 
$250,000. Though it has been in use now 
for almost twenty years, it shows few 
signs of age or wear and bids fair to re- 
flect honor and credit on the city of 
Springfield for a century to come. The 
building is one of the largest and hand- 
somest in the county used for city pur- 
poses, extending from square to square, 
fifty feet in width. The entire first floor 
is used for grocery and market purposes. 
In the west end are the police headquar- 
ters and Police Court. Next to these is 
the City Hall. In the east end are the 
other city offices — those of auditor, solic- 
itor, mayor, the water works, Board of 
Public Service, clerk, engineer, health of- 
ficer, sanitary marshal, dairy inspector, 
etc. Next to these is the council cham- 
ber. Over these is the Armory Hall. 

City Jail and Station House. 

The old building situated south of the 
post office building on Spring Street, 
which served as a city jail for forty years, 
was originally erected as a fire-engine 
house and for the special use of the old 
Union Fire Company. This building for 
a long time had been a discredit to the 
city of Springfield, even for the purpose 
of a jail or station house. Time and 
again the citizens of Springfield demand- 



386 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ed that a new one be erected. In 1900 tlie 
people voted that the sum of $20,000 
should be expended for a new station 
honse or city jail. There was consider- 
able controversy as to where it should be 
located, and it was some three or four 
years before those in authority com- 
menced to act, even after they had been 
instructed to that purpose by the people. 
Finally, in 1904, the present building 
located on North Fountain Avenue, near 
the creek, was completed at a cost of 
$31,000. 

Public Libeaky. 

Various societies and associations were 
formed in Springfield at different times 
for the purpose of affording library facil- 
ities to its citizens. Not until 1872, how- 
ever, did the movement for a public 
library reach its culmination. In that 
year the present Spring-field Public 
Library was placed on a secure basis. 
The present building was erected in 1889. 
In 1877 the library was located in the 
Union Hall building and remained there 
until it was moved to the present commo- 
dious building located on the southwest 
corner of High and Spring Streets. This 
beautiful building and its grounds were 
donated by Benjamin F. Warder, for- 
merly a public spirited citizen of this 
city, latterly of Washington, and recently 
deceased. For many years he was con- 
nected in many public enterprises of 
Springfield, particularly the shops located 
at Lagonda. This building and the lot 
upon which it stands reached an expendi- 
ture of $125,000. There are more than 
23,000 volumes in the library collection. 
The library is managed by a board of 
trustees. The present board is composed 



of Samuel F. McGrew, James Johnson, 
Jr., E. L. Buchwalter, Patrick O'Brien, 
William H. Weir and John L. Zimmer- 
man. Grovernor Bushnell, Oscar T. Mar- 
tin, W. S. Thomas, W. B. Rodgers and 
others have served in the past in that ca- 
pacity. For a long time Robert Wood- 
ward was librarian. He was succeeded 
upon his death in 1896 by Miss Alice Bur- 
roughs, who at present occupies that posi- 
tion. This new library building was 
dedicated and the deed delivered to the 
city in 1890, the address for the oc- 
casion having been delivered by Samuel 
Shellabarger, formerly a Congressman 
from this district and then a distinguished 
lawyer, residing at Washington, practic- 
ing principally before the Supreme 
Court. It was the last public address 
that he made to the citizens of Spring- 
field. 

HOSPIT-AL. 

For some time it was apparent to those 
who were conversant with the growing 
needs of the city that a hospital had be- 
come a most necessary institution. Ross 
i\Iitchell, a time-honored citizen, having 
become possessed of the property former- 
ly used by Chandler Robbins as a private 
school on East Main Street, proposed, 
with the late John H. Thomas, deceased, 
who agreed to furnish a sum of money 
sufficient to put the premises in proper 
condition for hospital purposes, to donate 
the same to the city. This was done in 
1S87. The generosity of these citizens in 
this matter was much appreciated by the 
citizens of Springfield generally. The 
need of an institution of that kind f on the 
sick poor was felt also by the late John 
Snyder, one of the donors of the park, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



387 



and in his last will in 1896 he provided 
that the sum of $100,000 should be set 
aside, the income thereof to be used for 
this special purpose. The growth of the 
city, however, was such that the buildings 
previously provided, for this purpose by 
Messrs. Thomas and Mitchell had become 
inadequate. It was therefore decided, on 
a vote being taken for that purpose, that 
new groimds shoiild be acquired and a 
modern hospital erected. For a number 
of years the old Sharpe Homestead, sit- 
uated on the northwest corner of Clifton 
Street and East Street, had ceased to be 
used as a homestead. It presented a most 
desirable location for an institution of 
this kind. Its elevation was such that the 
ordinary noises incident to city life could 
not reach a building placed upon its sum- 
mit. Fortimate indeed were the trustees 
when they were able to procure this most 
desirable site for a hospital. In 1905 the 
present building was completed at a cost 
of $150,000, and the succeeding year saw 
the erection of a building located on or 
near York Street for the use of nurses. 
It is under the supervision of a board of 
trustees, the present members of which 
are J. S. Crowell, H. S. Bradley and J. E. 
Myers. The Rev. Dr. Alex McCabe was 
active as a member of the board during 
the erection and the first years of the new 
building. James E. Adams, the veteran, 
restauranteur, Avas the first superintend- 
ent in the new building, George Netts oc- 
cupying that position at the present time. 

Post Office. 

The post ofifice was first established in 
1804, with Robert Rennick as postmaster. 
In that year a mail route was established 



from Cincinnati, through Lebanon, Xenia, 
Springfield and Urbana, thence to Piqua, 
thence down the Miami to Dayton, Frank- 
lin, Hamilton and Cincinnati. Mail was 
delivered over this route once a week, and 
the daily delivery was first established in 
1828. Previous to this latter date the 
mail was carried on horseback in saddle- 
bags. After this and until 1819 the mails 
were carried by a four-horse mail-coach. 
The particular advantage that this coach 
had was the right of way over all others, 
making it popular with passengers, but 
unpopular with the drivers of the other 
coaches. After 1849 the railroad carried 
the mail. 

The location of the post office was suc- 
cessively in various parts of the city un- 
til the present government building was 
erected. During the period before the es- 
tablishment of carriers, when everyone 
went to the post office to get his mail, it 
was quite an advantage to a particular 
locality to have the post office there, and 
it was often a matter of very great con- 
troversy between the different localities 
as to the location of the office, the rivalry 
going so far some times as to control the 
appointment of the postmaster. We are 
not able at this date to mention all of the 
localities in which the office was located 
at various times. At the present time, 
when people receive practically all their 
mail by carriers, the location of the office 
is not a matter of very great importance 
to the business community. However, 
there was considerable rivalry between 
different localities in the selection of a 
site for the permanent post office. This 
building was secured through the efforts 
of General Keifer before his retirement 
as member of Congress in 1884. It was, 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



however, not completed until 1890, being 
used first in September of that year. Its 
erection and equipment cost $150,000. 
When the building was dedicated the 
gross receipts had never exceeded $74,000. 

It was inadequate to care for the grow- 
ing business and in September, 1898, an 
auxiliary station was established in the 
publishing plant of the Crowell Publish- 
ing Company. 

In the following year a rearrangement 
of the interior was made, appropriating 
space from the lobby so as to enlarge the 
workroom. Urgent effort has since been 
made to secure an appropriation for an 
annex to the building. This was secured 
by a bill passed in 1906, introduced by 
General Keifer, who was again a member 
of Congress, appropriating $30,000. In 
October following a strip of seventeen 
feet adjoining the government site on the 
north wing, purchased October 16, 1907. 
Bids will be opened at the Treasury De- 
partment for an extension of the build- 
ing by a structure 28x84 feet, providing 
enlarged accommodations. 

City free delivery service was inaugu- 
]-ated under Postmaster Shipman, Sep- 
tember 1, 1879, with six carriers. 

At the time of the removal of the office 
to the United States Post Office Building, 
September 1, 1890, the force of clerks was 
eighteen and of carriers eighteen, and so 
remained until 1899, since which time the 
force has grown to thirty-three clerks and 
thirty carriers. 

Eleven rural routes add to the patron- 
age of the office a population of more than 
6,000. The first rural route was estab- 
lished July 5, 1899, two were added in 
1900, four "in 1901 and four in 1903. 

The growth of the citv has been reflect- 



ed in the increase of the revenues of the 

office as follows : 

Gross rcpts. Net rcpts. 

Year ending June 
30, 1890 $ 73,695.04 $ 44,317.88 

Year ending June 
30,1900 120,121.24 78,697.83 

Year ending Sep- 
tember 30, 1907. 216,829.34 152,491.12 

Postmasters. 

Springfield has had eighteen postmas- 
ters. The first was Robert Renick, who 
was commissioned November 9, 1804. It 
is not know where the office was located 
during his administration, which seems to 
have extended for the period of twenty 
years. 

On April 1, 1824, Maddox Fisher was 
appointed postmaster. During his incum- 
bency the office was kept at his private 
residence, which was located where Dr. 
Rogers now resides on North Limestone 
Street. 

Peter Sprigman was commissioned 
March 10, 1835. 

William Worden was commissioned 
July 27, 1839. He was the owner of the 
famous Worden Hotel, which was located 
where the Henry Block is now, and he 
kept his office in a room at the west side 
of the building. 

On June 9, 1841, John A. Crain became 
postmaster and he moved the office into 
a building belonging to the Bacons, lo- 
cated on the south side of East Main 
Street, about midway between Spring and 
the first alley to the west, and where Au- 
gust Stelzer's cigar store is now. 

Cyrus D. McLaughlin the first time was 
postmaster July 17, 1845, and he removed 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



389 



the office to a room in the Old Buckeye 
Hotel Building on East Main Street, about 
where McCullough's harness store is now. 

Dr. Isaac Hendershott became postmas- 
ter May 29, 1850. He removed the office 
to the east side of South Limestone Street, 
the second door north of the Second Pres- 
byterian Church, where now is located 
Willis ' plumbing store. 

In April, 1853, Cyrus D. McLaughlin 
became postmaster again, and after a time 
the office was removed to the Odd Fel- 
lows Building on the west side of Foun- 
tain Avenue, where Henry Oldham's pres- 
ent store is located. 

William C. Boggs was commissioned 
July 13, 1855, and continued the office in 
the Odd Fellows' Building. 

On April 8, 1861, Robert Rodgers was 
commissioned postmaster, and he removed 
the office to the old King Building, lo- 
cated on the southeast corner of Main 
and Limestone Streets, where the Gotwald 
Building is now situated. 

James Johnson, Sr., was commissioned 
postmaster October 26, 1866, but was not 
confirmed by the United States Senate, 
and he was succeeded by Ellen Sanderson, 
on March 11, 1867. After she was post- 
mistress, the office was removed to the cor- 
ner room of the then Lagonda House, sit- 
uated where the Bookwalter Hotel is now 
located; afterwards to the corner room in 
the Black Opera House building on the 
northwest corner of Fountain Avenue and 
Main Street. 

John A. Shipman became postmaster 
January 29, 1877, and for a time he con- 
tinued the office in the Opera House Build- 
ing and afterwards removed it to the Ar- 
cade Building, corner of High and Foun- 



tain Avenue, in the room that is now occu- 
pied by "The When" clothing store. 

James Johnson, Sr., was again commis- 
sioned postmaster December 19, 1884, and 
continued the office in the Arcade Build- 
ing. 

Francis M. Hagan became postmaster 
September 27, 1887, and continued the 
office in the Arcade Building. 

Perley M. Cartmell was commissioned 
February 25, 1890, and it was during his 
administration that the post office was 
finally moved to a home of its own in the 
United States Building on the northwest 
corner of Spring and High Streets. 

Thomas D. Wallace was commissioned 
March 15, 1894, and James H. Rabbitts 
April 21, 1898. 

Snyder Park. 

For a long time there had been a strong 
desire growing, among those interested 
in the welfare of Springfield, for a park, 
but the question was, how were we to get 
it? John and David L. Snyder, residing 
west of the City of Springfield for more 
than a half century, had acquired the 
lands through which flowed the streams of 
Mad River and Buck Creek in close prox- 
imity to the city. They were noted as men 
of extraordinary business capacity, appa- 
rently little interested in public matters, 
attending principally to their own affairs 
and accumulating a great fortune. The 
thought never entered the minds of those 
who knew nothing of their affairs that 
these brothers would make such a magnifi- 
cent gift to the city of Springfield, and 
so when it was announced in 1895 that 
they proposed to donate to the city the 
magnificent grounds now occupied by a 



390 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



park, containiug 217 acres of land to be 
used for park purposes, a genuine sur- 
prise was felt. The only condition at- 
tached was that the city should expend 
the sum of $20,000 to put the land into 
condition for park purposes. This was 
done before 1897 to the satisfaction of 
the donors. 

During the lifetime of the Snyders, and 
in memory of their deceased brother Will- 
iam, they erected the iron bridge connect- 
ing the dilferent parts of the park and 
located not far from the pavilion, and 
when D. L. Snyder, the last of these broth- 
ers, passed away iu 1898, it was found 
that by his will he had endowed this park 
with the sum of $200,000. 

Thereafter the citizens of Springfield, 
largely through the instrumentality of the 
late Gov. Bushnell, erected to the memory 
of the donors of this magiiifieent play- 
ground the stately arch that spans its 
main entrance — there to remain as a re- 
minder of the public spirit of these de- 
ceased brothers. It is governed bj^ a 
board, the membership of which at this 
time consists of David F. Snyder, Paul A. 
Staley, Frank McGregor, and T. D. Wal- 
lace. John Foos and William H. Blee 
were for a long time members of this 
board. 

Fountains, Etc. 

In 1890 Oliver Kelly donated to the city 
the fountain upon Fountain Square, at a 
cost of $8,000. This worthy donation has 
added very much to the attractiveness of 
the city. The fountain on Center Street 
between Main and High, used principally 
for watering horses, was erected through 
the generosity of Mrs. John L. Zimmer- 
man. 



HOTELS. 

Hotels, or taverns as they were called 
in early times, while not sustained or con- 
trolled by the mimicipality, have yet, ow- 
ing to the nature of their business, some- 
thing of the character of public build- 
ings. 

In earlier times these buildings did not 
assume the immense proportions which 
they have generally at the present day. 
Sometimes they were of a few rooms only, 
but as such they were eagerly sought for 
by the traveler who made his journey from 
place to place on horseback or by stage 
coach. Necessarily his journey was slow 
and frequent stopping places were needed. 

Foos Taveen. 

Griffith Foos has the honor of estab- 
lishing the first public house or tavern in 
the city of Spring-field. This hotel was 
opened in 1801 and continued until 1814. 
It was a double log house located on the 
south side of Main Street, a little west of 
Spring. 

LowKY Hotel. 

In 1803 Archibald Lowry erected a large 
two-story hewn log house, which was prob- 
ably located on or near Primrose Alley, 
about half wa.y between Main and High 
Streets. Archibald Lowry was a brother 
of David Lowry and the father of James 
Lowry, who afterward platted an addition 
to the city. How long this building was 
occupied as a hotel I am not aware. 

In August, 1803, the Court of Common 
Pleas, then held in Xenia, granted licenses 
to Archibald Lowry and Griffith Foos to 
keep a tavern in Spring-field on payment 
of $8.00 for each license. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



391 



Ludlow Hotel, 

Cooper Ludlow kept a public inn on the 
corner) of Main and Factoiy streets. This 
was probably the third hotel in the city 
and the first in ' ' Old Virginia. ' ' This was 
in 1812. 

Eoss Tavern. 

In 1815 William Eoss erected a two- 
story brick house on the southeast corner 
of Main Street and Fountain Avenue, 
which was for some time used as a tavern 
and went by the name of Eoss Tavern. 
It was afterwards occupied by Mr. Wer- 
den before the building of his hotel. 

Hunt's Hotel. 

About the time that Clark County was 
created, John Hunt was the owner of a ho- 
tel on Main Street. Its exact location is 
not known at this time. He may have 
occupied the old Lowry hotel or, possibly, 
the Eoss Hotel. It was at this place that 
the first Court of Clark County was held. 

MacEleoy Hotel. 

At the time that the county was created, 
in 1818, James MacElroy kept a boarding- 
house and hotel on the northeast corner of 
Main Street and Fountain Avenue. This 
was a log house. 

Norton Hotel. 

Also at the time that the county was 
created, James Norton kept a tavern in 
a small one-story brick house on the lot 
occupied by the old Teegarden residence. 



east of the alley on the north side of Main 
between Center and Factory Streets. 

Weeden Hotel. 

The most noted tavern that Springfield 
had in early days was that known as Wer- 
den's tavern. William Werden came to 
Springfield in 1819 from Delaware, Ohio. 
He first occupied the MacElroy Tavern. 
Afterwards he occupied the Eoss Tavern, 
and in 1820 he bought property on the 
northwest corner of Main and Spring 
Streets, but did not occupy it until 1829, 
when he built his large hotel. This was 
known as a public hostelry all over the 
country; it was a general stopping place 
for stage coaches and was at that date con- 
sidered one of the best hotels in the coun- 
try. The sign of this old hotel was that 
of a stage coach with horses under full 
speed, suspended on a tall post at the 
upper edge of the sidewalk. In Beers' 
History it is said that the room used for 
his office and bar was not more than 20 
feet square and his whole house with all 
its rooms was not larger than one now 
required for a large family. It maintained 
its position as the first hotel of the place 
until the Buckeye came. He built another 
house on Spring Street, which was called 
the "Judson House." This was particu- 
larly intended for the use of the drivers 
of stage coaches. Daniel Aiken ran the 
hotel after Werden. 

Buckeye House. 

The Buckeye House was built in 1830 
by Pearson Spinning and was located on 
the northwest corner of Main and Lime- 
stone Streets. Mr. Spinning himself con- 



392 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



tinued for a number of years to manage 
this hotel, and along in the fifties it was 
the leading hotel of the town. 

Hagenbach Hotel — Spangenbebgee. 

What has been known for a number of 
years as the old Spangenberger House on 
East Main Street, was erected some time 
after the National Eoad was built. For a 
number of years it was known as the 
Hagenbach Hotel, and for a long time was 
the headquarters of the German element 
of the town. It was quite a hotel in its 
time,, and is still used as a boarding- 
house. 

Mtjkeay-Cheery House. 

In 1854, on the northeast corner of Main 
and Limestone Streets, Peter Murray 
erected a hotel which is now called the 
Cherry House. It was afterwards remod- 
eled a number of times before it assumed 
its present condition. Mr. Murray went 
into bankruptcy and the hotel was after- 
■Wards conducted by various persons. In 
1865 it was purchased by Jacob Seitz for 
the sum of $25,000 and it has remained in 
the Seitz family ever since. During its 
period as a hostelry it has had various 
names, such as "Murray House," "Wil- 
liss House," "Knaub," "St. James," 
and the "Cherry House." This house 
has seventy-two rooms for guests. 

Wiij:.iss House — National Hotel. 

Mr. "Williss also at one time ran a hotel 
in a building which formerly stood where 
the Bushnell Building now stands. This 
hotel was in full operation during war 



times and Mr. Williss being a strong 
Democrat, his refusing on one occasion 
to give a meal to some Union soldiers, 
came near causing a riot. This Was for- 
merly called the National Hotel. 

Ameeican and Westebn Houses. 

The time of the opening of these hotels 
is not now known. They were located on 
West Main Street, about midway between 
Factory and Center, the American on the 
north side of the street and the Western 
on the south side. In stage-coach days, 
the American especially, which had a large 
yard in its rear, did a great deal of busi- 
ness. Their use as hotels was discon- 
tinued about 1885. The building formerly 
occupied by the American Hotel is now 
used as a harness shop and pump store. 

LaGONDA BOOKWALTER HoTEL. 

As Springfield began to assume urban 
importance, it was felt that the hotels 
which it then had were scarcely adequate 
to a place of its pretentions; so in 1868 
a number of enterprising citizens organ- 
ized the Champion City Hotel Company. 

The old Mason property, formerly occu- 
pied as a private residence by General 
Mason, was purchased for $20,000 and the 
building which was known as the Lagonda 
Hotel was erected. For its day it was con- 
sidered a very good hotel, costing $130,000 
and having 140 rooms. As a business 
venture it was never a success, and finally 
the stock was practically all acquired by 
John W. Bookwalter. It was opened as a 
hotel in 1869 with L. W. Cook and Son as 
landlords. It was continued as a hostelry 
until it was destroved by fire in 1895. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



393 



After the Lagonda House was burned, Mr. 
Bookwalter erected the present house and 
gave it the name of the "Bookwalter Ho- 
tel. ' ' Mr. Bookwalter was somewhat slow 
in erecting this building and its vicissi- 
tudes as a hotel have been somewhat vari- 
ous. It is now run on the European plan, 
Mr. E. M. Baker conducting the cafe in 
what was intended to be the lobby of the 
hotel. This hotel has 120 guest-rooms. 

Arcade Hotel. 

Wlien the old manufacturing company 
of Whiteley, Fassler and Kelly was dis- 
banded and Mr. Whiteley built East Street 
Shops, Oliver Kelly became the owner of 
the site of the old shops, which site is now 
that of the west part of the Arcade. He 
acquired by purchase the remainder of the 
property extending to the alley and began 
the building of the Arcade in 1883. Short- 
ly thereafter the hotel part was opened', 
with E. L. Munger as landlord, and it has 
continued to be the leading hotel of the 
town ever since. It was struck by light- 
ning in 1888 and in 1896 had a very dam- 
aging fire. H. L. Eockfield is the present 
manager of the hotel. There are 115 
guest-rooms. 

Palace Hotel. 

The Palace Hotel, situated on the 
southwest comer of Fountain Avenue and 
Washington Street, was built in the same 
year, 1885, as the Arcade, by Robert Flack, 
Sr. ; it is now owned by Robert Flack, Jr. 

Palmee House. ' 

This hotel was built in 1885 and is im- 
mediately south of the Palace Hotel. 



OPERA HOUSE. 
Black's Opera House. 

Halls for entertainment are generally 
indicative of the size and progressiveness 
of the place in which they are located, and 
when Springfield began to assume the airs 
of a city and to enjoy the prosperity which 
was coming to it from its various indus- 
tries, a play house, or building for public 
entertainments, conventions, and other oc- 
casions of that kind, became a pressing ne- 
cessity. 

Up until 1869 the old hall in the Market 
House was the only place in the city 
where concerts or any kind of entertain- 
ments or conventions could be held. An- 
drew C. Black had been a merchant in 
Springfield for twenty years previous, he 
having come here in 1847. In 1868 he be- 
gan the erection of an Opera House on the 
northwest corner of Main Street and 
Fountain Avenue. This building was fin- 
ished in 1869 at a cost of about $100,000. 
It had a seating capacity for about 1,000 
people. It was located on the second floor, 
the first floor being occupied by store 
buildings, Mr. Black for many years hav- 
ing a dry goods store on the corner. 
Afterwards the post office was located 
there, it being succeeded by M. M. Kauf- 
man's clothing store. In the next room 
Samuel J. Lafferty had a queensware 
store, and the room west of that was occu- 
pied at the time of the fire by Mitchell 
Bros.' plumbing establishment. 

This building was opened as an Opera 
House February 4, 1869. The first play 
given therein was ' ' The Drummer Boy of 
Shilo." 

Mr. Black afterwards remodelled the 



394 



HISTOKY OF CLARK COUNTY 



building. However, some time before it 
was torn down it had become rather sec- 
ond class in the character of its entertain- 
ments, the "Grand" having succeeded in 
monopolizing those of the first class. The 
people were somewhat averse to climbing 
the stairs, and the ' ' Grand, ' ' being on the 
ground floor, had the advantage. 

Some time prior to its final destruction 
it was purchased by Eoss Mitchell and in 
February, 1903, a disastrous fire broke 
out, presumably in the clothing store of 
M. M. Kaufman that quickly destroyed 
this building and the rear part of the 
Y. M. C. A. Building immediately north of 
it. Some buildings standing west of it 
were also destroyed and Mr. MulhoUand, 
who had conducted a jewelry store in this 
city for a half century, was caught in the 
debris of his store and lost his life. 

The ground laid idle for several years 
subsequently, when it was purchased by 
N. H. Fairbanks and his associates and 
the Fairbanks' Building erected thereon. 

Gkand Opera House. 

In 1881 the Grand Opera House, located 
on the west side of Limestone Street, a 
short distance north of the Big Four Rail- 
way, was completed. It is located on the 
ground floor and from that time until the 
erection of the Fairbanks Theatre it occu- 
pied a commanding position in the theatre 
line of this city. It has a seating capacity 
of about 1,200 and is still considered a 
very good theatre. It occupied a part of 
the site of the old Leffel Water Wheel 
Works, which are now situated south of 
Lagonda Avenue, along the Big Four Rail- 
way. It was erected by John W. Book- 
waiter, and he took considerable pride in 



seeing that its construction was fully up 
to the times. It has a very large stage 
and has recently been remodeled so that 
almost any of the theatrical companies 
can use it. For a number of years it has 
been operated by Mr. Lamar Dalie. 

Fairbanks Theatre. 

The Fairbanks Theatre was erected in 
1906 and was opened on Thanksgiving Day 
of that year with "Ben Hur." It is lo- 
cated immediately south of the Y. M. C. A. 
Building. It is surrounded by the Fair- 
banks Building proper and is partly upon 
the ground formerly occupied by Black's 
Opera House. This theatre is thoroughly 
modern and will seat from 1,500 to 1,600 
persons. 

The New Sun. 

At this writing an opera house is being 
erected on the northwest corner of Center 
and Main Streets, called the "New Sun." 
It promises to be a play house of very 
creditable arrangements, not quite so 
large in capacity as the Fairbanks, and 
will likely be used for entertainments of 
a class that would not use the Fairbanks 
or the Grand. 

To erect this building there was demol- 
ished what was known as the old Wigwam. 
This Wigwam was erected there about 
1884. The ground was then owned by 
Benjamin H. Warder and a number of 
enterprising citizens erected the building, 
which was intended for campaign pur- 
poses. After the erection of the City Hall 
a building for the campaign meetings was 
not so badly needed. The Wigwam was 
converted into a livery stable and latterly 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



395 



into an implement store conducted by 
Frank Muff of New Carlisle. 

This is a vaudeville theatre and one of 
the best in the state. It has a seating ca- 
pacity of 750 and cost $35,000. It was 
opened December 1, 1907. 

OFFICE AND STORE BUILDINGS. 

In viewing Springfield as it exists to- 
day with respect to its office and store 
buildings, it will be noted with surprise 
how many of them have been erected 
within the last twenty-five or thirty 
years; few indeed along in the business 
part of the town would antedate that 
period. 

KlZEE BlTlLDING. 

The Kizer Building, along Primrose 
Alley on the south side of Main Street, 
was erected in 1853 and was counted as 
one of the good buildings of its time. On 
the second floor some of our most noted 
lawyers had their offices. George Spence 
was in this building from its erection un- 
til his death. General Keifer, Judge 
Hagan, Milton Cole, W. H. Dugdale, 
George Arthur, Patrick Higgins, A. H. 
Gillett, W. M. Roekel and other attorneys 
were at various times in this building. 

Old Kit^g Bitilding. 

On the southwest corner of Main and 
Ijimestone Streets was the Old King 
Building, erected a good many years be- 
fore the Kizer Building. In the lower 
part the postofifice was located from '61 
to '67. In early days it was known as 
the Lyon property. David King, Sr., 

32 



kept store here in 1842. In the second 
floor Samuel Shellabarger was at one time 
located and there also was T. J. Pringle, 
William M. Hunt, the Cochrans, David 
and A. P. Linn, Judge William White, C. 
F. Yakey, A. T. Byers, Frank Right- 
nieyer and other lawyers. This building 
was demolished when the Gotwald Build- 
ing was erected in 1892. Before its de- 
molishment the lower floor was occupied 
by a hardware store conducted by Phil 
AViseman, J. S. Kitchen and others. 

Union Hall BuiLmNG. 

The Union Hall Building was begun 
June 27, 1850, and in 1874 it was very 
much improved, assuming its present ap- 
pearance. In 1905 and '06 a wing was 
continued back to the alley. The Odd 
Fellows have occu^nied this building for 
many years. Until the erection of the 
new Johnson Building on West Main 
Street the Masonic bodies met here also. 
On the second floor for a considerable 
period was located the public library. 
The lower rooms are now occupied by, 
commencing at the north, Routzahn & 
Wright's shoe store; Pierce & Co., book 
store; Leo Braun, jeweler, and H. M. 
Oldham, millinery. 

COMMEKOIAL. 

In 1875 there was constructed what 
was up to that time the most modern 
building in Springfield, although now 
quite behind in its modern conveniences, 
to-wit, the Commercial Building. This 
building was shortly after its construc- 
tion the principal office building of the 
town and at various times S. A. Bowman, 



596 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



T. J. Pringle, W. A. Scott, D. Z. Gardner, 
Amos Wolfe, C. S. Olinger and John L. 
Zimmerman had their offices in this build- 
ing, Mr. James Johnson, Jr., having been 
located in this building ever since his ad- 
mission to the bar. 

In this building Kinnane & Wren first 
opened up their dry goods store and Mr. 
Wren remained there until he moved in 
the department store on High Street in 
1904. M. M. Kaufman occupies the north 
room below and McCrorey's five and ten 
cent store the south. 

BOOKWALTER. 

Along about the eighties or a few years 
thereafter J. W. Bookwalter erected the 
building on the southwest corner of High 
and Limestone Streets. This corner was 
formerly occupied by the Episcopal 
Church. For a long time J. E. Adam? 
had a restaurant in this building. 

Buckingham. 

About the same time the building on 
the opposite corner now owned by Chand- 
ler Eobbihs was erected by Dr. Bucking- 
ham. Before its erection the lot was oc- 
cupied by Dr. Buckingham's stately old 
residence. This residence had huge 
columns in front, taken from southern 
architecture. 

Mitchell. 

The year 1882 witnessed the erection of 
the first five-stor}" building in Spring- 
field; this was the Mitchell Block, erected 
on the northeast corner of High and 
Limestone Streets. The Baptist Church 



used to stand on this corner. Gi-raves' 
cloak house is in the corner room, while 
next is the Street Railway waiting room 
and then Toppy Troupe's cigar store. On 
the second floor are P. J. Higgins, C. E. 
Ballard and William H. Griffith, attor- 
neys ; J. S. Elliott, insurance, and C. R. 
Converse, dentist. 

Aecade. 

In 1883 the Arcade was constructed. 
Perhaps not all of it was finished in that 
year. It was built in the site of the old 
Whitely, Fassler and Kelly plant. The 
corner room was the office and is still in 
the building. The rooms on High Street 
are occupied by the Wlien Clothing 
House: in the corner room are Pursell's 
tailoring establishment and Long's con- 
fectionery. On the Market Street space 
there is Nisley's Arcade shoe store, Alt- 
schul liquor house, Buchholtz's drug store, 
Morey & Hoagland's tobacco store, 
Corry's barber .shop, the I. C. & E. Trac- 
tion Line office. Miller's music store, 
Becker's meat store and the Pacific Ex- 
]3ress Company. Fronting the Arcade, 
beginning at the north, are Ehrenhart's 
millinery, Limbocker's book store, Hof- 
man's jewelry store, the Wells Fargo Ex- 
press Company and Ramsey's tailoring 
establishment. Nelson's Business Col- 
lege has for many years occupied the 
third floor. 

Johnson. 

About the same time that the Arcade 
was built Johnson's five-story building on 
West Main Street was erected opposite 
the First Presbvterian Church. For 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



397 



some time after its completion the 
Masonic orders met on the fifth floor. 
The lower floor is now occupied by Rosen- 
steel & Weber, furniture dealers, and by 
Krapp's grocery. Previous to the erec- 
tion of the Johnson Building a disastrous 
fire burned the buildings that were lo- 
cated on most of the ground. 

Zimmerman. 

In 1889 John L. Zimmerman purchased 
from Martin L. Rice ground on East Main 
Street, where he afterwards erected the 
eastern part of the building in which he 
now has his office. In the lower rooms 
of the building torn down Mr. Rice con- 
ducted a shoe store; on the second floor 
there had previously been a hotel con- 
ducted on the European plan, a Mr. John- 
ston having operated the same for a 
time. The lower floor is occupied by the 
Springfield Hardware Company. In 
1891 Mr. Zimmerman added to this build- 
ing the room on the west now occupied by 
the Kredel & Alexander clothing store. 
In 1895 he purchased property which was 
formerly occupied by the old saloon called 
"Number Seven," immediately east of 
Troupe's drug store, and erected a build- 
ing there, the lower room of which is now 
occupied by Oscar Young's shoe store. 
About the same year he purchased prop- 
erty on Limestone Street, on which for- 
merly for many years was located J. D. 
Stewart 's grocery, and erected there what 
is now a continuation of the Grotwald 
Building. The lower floor is occupied by 
the Citizens' Bank, the Commercial Club 
occupying the second floor. 

In 1898 he purchased the property on 
the northeast corner of Main and Lime- 



stone Streets. This was on the location 
of the Old Buckeye Hotel. Afterwards 
for many years the Baldwins conducted a 
dry goods store here. Then the property 
was purchased by a Mr. Jones and remod- 
eled and for some time he conducted a dry 
goods store and carpet establishment 
here, afterwards conducted by Myers & 
Son. 

The second floor of this building at one 
time was devoted to offices. Before it was 
remodeled Ed. S. Wallace, James Willis, 
and other attorneys had their offices there. 
Afterwards George Rawlins and George 
Arthur occupied the rooms fronting on 
Main Street. The lower floor is now oc- 
cupied by T. H. Sullivan dry goods store. 
The upper rooms are occupied by Chase 
Stewart, Earle Stewart, W. G. Campbell 
and Harry Brenner, attorneys, and others. 

GOTWALD. 

In 1892 the Gotwalds erected the build- 
ing now located on the southeast comer of 
Main and Limestone Streets, on the site 
of the old King Building, Mrs. Gotwald 
having been a King and daughter of the 
person who erected the former building. 
This building is occupied, on the corner, 
by the Springfield Savings Bank, then the 
Merchants & Mechanics Building & Loan 
Association on Limestone Street, and by 
David Herr, undertaker. In the upper 
floors are Drs. Smith, Lupfer, and Min- 
nich, dentists, and Dr. Gotwald; John L. 
Plummer, Frank Krapp, .George A. 
Beard, OUie Miller, and E. S. Houck; 
Thomas McCormick and James P. Good- 
win being in the adjoining Zimmerman 
Building. 



398 



PIISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



King. 

In tlie same year, 1892, the Kings erect- 
ed, the King Building, on the west side of 
Fountain Avenue. In the old brick build- 
ing demolished Wm. H. Pretzman con- 
ducted a bakery for many years. The 
lower floors of this building are occupied 
by F. Desormoux & Co., plumbers, and' 
"The Famous" millinery store. 

BUSHNELL. 

In 1893 Governor Bushnell erected the 
Bushnell Building, which is perhaps the 
most substantial building that has been 
erected in Springfield at any time. In 
1903 he completed the "Annex" leading 
over on Fountain Avenue. The lower floor 
of tljis building is occupied by the First 
National Bank and by Kinnane's dry 
goods store. On the other floors are a 
number of attorneys, namely: Oscar T. 
Martin, Paul C. Martin, J. F. McGrew, 
W. Y. Mahar, James G. Stewart, A. I. 
Zimmerman, John B. McGrew, James B. 
Malone, H. W. Stafford, E. L. Arthur, 
Wm. M. Rockel, Edward J. Lynch, Walter 
Weaver, Forest Kitchen, George C. Raw- 
lins, Clem Collins, Judge F. M. Hagan, 
E. 0. Hagan, and H. L. Toulmin, patent 
attorney. 

Ween's Department Stoee. 

In 1903 the first department store was 
erected in Springfield, principally by Rob- 
ert Johnson. To make way for the new 
building some old buildings were demol- 
ished. In the rear was a large liverj^ sta- 
ble that for many years was conducted by 
Benjamiri HoUoway and son Christy, and 



afterward by John E. Swords. On High 
Street, Toppy Troupe for a long time con- 
ducted a cigar store. This entire building 
is now occupied by the Wren Department 
Store. 

Faiebanks. 

In 1906 there was commenced the erec- 
tion of Spring-field's first sky-scraper — 
the Fairbanks Building. This building is 
in process of erection at the present time; 
it will be nine stories high and promises 
to mark the beginning of a new era in the 
erection of public buildings in this city. 
Including the 8th and 9th stories, it will 
furnish 200 office rooms. 

Dial. 

In 1870 Judge E. G. Dial and Columbus 
Hauk erected the Dial Building, imme- 
jdiately north of the Bookwalter Hotel. 
Judge Dial's son George now controls the 
building, having his law office therein. 
The third floor is devoted to lodge pur- 
poses. 

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 

The last quarter of a century has wit- 
nessed quite a growth in our financial in- 
stitutions. Springfield in its earlier days 
was not a wealthy town. It was not until 
the results of the various industries began 
to be counted in dollars and cents that our 
financial institutions began to assume the 
importance that they now possess. At 
this time perhaps no city in the state can 
boast of soimder or better managed finan- 
cial institutions than can Springfield. At 
no time has there been any action on the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



399 



part of any of them that would shake the 
confidence of the most critical depositor. 
They are all conducted with ability and, so 
far as an observer can say, carefully and 
honestly. 

Mad Eiveb National Bank. 

The first bank of Springfield was or- 
ganized in 1846 and was incorporated as 
the M-ad Eiver Valley Bank of the State 
of Ohio. This bank was located on the 
north side of Main Street, the second door 
east from where its successor is still trans- 
acting business. It began with a capital 
of $100,000. Its first president was Levi 
Rinehart and its first cashier James Clay- 
pool. 

This bank was succeeded by the present 
Mad River National Bank, which was in- 
corporated on Jan. 11, 1865, with a cap- 
ital of $200,000. The first officers were 
John Bacon, president, Thomas F. Mc- 
Grrew, cashier, and Samuel F. McGrew, 
teller. The directors were John Bacon, 
John W. Baldwin, William Berry, Charles 
M. Clark, and James S. Goode. The cap- 
ital was afterwards, on April 1st, 1878, in- 
creased $100,000 and in 1869 the building 
now occupied by the institution, imme- 
diately east of the Bushnell Building, was 
erected. James S. Goode, John H. 
Thomas, and Thomas F. McGrew have 
been presidents. At present, William S. 
Thomas is president and Samuel F. Mc- 
Grew is cashier, the directors being James 
Carson, W. S. Thomas, Frank J. Webb, 
Ed. N. Lupfer, and S. F. McGrew. 

In its last statement (Sept., 1907) its 
assets and resources were $1,229,168.65; 
capital stock being $300,000 ; surplus fund 
$60,000 and undivided profits $54,955.92; 



National Bank notes outstanding $100,- 
000; individual deposits subject to check 
$536,221.79. 

It will be observed that S. F. McGrew 
has been with this institution for over 
forty-three years continuously. 

First National Bank. 

In July, 1851, a state bank was organ- 
ized under the free banking laws of Ohio, 
which was called the Springfield Bank. 
It was located on the east side of Main 
Street, across the alley immediately north 
of the Commercial Building. Oliver Clark 
was president of this bank and William 
McMeen, cashiei'. Dr. John Ludlow, Will- 
iam Rodgers, R. D. Harrison and Oliver 
Clark were directors. It had a capital of 
$75,000, which in 1855 was increased to 
$150,000. In 1853 Oliver Clark died and 
Dr. John Ludlow succeeded him as presi- 
dent. In 1856 Mr. McMeen resigned as 
cashier and the late C. A. Phelps assumed 
that position. In 1864 the institution was 
reorganized as a national bank with a 
capital of $200,000 under the name of the 
First National Bank, and with the same 
officers as had been at the head of Spring- 
field bank. 

Dr. John Ludlow continued president 
until his death when he was succeeded by 
his son-in-law, Asa S. Bushnell. C. A. 
Phelps remained cashier until ill health 
compelled him to resign about 1900, when 
A. R. Cobaugh succeeded him. He re- 
mained in that position for a short time 
when his health gave way and he was suc- 
ceeded by the present cashier, Geo. W. 
Winger. Oscar T. Martin is now presi- 
dent, and Richard H. Rodgers, Theodore 
Troupe, Edward C. Gwyn, John L. Bush- 



400 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



nell, Oscar T. Martin, and J. S. Crowell, 
constitute the board of directors. 

At its last statement its resources and 
liabilities were $2,115,669.35; its capital 
stock paid in $400,000; surplus fund, 
$225,000; undivided profits $33,628.71; na- 
tional bank notes outstanding $225,000; 
individual deposits subject to check, $995,- 
275.31. 

In 1894 the bank was moved from Lime- 
stone Street to its present commodious 
quarters in the Bushnell Building. 

Citizens National Bank. 

In 1859 William Foos and Gustavus 
Foos established a private banking house 
under the firm of Foos and Brother in 
the Fisher Building, at the southwest 
comer of Main and Limestone Streets. 
This bank was absorbed when the Second 
National Bank was organized in Decem- 
ber, 1863. William Foos was president 
of the reorganized bank and G. S. Foos 
was cashier, the directors being William 
Foos, G. S. Foos, H. 0. Williamson, H. 
M. Sheppard, T. E. Norton, John Foos 
and Charles Eabbitts. Foos afterwards 
retired to a large extent from the manage- 
ment of this bank and Amos Whiteley be- 
came president, with J. G. Benallack, 
cashier. The stockholders in 1898 con- 
cluded to go into liquidation, thereupon 
the Citizens Bank was organized with Ed- 
ward L. Buchwalter as president and Mr. 
Benallack as cashier. Mr. Benallack died 
in 1906 and was succeeded as cashier by 
Frank E. Hosterman, the present incum- 
bent. The present directory consists of 
Edward L. Buchwalter, P. E. Montanus, 
Chas. S. Kay, Edward S. Houck, D. F. 
Snyder, F. M. Bookwalter, and D. N. 



Elder. The last statement of this bank 
(Sept. 1, 1907), shows the resources and 
liabilities to be $768,561.23; capital stock 
$100,000 ; surplus fund $36,000 ; undivided 
profits $7,705.03 ; national bank notes out- 
standing $50,000; individual deposits 
$446,475.41. 

The bank has occupied its present 
quarters in the Zimmerman Building on 
Limestone Street since its organization. 
There was a private bank in the Murray 
House (Cherry) corner conducted by E. 
D. Harrison, Daniel Hertzler and others, 
under the name of Hertzler, Harrison & 
Co., in 1854, which continued for about 
four years. 

Lagonda National Bank. 

In 1870 Frye, McMillen & Co., operated 
a private bank called the Commercial 
Bank. This institution was succeeded by 
the Lagonda National Bank, which was 
chartered April 15, 1873, with General 
Keifer as president, Christopher Thomas, 
vice-president, and D. P. Jeffries, cashier. 
The directors at that time were General 
Keifer, John Howell, George Spence, E. 
T. Weakley. Michael Shaffer, and D. P. 
Jeffries. The bank commenced business 
in the building which was then part of 
the old Eepublic Building next the alley 
on the north side of Main Street and now 
occupied by the Bushnell Building. 

In 1881 the corner northeast of Main 
Street and Fountain Avenue, known as 
the old Moore corner, was purchased for 
$10,000 and the present bank building con- 
structed. During the time that General 
Keifer was in Congress in his first period 
prior to 188S:, John Howell was president, 
for a time. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



401 



In 1906 D. P. Jeffries died, and Frank 
W. Harford, who liad been connected witli 
the bank for many years, succeeded him as 
cashier. The .present directory is com- 
posed of General Keifer, C. H. Pierce, 
Robert Johnson, W. H. Bitner and J. J. 
Hoppes. 

The last statement (Sept., 1907) of this 
bank shows its resources and liabilities to 
be $777,595.41; capital stock $100,000; 
surplus fund $60,000; undivided profits 
$30,646.32; national bank notes outstand- 
ing $98,350; individual deposits $364,- 
639.14. 

Spbingfield National Bank. 

The Springfield National Bank was or- 
ganized Dee. 29, 1881, with P. P. Mast as 
president, John Foos, vice-president, and 
C. A. Harris, cashier; the directorate be- 
ing John Foos, E. G. Dial, F. W. Foos, 
Conrad Nagle and P. P. Mast. 

This bank was at first located on the 
north side of Main Street, second door 
east of Center, and continued there until 
the completion of the Gotwald Building, 
on the southeast corner of Main and Lime- 
stone, when they moved into their present 
commodious quarters in that building. P. 
P. Mast continued to be the moving spirit 
in this bank until his death, when he was 
succeeded by C. R. Grain, and he was suc- 
ceeded by Wm. F. Foos, the present in- 
cumbent. C. A. Harris was succeeded as 
cashier by F. S. Penfield and he in turn 
by William S. Rabbitts; the present 
directorate being Wm. F. Foos, Conrad 
Nagle, W. H. Schaus, George S. Dial and 
W. S. Rabbitts. The last statement of 
this bank shows its resources and liabil- 
ities to be $558,922.68 ; capital stock $100,- 



000; surplus fund $25,000; undivided 
profits $7,512; national bank notes out- 
standing $97,700; individual deposits 
$275,125.49. 

Springfield Savings Bank. 

This institution was incorporated Janu- 
ary 4, 1873, under a special law of Ohio, 
and began business in a room on the south 
side of Main Street, the second or third 
door west of Fountain Avenue. It after- 
wards moved into a room in the old Re- 
public Building, located where the Bush- 
nell Building now stands, and about 1883 
or '84 purchased the ground now occupied 
by the Springfield Building and Loan As- 
sociation, and built the building thereon. 
In the year 1889 this bank purchased the 
ground on which its present building is lo- 
cated, on E. Main Street, for $20,000, and 
erected thereon its present commodious 
building. It is undoubtedly one of the saf- 
est and soundest financial institutions in 
Ohio. The law under which it is organ- 
ized is such that its money can only be 
loaned on first mortgage and then to the 
extent of only one-half of the ground val- 
ue. Its first president was B. H. Warder, 
John H. Thomas was vice-president, and 
the trustees were Marshfield Steele, Will- 
iam Thompson, E. W. Mulligan, A. C. 
Black, William Conklin, Thomas Qorcora, 
and Conrad Nagle. 

W. S. Fields was for a long time presi- 
dent, and he was succeeded by the present 
incumbent, W. S. Wilson, who had been 
acting for some time previous as cashier. 
Upon his promotion Edward Harford was 
made treasurer and cashier. W. H. Blee 
is at present vice-president. The Board 
of Trustees are John W. Parsons, Joseph 



402 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



B. Cartmell, Charles L. Bauer, T. W. 
Ludlow, Geo. Krapp, Sr., and Frank C. 
Jolinson. The vacancy caused by the 
death of Amaziah Winger remains un- 
filled. 

The last statement, July 1, 1907, shows 
resources and liabilities to be $2,792,576.- 
06, of which amount there is due depos- 
itors $2,644,913.79; surplus $125,000; un- 
divided profits $22,662.27. 

Springfield Building & Loan Associa- 
tion. 

Prior to the organization of this com- 
pany there had been operated building 
and loan associations in the City of 
Springfield on what was called the ter- 
minable plan. The plan was not a very 
satisfactory one, and besides there had 
been some irregularities in management, 
that made the establishment of a building 
and loan association here a matter of con- 
siderable difficulty. 

The "Springfield" is entitled to be 
called the "Pioneer" in this city of the 
modern building and loan associations. It 
was organized in June, 1884, with a cap- 
ital stock of $500,000. The first board of 
directors were P. J. Cole, H. C. Laybourn, 
Andrew Burnett, D. L. Corner, J. M. Win- 
ger, C. H. Pierce and William M. Rockel. 
This board organized by selecting Will- 
iam M. Eockel as president, Andrew Bur- 
nett vice-president, John M. Winger 
treasurer, and C. M. King secretary and 
attorney. For some time the growth of 
the association was not very rapid. Mr. 
King died in 1885 and at the following 
election William M. Eockel retired from 
the presidency and C. H. Pierce was elect- 
ed, John B. Clingerman having been cho- 



sen as secretary. Mr. Clingerman served 
in this capacity until 1888, when Charles 
Stout was elected secretary and still con- 
tinues in that position, Mr. Pierce also be- 
ing president at this time. 

The present board of directors are J. C. 
Kellar, and John T. Ricks, B. F. Prince, 
Robert Johnson, Theodore Troupe, Harry 
Burleigh and C. H. Pierce. Frank Har- 
ford has remained its treasurer since 
about 1888. 

Later this association increased its 
capital stock to $1,000,000 and then 
$5,000,000. 

The last statement (July, 1907) showed 
resources and liabilities to be $1,314,360.- 
22 ; surplus fund of $54,889.54. 

This association commenced doing busi- 
ness first in a back room upstairs over 
Fried 's Jewelry Store. From here it was 
moved to the rooms upstairs on Fountain 
Avenue over Leuty 's meat store, and from 
there across the street to a room down- 
stairs, immediately north of the alley, 
where it remained until 1901, when the old 
savings bank building was purchased on 
E. Main Street. The association moved 
into their own building in April of 1901. 

Merchants and Mechanics Building & 
Loan Association. 

This association was organized in 1892 
and E. C Gwyn* chosen as its first presi- 
dent, H. S. Bradley being its secretary; 
the board of directors consisting of E. C. 
Gwyn, M. M. MoConkey, D. H. Olds, P. 
M. Cartmell, Wei den Warder, Am. Win- 
ger, George H. Brain, A. J. Beckley, W. 
A. Martin, Meyer Weixelbaum, John C. 
Clippinger and T. J. Kirkpatrick. 

Soon after the organization of this in- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



403 



stitution they leased the building vacated 
by the First National Bank, Situated im- 
mediately north of the first alley on the 
west side of Limestone Street, opposite to 
their present quarters in the Gotwald 
Building. 

The last statement (July, 1907) sbows 
this institution to have as resources and 
liabilities $1,220,678.46, with surplus of 
$38,622.20. E. C. Gwyn* is the present 
president ; Edgar A. Fay, secretary ; board 
of directors being E. C. Gwyn*, W. A. 
Martin, George W. Netts, Oliver C. 
Clarke, George K. Sharpe, J. H. Rab- 
bitts, Eodney Moffet, Willard Brain, J. 
B. North. 

Other Assoctatioks. 

The Clark County Building and Sav- 
ings Society has an office in Room 8, Got- 
wald Building. It was incorporated Sep- 
tember 28, 1900, with a capital of $400,000. 
David F. Snyder is president, J. M. Good, 
vice-president, F. E. ITosterman, treas- 
urer, and T. J. McCormick secretary and 
attorney. The office is not opened daily, 
but only on Thursdays of each week. 
While not a large institution, it is doing- 
very well. 

The Springfield Co-operative Building 
Association has its office in Room 3, Got- 
wald Building., It was incorporated in 
November, 1904, with a capital stock of 
^25,000. James L. Harris is president. 
Marshal] Jackson, vice-president, S. E. 
Huffman, secretary, and William Johnson 
cashier. Meets Tuesday and Saturday 
evenings. 

About 1887 or '88 an association was 
organized called the Citizens Building & 

*No\v deceased. 



Loan Association. The directors gave 
the management of affairs very largely 
to Charles E. Morris, who was attorney of 
the association and at one time police 
judge of the city. Mr. Morris appro- 
priated a considerable amount of the 
funds to his own use and afterwards 
served a term in the penitentiary for the 
same. The association went into liquida- 
tion and the assets were purchased or 
taken over by the Springfield Building & 
Loan Association. So the actual amount 
of loss to depositors was not very large. 

About 1903, a branch of the Indemnity 
Building & Loan Association was estab- 
lished in this city, doing business on 
Market Street, on the east side about mid- 
way between High and Main Streets. It 
seems that the management of branch in- 
stitutions in building and loan associa- 
tions has not been generally a success, and 
the head institution which is located at 
Cleveland Ijecame involved and went into 
liquidation. It was finally taken over by 
some other association and the business 
wound up. E. G. Banta of Urbana was 
manager largely of this institution. 

Other loan associations have at times 
transacted business in this county, some 
successfully and others unsuccessfully. 
It would seem that people having money 
to deposit should place the same in the 
care of those whom they know, and as- 
sociations managed by local people ought 
to afford more security than those man- 
aged elsewhere. 

Amertgan Tettpt & Savings Company. 

This institution is the most recent of 
a financial character to be organized in 
the citj" of Springfield and was first 



404 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



opened for business on January 5, 1907, 
with a capital stock of $200,000, and sur- 
plus of ^0,000. The last statement 
(Sept., 1907) showed deposits of $369,- 
299, the assets and liabilities of this 
concern at this time being $626,861. It is 
located in the new Fairbanks Building on 
the northwest corner of Main Street and 
Fountain Avenue. N. H. Fairbanks is 
president and H. E. Freeman, secretary 
and treasurer. The following constitute 
the board of directors : Stacy B. Rankin, 
Chase Stewart, Lee B. Corry, Edward P. 
llolman, H. S. Kissell, P. E. O'Brien, 
Paul A. Staley, N. H. Fairbanks, Louis M. 
Levy, Gi-eorge C. Lynch, Dr. Charles Gr. 
Heckert, Jacob Koblegard, M. L. Milligan, 
and W. H. McCord. 

Manufacturing Industries. 

In the chapter on mills we have noted 
the large number of industries that were 
established on Mad River, Buck Creek 
and Mill Run. At the time these mills 
were put into operation the age of steam 
had not arrived, water-power furnishing 
the necessary force to propel machinery. 
To the excellent water-power supplied by 
these streams is no doubt attributable the 
fact of Spring-field's later growth as a 
great manufacturing center. 

It was the water-power of Buck Creek 
that induced the building of the Barnett 
Mill, and the oil mills that were erected 
in its vicinity. These other mills brought 
to our town men of a manufacturing 
spirit. It was the water-power of Buck 
Creek no doubt that induced Pitts in 1842 
to locate in Springfield and manufacture 
his afterward celebrated Pitts Threshing 
Machine. 



The growing industry of manufactur- 
ing oil from flax seed induced John Foos 
to purchase mills previously erected on 
this creek, and it was the water supplied 
by Buck Creek that induced John H. 
Thomas and P. P. Mast in 1856 to lay the 
foundation of the P. P. Mast Co. 

Farther up, at what now is the suburb 
of Lagonda, the water-power of this 
stream again played an important part in 
the establishment of the manufacturing 
industries of the city. Here Simon Ken- 
ton, in the beginning of the century, con- 
structed his rude mill. Others followed, 
until in 1830 the entire then existing vil- 
lage was purchased by Mr. Jeremiah War- 
der, the father of Benjamin and William 
Warder, who were afterwards prominent 
in the industrial affairs of Springfield. 
As time went on, the demands of the peo- 
ple for manufactured products changed, 
and the progress of agriculture created a 
desire and a demand for machinery in the 
agricultural field. While there were es- 
tablishments along other lines that have 
remained to this day, yet the manufac- 
ture of agricultural implements has 
seemed at all times to be the leading in- 
dustry. It was in the decade from '55 to 
'65, or thereabouts, that the manufacture 
of these implements took on a wonderful 
impetus in our city. Previous to this, in 
1837, David West, who died about 1904, 
commenced the manufacture of buggies, 
and for a half century continued in that 
business, and finally erected what is 
known as the West Block, immediately 
north of the market-house. 

In 1840 William Whiteley, an old time 
resident of this county, began the manu- 
facturing of the celebrated Whiteley plow, 
which for along time was considered the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



405 



best on the market. Mr. Whiteley was the 
uncle of Amos and William N. WMteley, 
afterwards prominent in the industrial af- 
fairs of our city. He died about 1890. 

About the same time that William 
Whiteley commenced manufacturing his 
plows James Leffel entered upon his in- 
dustrial career in the City of Springfield. 
Previous to this he had erected the Hertz- 
ler Mills. In 1840 he built his foundry be- 
tween the National Koad and the Big Four 
Eailway near Buck Creek, west of the city. 
Afterwards, having invented the celebrat- 
ed Leffel Water Wheel, he and his son- 
in-law, John W. Bookwalter, became the 
owners of the old shop located where the 
Grrand Opera House now stands, and on 
the ground north of the railroad. 

Mr. Leffel died in the prime of life in 
1866. In 1845 Mr. Leffel and William 
Blakeley erected a brick foundry on the 
north side of Buck Creek, a little east of 
Limestone Street. There they afterwards 
made the Buckeye Cooking Stoves. Mr. 
Leffel was no doubt the most distin- 
guished manufacturer of his time, he hav- 
ing been connected in other manufactur- 
ing enterprises. 

In 1847 James DriscoU began the manu- 
facture of carriages and established a 
business in that line that was second to 
none. For a long time the business of 
this firm was carried on in a building on 
the north side of Main street, situated 
about half way between the First Pres- 
byterian Church and Factory Street. His 
sons and successors afterwards built the 
main part of the building located on the 
north-east comer of Center and Columbia 
Streets, now used as a place for the manu- 
facture of grave vaults, etc. 

In 1850 Mr. Benjamin Warder com- 



menced manufacturing various kinds of 
machines and in 1856 Eoss Mitchell be- 
came associated with him in the manufac- 
ture of Ketchum Mowers, Densmore Self- 
raker, New York Reaper, Ohio Harvester, 
the Buckeye Mower, Marsh Harvester, 
etc. 

The Marsh Harvester was the reaping 
machine that was first used in elevating 
tlie grain. It was provided with a plat- 
form upon which two men stood, who tied 
the wheat as it was elevated up to them. 

In 1855 Mr. William N. Whiteley made 
the first successful ' ' Champion machine. ' ' 
In the next year he associated with him 
Mr. Jerome Fassler and in the following 
year Mr. 0. S. Kelly. This firm was the 
precursor of the great industry that after- 
wards followed in the manufacturing of 
Champion machines. So great had be- 
come the popularity of and the demand 
for the Champion machines, that in 1868 
the firm of Warder, Mitchell & Co. aban- 
doned the manufacture of all other ma- 
chines and under an arrangement with 
Whiteley, Fassler & Kelly manufactured 
thereafter only the Champion. In the pre- 
vious year, 1867, the ' ' Champion Machine 
Company" was formed for the express 
purpose of manufacturing the Champion 
machine for the Southern and Westera 
territories. In the establishment of this 
last company, Amos Whiteley, Robert 
Johnson, W. W. Wilson and others en- 
tered the manufacturing field, so up un- 
til 1887 and '88 we had these three large 
establishments manufacturing the Cham- 
l^ion machines. So far did this industry 
take precedence over all others in our city 
that the town itself received the sobriquet 
of the "Champion City." 

In 1867 Gov. Asa S. Bushnell entered 



406 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



the Lagonda firm while this industry was 
showing such great evidence of prosperity. 
In 1882, the old firm of Whiteley, Fassler 
and Kelly dissolved, and Mr. Whiteley 
became the sole proprietor and began the 
erection of the celebrated East Street 
Shops. Along in '85 or '86 Mr. Whiteley 
having indorsed paper for Mr. E. L. Har- 
per of Cincinnati, became financially em- 
barrassed and with him Amos Whiteley, 
who was president of the Champion Ma- 
chine Company, so after a while the firm 
of Warder, Mitchell & Co. became the sole 
manufacturers of these celebrated ma- 
chines. 

The East Street Shops were afterwards 
sold and various other industries there 
established. The Champion Machine 
' Company's shop became the property of 
the Superior Drill Company, which in 
time was absorbed by the American Seed- 
ing Company. And the firm of Warder, 
Mitchell & Company, Mr. Mitchell hav- 
ing retired and Mr. Glessner having been 
taken in to the firm, became the firm of 
Warder, Bushnell & Glessner. In 1902 
this establishment became a member of 
the International Harvester Company 
and today manufactures reapers and 
mowers with a diversified line of other 
agricultural implements. 

In 1856, as indicated heretofore, John 
H. Thomas and P. P. Mast began the man- 
ufacture of cider mills and grain drills. 
This industry was continued by them un- 
til 1871, when Mr. John H. Thomas with- 
drew and established the Thomas Manu- 
facturing Corajjany. This latter firm was 
largely for a time engaged in the making 
of hay-rakes, cider-presses and articles 
of that kind. P. P. Mast continued to be 
the moving spirit in the old company un- 



til his death. After Mr. John H. Thomas 
retired from the firm of Thomas and Mast, 
Mr. C. A. Gardiner, W. C. Downey and 
A. W. Butt became members of this firm. 

In the latter part of the sixties the firm 
of Ferrell, Ludlow & Co., composed of Mr. 
Alphonso Ferrell and Mr. Abraham Lud- 
low, were engaged in the manufacture of 
cider-presses. Later on this firm became 
Ferrell, Ludlow & Eodgers, and in 1872, 
Thomas, Ludlow and Rodgers, there hav- 
ing come into the firm besides Mr. Lud- 
low, Mr. I. W. Rodgers, Joseph W. 
Thomas and Charles E. Thomas, they en- 
tering into the manufacture of what after- 
wards developed into the Superior Drill. 
This company was afterwards reorgan- 
ized into the Superior Drill Company, 
with Captain A. M. Winger, E. L. Buch- 
walter, Charles S. Kay and others as the 
moving spirits. The Superior Drill Com- 
pany in 1897 having sold their shop, which 
was located on the east side of Limestone 
Street between the Big Four and Penn- 
sylvania Railroads, to the Pennsylvania 
Company, entered into negotiations for 
the purchase of the shop which formerly 
was the property of the Champion Ma- 
chine Company, and afterwards became 
the owner, and there, with A^ery great suc- 
cess, manufactured the Superior Drill un- 
til the American Seeding Company was 
formed, when it was taken into that large 
corporation. 

In 1884 Gustavus Foos, having in pre- 
vious years, by an unfortunate turn of the 
wool trade, lost the greater part of his 
fortune in which he was engaged, with 
his sons W. S. and Robert formed the 
Foos Manufacturing Company and began 
the manufacture of corn grinders and 
articles of that kind. This shop was lo- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



409 



cated in the eastern part of the city south, 
of the Big Four Railway. It is now con- 
ducted by the Bauer Brothers. 

The oldest establishment in our city that 
has continued in the same family is that 
of the II. V. Bretney Company, engaged 
in the manufacture of leather, etc. This 
llrm was established in 1829 by Harry 
Bretney at its present location on East 
Main Street. It was afterwards con- 
ducted by Charles, his son, who continued 
the business until his death, when the 
grandson of the original founder, Harry 
V. Bretney, took it in. charge. 

First Leffel Wheel. 

The tirst Leffel T^irbine Water A¥heel 
manufactured in Springfiield, was only 
about ten inches in diameter, and was first 
installed under seven foot fall in a fliume 
in the basement of the Methodist Protest- 
ant building (now the Grand Opera 
House) . It was used for furnishing power 
for a large Adams' book press to print the 
"Methodist Protestant," and the "Penny 
Telegram" and "American Euralist." 

The "Penny Telegram" was purchased 
by Hastings and Nichols and combined 
with the "News" and later the "Repub- 
lic," requiring four presses for the com- 
bined establishment. Under normal con- 
ditions this little wheel could do the work; 
but Mill Run on which the power deijend- 
ed, like some men, had the habit of get- 
ting high and low, which in either case 
diminished the fall. And sometimes a fish 
would attempt suicide by entering the 
wheel and partially closing the gates tluis 
shutting off the power. Back water from 
obstructions to the Mill Run at one time 
flooded the press-room and the basement 



of the Leffel Water Wheel Works, and the 
Congregational church with three feet of 
water, doing great damage. 

This caused the building of the Mill Run 
sewer, insuring immunity from all such 
trouble in the future. The water power 
became so unreliable that it was found 
necessary to get power for the printing 
establishment by a shaft from the Leffel 
Water Wheel Works located on the south 
side of Mill Run. 

This shaft was protected except where 
it passed over Mill Run. But one cold 
winter night Mill Run froze over and the 
school children were playing upon the ice 
when the writer was horrified to see a 
little ten-year-old girl revolving around 
the shaft, her feet with every revolution 
striking the hard ice. 

As soon as possible the engine was 
stopped and the little girl removed to an 
express wagon which was passing when it 
was found one of her legs was broken. 
Her first recovery from the shock was 
manifested by the exclamation, "Where 
is my shawl?" 

DEFUNCT INDUSTRIES. 

Paper Milx,. 

While the city has been constantly add- 
ing new industries, yet in our progress we 
have lost several that in other places 
have developed into extensive establish- 
ments. The first of these was a paper 
mill which was established in 1827 on 
Buck Creek by Ambrose Blount, James 
Lowry and Jacob Kills. This mill was 
put in operation in 1828 and for a time 
was operated as a hand paper mill, and 
continued adding new methods until 1861, 



410 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



when it was making all kinds of paper. 
From 1836-1861 it was operated by J. W. 
Kills & Son. They made an assignment 
and the mill was afterwards adapted to 
other industries. The nearest thing that 
we have had to an industry of this char- 
acter since that time was the one some 
years ago conducted by J. W. Hanes and 
Frank J. Webb, at Enon Station. 

Oil Mills. 

As early as 1817 Griffith Foos had an 
oil-mill on the corner of Linden Avenue 
and Monroe Street. This mill was after- 
wards moved to where the Herb Bitters 
Establishment now is, on East Street, and 
used as a cotton factory and flax-mill. 
Mr. John Foos at one time was extensive- 
ly engaged in this business. 

In 1861 he purchased the oil-mill built 
by James Barnett in 184-2 on Warder 
Street, aud in 1863 he bought the Steele, 
Layman & Co., oil-mill which was built 
by Oily Taylor in 1846, and also located 
on Warder Street. These industries were 
moved to a mill on the cliffs immediately 
west of the Factory Street bridge on Buck 
Creek. It was a considerable industry in 
its time, but went out of existence some 
fifteen years ago. 

Woolen Mills. 

About 1814 Ira Paige and .Jacob Wood- 
ward had a woolen factory near where the 
old paper-mill was located on Mill Run. 
There is some dispute as to whether Mad- 
dox Fisher conducted a cotton mill in 1814 
near the same location. 

In 1847 Babbitts & Olds established 
their woolen mill on the power purchased 
of the Barnetts. This mill was immediate- 
ly east of the present grist mills of An- 



sted & Burk. It was conducted with suc- 
cess until 1874, when the power was sold 
to Wardei- & Barnett and this industry 
ceased to be a factor in the business life 
of our city. 

Car Shops. 

It may be interesting to know that at 
one time Spring-field had fair prospects of 
becoming the center of the car manufact- 
uring industry. Pei-haps if it had been 
continued we might have had the very ex- 
tensive shops of Barney & Smith, now lo- 
cated at Dayton. 

In 1852 Jacob Winger and Anderson 
built a sho]) immediately south of the 
Grand Opera House, where for a time they 
built box and fiat cars, and it may be also 
interesting to know that, as early as 1852, 
this firm built a number of what were then 
called Jackson Cook Reapers, the first 
reapers ever built in this city. These 
shops were sold to Mr. Leffel and con- 
verted into shops for the manufacture of 
his water-wheel. 

Theeshixg Machines. 

In 1842 John A. Pitts the inventor of 
the Pitts Threshing Machine, moved to 
Spring-field from Rochester, New York, 
and established a manufactory immediate- 
ly east of Liinestone Street and north of 
the bridge. This was a very prominent 
manjifacturing establishment in its time, 
as the "Pitts" was a machine known all 
over the country. It was conducted after 
his death by his sons. 

In 1866 and '67 the property passed in- 
to the hands of Cliarles P. Ballard and 
James W. Reinhart, and afterwards it 
was operated by the heirs of these two 
parties, and Mr. L. H. Pursell, under the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



411 



firm name of Reinhart, Ballard & Co. 
Along in the eighties Oliver S. Kelly be- 
came interested and finally purchased the 
entire plant and devoted it to other in- 
dustries. 

Sewing Machines. 

For some time after the invention of 
sewing machines, and while they were pro- 
tected by patents, there was very great 
profit in their manufacture. In 1875 a 
company was organized by Mr. John Foos 
and others for the manufacture of the 
sewing machines that had been patented 
by Mr. St. John of Bellefontaine. This 
manufacturing establishment was located 
on the northeast corner of Center and 
Main Streets, and some of our leading 
citizens were interested in its success. It 
was however never a very prosperous con- 
cern, as the patents on the general prin- 
ciple had expired, and as this cheapened 
sewing machines very much on the market 
the profits were not as large as they had 
been, and the older firms were better able 
to meet the competition of the new firms 
that had thus come into existence. Final- 
ly the industry was abandoned after hav- 
ing had an existence of some ten or fifteen 
years. Other establishments for the man- 
ufacture of various machines have come 
and gone, but the above are the principal 
ones that manufactured articles that 
might, under more favorable conditions, 
have caused their development into great 
and prosperous establishments. 

Whiteley, Fasslee & Kelly. 

While this firm has gone out of exist- 
ence, or become merged into others and 
thus becomes one of our defunct establish- 
ments, the "Champion" machines are still 



made by the International Harvester Com- 
pany. This firm was composed of Will- 
iam N. Whiteley, a native of Clark Coun- 
ty, Jerome Fassler, a native of G-ermany, 
and Oliver S. Kelly, another native of 
Clark County. The latter two are de- 
ceased. The former still is engaged in 
manufacturing enterprises in our city. 
Mr. "Whiteley has been given the credit, 
and with a great degree of justice, for 
establishing the manufacture of reapers 
in our city on a large scale. To his in- 
ventive genius the "Champion" reaper 
owed its existence. It has been said of 
Mr. Whiteley, by those who were com- 
petent judges, that he was not only a 
great inventor but the greatest collector 
of inventions that our country has known. 
The financial success of this firm was no 
doubt due largely to Oliver S. Kelly. The 
firm began ojieration in '56 and '57, and 
continued until 1882, when Mr. Whiteley 
bought out Kelly and Fassler and moved 
the shops to the gigantic structure just 
erected known as East Street. This firm 
had its shops where the Arcade Building 
is now located. The part used for an of- 
fice is now occupied by the When Cloth- 
ing Store, in the northwest corner of the 
Arcade Building. In its palmiest days 
this firm employed from 700 to 800 men. 
Mr. 0. S. Kelly after his retirement built 
the Arcade and with his son Oliver pur- 
chased the threshing machine works form- 
erly belonging to the Pitts and afterwards 
to Reinhardt, Ballard & Co. Mr. Fassler 
retired from business altogether. 

Champion Machine Company. 

So popular did the Champion machine 
become and the demand for it so great 
that in 1867 Amos Whiteley with a few 



412 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



other men — Eobert Johnston, W. W. Wil- 
son, D. P. Jeffries and others — 'Organ- 
ized a company to be devoted specially to 
the manufacture of the Champion ma- 
chine. This tirm erected buildings on 
Monroe and G-allagher Streets, and con- 
tinued actively in the manufacture of this 
machine until Mr. Amos Whiteley became 
embarrassed in 1884. In the meantime 
Eobert Johnson had retired and become 
engaged in other manufacturing enter- 
prises; likewise D. P. Jeffries, who was 
largely instrumental in organizing the 
Lagonda Bank and who for many years 
was its cashier, also retired, and contracts 
were made by Mr. Whiteley for the inter- 
ests of other stock-holders. However, up- 
on Mr. Whiteley 's embarrassment the 
shop began to go down and finally ceased 
operations. The stock for a time was held 
by a sjTidicate and the shops finally sold 
to the Superior Drill Company. This firm 
at one time employed from 800 to 1,000 
men. 

The a. C. Evans Company. 

In 1876 J. M. Evans and three brothers 
established what was known as the Evans 
Manufacturing Company. Afterwards a 
new corporation was organized called the 
A. C. Evans Company add a factory was 
built on Dibert Street west of the Pan- 
handle Eailway. This shop showed great 
prosperity during the life time of Mr. A. 
C. Evans and was used for the manu- 
facture of corn planters, harrows, potato 
diggers, and implements of that char- 
acter. Mr. Evans died about 1894, and the 
business began to decline. Afterwards 
the shop and business were sold to the 
American Seeding Company, who trans- 



ferred the business to their other houses 
and sold the plant to the Patric Furnace 
Company. 

Common Sense Engine Company. 

In 1878 H. J. Creigliton began the man- 
ufacture of the Common Sense Engine in 
an alley between High and Washington 
and Market and Center Streets. This 
establishment was afterwards sold to 
Yakey & Piyers, who built a shop on the 
corner of Mormd & East Streets, now oc- 
cupied by the Herb ]\Iedicine Company. 
The property afterwards passed into the 
hands of Mr. Janey and finally was aban- 
doned as a manufacturing establishment. 
Yakey and Byers were attorneys. C. F. 
Yakey died and A. T. Byers went to 
Texas, where he is still living. 

Champion City Manxtfagturing Company. 

This was a company incorporated in 
1875 as Kissell, Blount & Co. which pur- 
chased the building formerly occupied by 
the Eabbitts and Olds woolen mill on 
Warder Street. The firm was engaged in 
the manufacture of cultivators, hay rakes, 
double .shovel plows, and implements of 
that kind. It continued in operation for 
about ten years when it was abandoned. 

Teicyci.e Factory. 

About the year 1885 the manufacture of 
tricycles, boys' wagons, and similar ar- 
ticles, was started in this city, a shop be- 
ing built on Park Street north of Colum- 
bia. This plant was afterwards sold out 
to the Spring-field Gas Engine Company 
and the manufacture of tricycles was 
abandoned. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



413 



PRESENT INDUSTRIES. 

Inteenational Hakvestee. 

Among the present industrial establish- 
ments of Springfield the Champion divi- 
sion of the International Harvester Com- 
pany is no doubt the most extensive. This 
firm occupies and is the owner of what 
was formerly the plant of Warder, Bush- 
nell and G-lessner Shops on Buck Creek, 
in what was called Lagonda. The plant 
is the successor, through various muta- 
tions, of the plant established in Lagonda 
in the beginning of the century. In 1850 
Benjamin Warder was the moving spirit, 
and in '56 or '57 he became associated 
with Ross Mitchell and afterwards with 
Asa S. Bushnell. When Mr. Mitchell re- 
tired, George B. Glessner of Chicago be- 
came active in its operation. Towards 
the latter part of its existence Mr. Warder 
was not actively identified with its busi- 
ness affairs, he having moved to Wash- 
ington, D. C, where by wise investments 
in real estate he accumulated great wealth. 
Governor Asa Bushnell stayed with the 
firm until it entered the trust, when he, 
too, retired. Mr. Glessner remains an 
officer of the trust company known as the 
Internationa] Harvester. This firm em- 
ploys from 1,500 to 2,000 persons and 
does not confine itself to the manufacture 
of reaping-machines, but manufactures 
also hay-rakes, hay-teders, mowing-ma- 
chines, hay-presses and articles of a like 
character. 

P. P. Mast Company. 

This is one of the old firms of the city, 

and was organized in 1856 by P. P. Mast, 

. lately a resident of Champaign County, 

and John H. Thomas, a newly fledged 



lawyer, whose ancestry came from Mary- 
land. They began the manufacture of 
cider-mills and grain-mills, where the 
shops of the firm are now located, on 
Warder Street east of Limestone. The 
firm of Thomas & Mast continued until 
1871, when Mr. Thomas withdrew and es- 
tablished the Thomas Manufacturing 
Company. The firm was reorganized as 
P. P. Mast Company. From that time on 
until his death, Mr. Mast was the con- 
trolling spirit in this enterprise. In 1860 
Charles A. Gardner, who died some twen- 
ty years later, became identified with this 
firm and in 1862 William C. Downey, and 
in the same year A. W. Butt. These men 
retired in the eighties and afterwards en- 
gaged in other enterprises. Both are now 
deceased. 

After Mr. Mast's death Mr. Charles 
R. Crain became the president and man- 
ager of this establishment and so con- 
tinued until 1905, when the controlling in- 
terests passed into the hands of other 
parties. This company was organized in 
1871, with a paid up stock of $500,000. 
Howard D. Maize is now president, P. A. 
Lewis, vice-president, and H. H. Sellers, 
secretary. In 1895 this firm purchased 
what was formerly the private residence 
of James D. Stewart, on North Lime- 
stone Street, north of the Soldier's Monu- 
ment, which they converted into an office 
building and now occupy it for that pur- 
pose. This firm is largely engaged in the 
manufacture of the Buckeye Grain Drills 
and Corn Plows, etc., employing from 250 
to 350 men. 

American Seeding Company. 

The superior division of the American 
Seeding Com,pany occupies the buildings 



414 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



that were formerly the property of the 
Champion Machine Company. This divi- 
sion, however, is the successor of the old 
Thomas, Ludlow & Rodgers firm which 
did business for a number of years, where 
the Union Depot is to be erected, and 
which afterwards became the Superior 
Drill Company. A number of persons 
have been actively identified with this in- 
dustry. In the old Thomas, Ludlow and 
Rodgers firm, Abraham Ludlow, a native 
of this place, was the moving spirit. He 
afterwards became largely identified with 
the Spring-field Malleable Company; he 
died in 1906. Alfonso Ferrell was a 
brother-in-law of Mr. Ludlow. The 
Thomases that were in this firm were 
Charles E. and Joseph W. Charles E. 
Thomas is still a resident of this city. 
Joseph W. lives in California. Wlien the 
Superior Drill Company was organized 
Cai^tain A. M. Winger, lately deceased, 
E. L. Bueliwalter, and Robert Johnson 
became the moving spirits of the new con- 
cern. When the Superior Drill Company 
was taken into the trust and became a 
division of the Champion Seeding Com- 
pany, these three men, with Charles S. 
Kay, became members of the new firm. 
Captain E. L. Buchwalter became presi- 
dent of the American Seeding Company. 
In a short time Mr. Winger, Mr. Kay and 
Mr. Johnson retired from the active 
operations of the firm, Mr. Frank C. John- 
son, Robert Johnson's son remaining as 
an official. The old Superior Drill Com- 
pany was a very successful firm, having a 
large foreig-n market for its products, 
notably in Australia. The firm employs 
from three hundred to five hundred 



Thomas Manufacturing Company. 

This comjpany exists as the result of the 
efforts of John H. Thomas, after he 
severed his connection with the firm of 
Thomas & Mast. It was incorporated in 
1886. The stock is largely, if not all, held 
by the Thomas family. This firm origin- 
ally made lawn-mowers and cider-mills 
and afterwards branched out into the 
manufacture of bicj'cles and portable en- 
gines, grain-drills, hay-rakes, etc. Will- 
iam S. Thomas, a son of the original 
founder, is now president and treasurer, 
Charles E. Thomas, vice-president and H. 
H. Bean, secretary. The plant is located 
on South Limestone Street, immediately 
south of the Panhandle Freight Depot. 
It employes from 250 to 350 men. 

Springfield Metallic Casket Company. 

In 1876 Boyd Ilotsenpiller & Company 
began the manufacture of cloth-covered 
caskets on Washingion Street, east of 
Limestone Street. Afterwards this firm 
manufactured burglar-proof vaults. When 
the Driscoll carriage shop, located on W. 
Columbia Street, was for sale, it was pur- 
chased by the then members of the Spring- 
field Metallic Casket Company. This cor- 
poration was formed in 1886 with a capital 
stock of $200,000 and has been a growing 
concern. C. E. Patric is president, Paul 
A. Staley, vice-president, E. N. Lupfer, 
secretary, Charles S. Kay, treasurer, and 
Charles H. Heiser, superintendent. From 
150 to 200 persons are employed. 

Ceowell Puklishing Company. 

This firm is the* successor of that which 
was at first. Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatiick 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



415 



and afterwards Crowell and Kirkpatriok, 
and is engaged in the publishing and 
printing of the "Farm & Fireside" and 
afterwards the "Woman's Home Com- 
panion," in the plant located on the north- 
west corner of High & Factory. Upon 
Mr. Kirkpatrick's retirement Mr. Crowell 
became the sole proprietor until the stock 
was disposed of to parties in New York. 
It was incorporated in 1906 with a capital 
stock of $1,750,000. George H. Hazen is 
president, J, S. Crowell, vice-president, 
Fred L. Collins, Secretary. In the neigh- 
borhood of .300 persons are occupied in 
the business of this firm. 

GrOOD & Reese Company. 

This company is engaged in the floral 
business, and it is said that it is the 
largest rose house in the United States, 
possibly in the world. It was incor- 
porated in 1890 with a capital stock of 
$20,000. It is located on South Lime- 
stone Street near the south corporation 
line. J. M. Good is president, Frank E. 
Good, vice-president, and Harry F. Good 
secretary and treasurer. About 150 per- 
sons are employed. 

James Leffel & CompajSt?. 

This firm was originally established by 
James Ijeffel in 1862 and engaged in the 
manufacture of the celebrated turbine 
water-wheel. They purchased shops on 
S. Limestone Street, immediately north 
of the Big Four Railway Company on the 
west side and continued there until the 
early eighties, when the present plant was 
built on the Big Four Railway, south of 
Lagonda Avenue, Mr. Leffel died in ] SHo 



and the business was continued from that 
day up till 1878 by William Foos and' Mrs. 
Leffel, the widow, and John W. Book- 
waiter. At this time Mr. Foos retired 
and Mr. Bookwalter became practically 
the sole proprietor. The present com- 
pany was incorporated in 1890 with a 
capital stock of $2-50,000. John W. Book- 
waiter is president, F. M. Bookwalter, 
vice-president and treasurer, J. A. Book- 
waiter, secretary, and A. F. Sparks gen- 
eral manager. It employes in the neigh- 
borhood of 250 persons and has been a 
very profitable establishment for a num- 
ber of years. 

WicKHAM Piano Plate Company. 

In 1889 there was organized by Mr. 
William Irwin, John W. Chapman and 
Henry Wickham, the firm which was 
known as Irwin, Chapman & Wickham, 
and which engaged in a small way in the 
manufacture of piano plates. Mr. Irwin 
died a few years afterwards and the other 
members purchased his interest and con- 
tinued to run the establishment until a 
few years ago, when Mr. Chapman retired. 
The plant is located in the eastern part of 
the city along the Big Four Railway, and 
is doing a very extensive business, Henry 
Wickham being president, and James 
Johnson, Jr., vice-president. It employs 
from 300 to 400 men. Mr. Wickham died 
in November, 1907. 

Bettendoef Metal Wheel Company. 

This firm is a branch which came here 
from Iowa in 1890. It is engaged in the 
manufacture, as its name indicates, of 
metal wheels. The plant is located at the 



416 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



corner of Wheel & Larch Streets. G. 
Watson French is president, J. L. Hecht, 
general manager, Nathaniel French, vice- 
president, Thomas B. Carson, secretary 
and treasurer, and H. J. Eober and W. H. 
Stackhouse managers. It employs from 
200 to 300 men. 

EoBBiNs & Myers Company. 

This firm was established prior to 1879, 
for in that year they removed from the 
old Kills Paper Mills, to the plant which 
they now occupy on the Big Four Eail- 
M^ay, south of Lagonda Avenue. The firm 
was incorporated in 1889, with a paid up 
stock of $50,000. Chandler Eobbins and 
J. A. Myers were the principals in this 
original concern. Mr. Eobbins retired 
retired some ten years ago and Mr. Myers 
died in 1904. C. F. McGrilvary is vice- 
president and superintendent and H. E. 
Myers secretary. From 250 to 300 men 
are employed. 

Foos Manufacturing Company. 

This company was incorporated Janu- 
ary 1st, 1884, with a capital stock of $115,- 
000. The original proprietors were 
Gustavus Foos and his sons Eobert and 
William Foos. After Gustavus' death the 
business was continued by the brothers 
until 1904, when the sons of the late 
Charles Bauer became the owners of the 
majority of the stock. Charles L. Bauer 
is president, L. E. Bauer, vice-president, 
W. A. Bauer, treasurer, and W. E. Copen- 
haver, secretary. The plant is located on 
the southeast corner of Burt and Sheridan 
Avenue. This firm is engaged largely in 
the manufacture of grinding-mills and 



similar products. It employs from 100 to 
200 men. 

Springfield Machine Tool Company. 

This firm was incorporated in 1891, with 
a capital stock of $50,000. The principal 
moving spirit was P. E. Montanus. It is 
located on the southwest corner of South- 
ern Avenue, and the Pennsylvania Eail- 
way Company's line and is engaged, as 
its name indicates, in the manufacture of 
machine tools. P. E. Montanus is presi- 
dent and treasurer, Paul A. and Edward 
S. Montanus, vice-presidents. From 100 
to 150 men are employed here. 

0. S. Kelly Company. 

This company was incorporated in 1890 
with a capital stock of $350,000. At that 
time Oliver S. Kelly was the principal 
owner. It was the successor of the Ehein- 
hart, Ballard & Company. This plant was 
located on N. Limestone Street im- 
mediately north of Buck Creek. For some 
time this firm continued in the manufact- 
ure of threshing machines. This was 
afterwards abandoned and grinding-mills 
and articles of that character made. At 
present it is engaged largely in the manu- 
facture of piano plates. 0. W. Kelly is 
president, E. S. Kelly vice-president, both 
sons of Oliver, and A. L. Kelly, son of 0. 
W. Kelly, secretary and treasurer. This 
firm employs from 200 to 400 men. 

Springfield Malleable Co. 

This company was organized in 1878 
with a capital stock of $50,000. The large 
number of establishments in Springfield 



AND EEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



417 



using various parts made from malleable 
iron encouraged the founding of an in- 
dustry of this kind. . The plant of this 
establishment is located in the west part 
of Springfield and covers considerable 
ground. The business of the company is 
entirely to make malleable iron castings 
to be used by other firms in the manu- 
facture of their product. For a number 
of years it has been the property of the 
Ludlows, A. E. Ludlow being president 
until the time of his death (1906), and T. 
R. Ludlow, secretary and superintendent. 
It employs from 300 to 400 men. 

Mast, Foos & Company. 

This company was incoi'porated Janu- 
ary 1, 1880, with a capital stock of $300,- 
000. The moving spirits at that time were 
P. P. Mast and John Foos. It is engaged 
in the manufacture of wind-wheels, iron 
fence, lawn-mowers, force-pumps and ar- 
ticles of that character. Its plant is lo- 
cated on Isabella Street, between Main 
and Columbia. Richard H. Rodgers is 
now president, W. H. Rayner, vice-presi- 
dent, C. A. Harris, treasurer, and F. R. 
Burton, secretary. It employs from 100 
to 200 men. 

Indianapoijs Switch & Frog Company. 

This company was incorporated in 1892 
with a capita] stock of $300,000. It is en- 
gaged in the manufacture of railroad sup- 
plies and also makes piano plates. The 
firm recently occupied the large malle- 
able iron foundry erected in connection 
with the East Street Shops. This was 
burnt down in the last year and rebuilt. 
N. H. Fairbanks is president, M. L. Milli- 



gan, vice-president and E. C. Price, sec- 
retary. In the neighborhood of 100 men 
are employed. 

Miller Improved Gtas Engine Company. 

This company was incorporated in 1898 
with a capital stock of $60,000. The com- 
pany formerly did business in the East 
Street Shops. When those shops were 
burned they erected their present plant 
on the southwest corner of Plum and Fair 
Streets. They make gas engines. Charles 
A. Miller is president, C. H. Over, vice- 
president, and A. J. Smith, secretary. 
Fifty men are employed. 

Patrto Fxtrnace Company. 

In 1872 Louis Patric & Company be- 
gan the manufacture of hot-air furnaces 
on South Center Street. Afterwards the 
plant on Washington Street was pur- 
chased immediately west of the Palace 
Hotel. There the business was conducted 
until 1905 or '06, when the firm purchased 
the plant formerly belonging to the A. C. 
Evans Company on the corner of Dibert 
and the Pennsylvania Railway Company's 
line, whicJi they occupy at this time. The 
company was incorporated in 1900 with a 
capital stock of $40,000. Isaac W. Rod- 
gers is president, Louis Patric, vice- 
president, and R. R. McGregor, is treas- 
urer. From fifty to seventy-five men are 
employed. 

Trxtmp Manufacturing Company. 

This firm was incorporated in 1890 for 
the purpose of manufacturing turbine 
water-wheels. It is located at the corner 



418 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of Greenmount Avenue and the Big Four 
Eailway. John Hoppes is president, Paul 
A. Staley, vice-president, and Fuller 
Trump general manager. This firm like- 
mse employs in the neighborhood of 100 
men. 

SpEiisrGFiELD Gas Engitste Company. 

This company was incorporated Feb- 
ruary, 1890 with a capital stock of $100,- 
000. Until some four years ago . they 
transacted their business on Washington 
Street at the former plant of the Patric 
Furnace Company. Afterwards they pur- 
chased the old tricycle works on Park 
Street, in the western part of the city. 
As the name implies, gas engines are the 
principal products. Eichard H. Eodgers 
is president, Addison S. Eodgers, secre- 
tary and William B. Eodgers, treasurer. 
Fifty men are employed. 

The E. W. Boss Company. 

This firm moved to Springfield from 
New York St^te, E. W. Eoss and his 
father-in-law, Mr. Fitch being the prin- 
cipal parties interested at that time. It 
was incorporated in 1890 with a capital 
stock of $100,000. The firm is engaged 
largely in the manufacture of ensilage 
and feed-cutters ; it also makes a popular 
manure spreader. 

M. L. Eoss is president, John L. Zim- 
merman, vice-president, J. B. Cartmell, 
treasurer, and E. W. Eoss, secretary. 
The shops are located at the junction of 
Warder Street and the Big Four Eailway. 
They employ from 100 to 150 men. 

Foos Gas Engine Company. 

This firm takes its name from John 
Foos, he having been largely interested 



in its original establishment. It was in- 
corporated in 1897 with a capital stock 
of $150,000. It is located now in what 
were formerly the Bar & Knife Shops, 
used in connection with the Champion Ma- 
chine Company, on the northeast corner 
of Linden Avenue and Monroe Street. As 
the name implies the firm is engaged ia 
the manufacture of gas engines. Scipio 
Baker is president, C. E. Patric, vice- 
president, Eandolph Coleman, secretaiy 
and Harry F. Snyder, treasurer. Em- 
ployment is given to about 100 men. 

LIGHTING & HEATING PLANTS. 

Gas. 

The improved system of lighting the 
city with gas dates back to 3850. The 
Springfield Gas, Light and Coal Com.pany 
was then organized, with Mr. E. C. 
Gwyn, Sr., as superintendent. The 
price was $6.00 per thousand. The 
Spring-field Gas and Coke Company was 
chartered in 1849, with a capital of 
$5,000, increased now imder the name of 
the Springfield Gas Company to $420,000. 
The original officers were Charles 
Anthony, president, and James S. Good, 
secretary. Afterwards John Kinsman & 
Co. purchased the business, and later 
Governor Bushnell became a very large 
stockholder. Finally the stock was pur- 
chased by eastern parties, who were like- 
wise the owners of the natural gas fran- 
chise. The plant for the manufacture of 
artificial gas was formerly on North 
Fountain Avenue, near the creek. 

In 1903-4 the new plant was erected in 
the western part of the city near the junc- 
tion of the Indianapolis and Cincinnati 
branches of the Big Four Eailway Com- 
pany. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



419 



Natural gas was introduced into 
Springfield about 1888, the original source 
of supply being in the gas fields of Mercer 
County. This supply became insufficient, 
and a line was extended to the Fairfield 
County fields. The price to private con- 
sumers is twenty-five cents a thousand, 
with a meter rent of $3.00 per year. 
Artificial gas is $1.00 per 1,000. The sup- 
ply has remained reasonably satisfactory. 

Electric Light. 

. William A. Scott, Theodore Troupe, 
Charles Pierce and others established an 
electric light plant in 1882 in the old 
Driscoll Carriage Factory. The original 
price was $150 per year for street arc 
lights. This has been very substantially 
reduced. An old church was purchased 
on the south side of Washington Street, 
east of Center, and a plant installed there. 
This plant was afterwards sold to the 
Peoples' Light, Heat & Power Company, 
and by them dismanteled. The franchise 
was first sold to the same parties that own 
and control the street railways, and then 
to the Peoples' Light, Heat & Power 
Company. 

Home Ligpiting, Power and Heating 
Company. 

This corporation was established in 
1901, with a capital of ^$175,000. It has 
for its purpose the furnishing of heat, 
power and light to private individuals, as 
well as to the city. E. S. Kelly is presi- 
dent and general manager. Alfred Cava- 
lier, recently deceased, was secretary and 
treasurer. This plant is located imme- 
diately north of the passenger depot of 
the Big Four Railway. 



The PeopijEs' Light, Heat & Power 
Company. 

This body was incorporated in 1905, 
with a capital of $2,000,000. Its object is 
the same as that of the Home Lighting, 
Power & Heating Company. John L. 
Zimmerman is president, L. M. Ferguson 
is vice president, W. W. Keifer secretary 
and Chai-les S. Kay general manager. At 
present there is considerable rivalry be- 
tween these two heat and power com- 
panies. This firm purchased the plant 
and franchise of the Springfield Electric 
Light Company. 

Ansted & BuEK — Barnett Flouring 
Mills. 

The Barnett flouring mills constitutes 
one of the oldest of the present industries 
of this city. At one time it might have 
been justly termed the leading and biggest 
of the establishments of our growing 
town. In 1841 Samuel and James Bar- 
nett, brothers, bought from Joseph Per- 
rin, Richard Rodgers and Jeremiah 
Warder the land and water power for the 
mill they immediately thereafter erected. 
In 1847 Samuel bought out his brother 
Jaines and conducted the business himself 
until 1859, when he was succeeded by his 
son W. A. Barnett and William Warder. 
The firm of Warder & Barnett ran the 
flouring business until it was sold vo 
Ansted & Burk in 1897. Mr. William 
Warder died some ten years previous to 
this date, and Mr. Barnett having passed 
the allotted three score and ten years, the 
business has been allowed to decline; 
probably the general depression in busi- 
ness from 1892 to 1897-8 had something 
to do with the matter. Colonel J. W. 



420 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Burk, the junior member of the new firm, 
is a liustling, stirring business man, and 
today this is one of the leading flouring 
mills of the state. Mr. Burk is now 
serving his second year as president of 
the United States Millers' Assoeiatiou. 
When the present firm purchased the 
plant it had a capacity of 150 to 200 bar- 
rels of flour per day. Now it has a daily 
capacity of from 800 to 900 barrels and, 
gives employment to fifty men. 

Three steel tanks were erected in 1903, 
each having a capacity of 25,000 bushels. 
In this latter year a new warehouse and 
an office building was added to the old 
mill, and all together constitute a very 
fine plant. The water power is one of the 
best in this part of the country. 

Stone akd Lime Industries. 

The splendid ledge of rocks of a lime- 
stone formation along the banks of Buck 
Creek and Mad River has made the stone 
and lime industry one of importance to 
the city of Springfield. The stone quar- 
ried is of excellent quality and is ex- 
tensively used for building purposes, 
mostly for the laying of foundations. 
However, when dressed, very handsome 
structures are made of this stone. The 
lime that is made from this rock forma- 
tion is not only of good texture, but pos- 
sesses a whiteness that is surpassed by 
none. Springfield lime is universally rec- 
ognized as being made from the best pos- 
sible formation of limestone rock to be 
foimd anywhere. This industry may 
have had more to with the early progress 
of the city of Springfield than we are now 
aware of. In the days before the advent 
of the steam railway the ease with which 



good building material could be secured 
would naturally be an influential factor in 
the growth of a new community. '\ATiile 
the quarries now located within the cor- 
porate limits of Springfield are worked, 
if at all, to but a limited extent, they 
earlier formed quite an industry of our 
growing village. It is not possible now 
to name many of the persons who were 
engaged in this industry, but in the '50s 
and early '60s we know that David 
Shatfer, who was then one of the enter- 
prising and thriving citizens of our town, 
ran the quarries on North Limestone 
Street, and possibly some on the west 
side of Fountain Avenue. After him 
came Christopher Thompson, another 
prominent citizen, who was for a time 
president of the Lagonda National Bank. 
He was succeeded by his son, William S. 
Thompson, who afterwards retired to a 
farm now owned by the Country Club and 
who, for many years, was a director in 
the Lagonda Bank. 

Mr. George H. Frey, Sr., who for a 
long time was active in many of Spring- 
field's important business enterprises 
and who is still living, being now past 
four-score years of age, for a time man- 
aged these quarries, which are now entire- 
ly abandoned. 

As early as 1850 J. L. and Ambrose 
Pettigrew, brothers, began the stone busi- 
ness by opening up a quarry on North 
Plum Street, which is still slightly used. 
For many years they were actively en- 
gaged in the stone and lime business. 
During the time that these quarries were 
in operation, four and six-horse wood- 
wagons could be seen almost daily in 
various parts of the county, each with a 
four or five-cord load of wood, pursuing 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



421 



their way toward Springfield. This 
wood was used in the burning of lime and 
these lime manufacturers became pur- 
chasers of much of the surplus wood that 
was cut away in making clearings to ac- 
commodate the growing community. 

The Pettigrew brothers died some ten 
years ago and very little has been done 
in this direction since that time. Going- 
west from the city we find an old quarry 
down the river immediately west of the 
old Rubsam Mill. This quarry has been 
worked for a good many years, latterly 
by J. W. Rubsam, but it is only operated 
to a limited extent at this time. In the 
vicinity of Durbin the industry has had 
a more vigorous growth than in any other 
part of the county ; in fact, practically all 
the stone and lime business is conducted 
now by three firms at this place, to-wit, 
the Mills Brothers, the H. L. Moores 
Company and the Moore? Lime Company. 
Formerly a man by the name of Digan 
conducted quarries in this vicinity, and 
for a long time A. L. Holcomb was the 
owner of the quarries now operated by the 
Moores people. Mr. Holcomb for many 
years was active in this industry. He has 
been dead some eighteen years. The 
Moores Lime Company at present does 
considerable business, principally making 
lime and shipping it, employing seventy 
to eighty men. The Mills Brothers, 
William, Jr., and R. R., owned a" quarry 
situated where Limestone City is now 
located. Their business is quite extensive, 
employing from eighty to ninety men. 
George Sintz was for a time in the busi- 
ness here. 

J. "VV. Jenkins is interested in the 
quarry work near Durbin. Along the 
Dayton Pike, on this side of the railroad 



crossing, is the old Paden Quarry. For a 
number of years past stone has been 
taken therefrom by Mr. Samuel Taylor. 
Not much is being done there at this 
time. On Mill Creek Valley, not far from 
what is known as the Rebert Pike, An- 
drew Rebert for many years was actively 
engaged in the stone business. 

Quite an excavation was made in the 
stone ledge along the west bank of this 
creek. Some years ago this old aban- 
doned quarry was purchased by P. E. 
Montanus, a prominent manufacturer of 
our city, and an embankment was thrown 
up around the lower part of it, and it now 
furnishes a splendid lake. 

In later years the stone quarries that 
were located along the railroads are most 
prosperous and no doubt will continue to 
be operated for years to come. 

Springfield Breweries. 

About 1890, or within a few years 
thereafter, two old breweries went under 
English control. The Vorce & Blee brew- 
ery, located on East Columbia Street, 
near Spring, was established in 1840. The 
Engert & Dinkel brewery, which is on 
the corner of Penn and Section Streets, 
was established in 1849. All of the orig- 
inal proprietors of these institutions have 
passed away some years ago and they are 
now conducted by an English corporation. 
Lewis Phillips is secretary and treasurer. 

The Home City Brewing Company was 
incorporated in 1905, with a capital of 
$100,000. The plant is located at the 
northwest corner of Main and Bell Ave- 
nue. J. L. Coleman is president and 
Jacob Solenberger secretary and treas- - 
urer. 



422 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



SUMMARY OF INDUSTRIAL 
MATTERS. 

Under the above heading we have par- 
ticularized a considerable number of our 
leading manufacturing establishments. 
No doubt we may have missed some that 
deserve to be mentioned, but lack of space 
prevents us from going into further de- 
tail. 

In the November number of the "Ohio 
Magazine" appears an article by W. S. 
Thomas, in which he has grouped and 
mentioned the industries of this town. 
The first division he makes is that of ag- 
ricultural implements, eleven in number, 
namely : 

"Buckeye Feed Mill Company, Cham- 
pion Division of the International Har- 
vester Company, D. D. Funk, P. P. Mast 
& Company, 0. S. Kelly Company, Foos 
Manufacturing Company, Superior Divi- 
sion of the American Seeding Machine 
Company, Mast, Foos & Company, 
Thomas Manufacturing Company, White- 
ley Co-operative Company, E. W. Ross 
Company. 

"The foregoing factories employ 4,200 
men and 200 women, using a capital of 
about $6,000,000. and with an annual 
product of about $8,000,000. 

Machinery, Materials and Supplies. 

' ' The thirteen factories ' in this group 
produce gray iron, malleable iron and 
brass castings, machine and shop tools, 
emery wheels, steel wheels and nails. 
This group contains thirteen factories as 
follows : 

"Nolte Brass Company, Springfield 
Brass Company, Corrugated Steel Nail 



Company, Fairbanks Company, Owen Ma- 
chine Tool Company, Springfield Machine 
Tool Company, Springfield Malleable 
Iron Company, Safety Emery Wheel 
Company, Bettendorf Metal Wheel Com- 
pany, Western Manufacturing Company, 
Webster & Perks Company, Robbins & 
Myers Company, Webster Manufacturing 
Company. 

' ' These factories employ 1,750 men and 
fifty women, use $2,100,000 capital, and 
their annual output is valued at $3,000,- 
000. 

Gas and Steam Enginei Group. 

"Steam engines, portable, threshing 
and stationary, have been built here for 
some years, and engines of some kind are 
now made by seven different factories. 
This group comprises seven factories as 
follows : 

"Miller Improved Gas Engine Com- 
pany, James Leffel & Company, Foos 
Gas Engine Company, Springfield Gas 
Engine Company, Superior Gas Engine 
Company, Trump Manufacturing Com- 
pany, Gearless Gas Engine Company. 

"They employ 650 men, using $900,000 
capital, with an annual product of $1,300,- 
000. 

Iron and Steel Products. 

"The twenty-four factories in this 
group make furnaces, stoves, iron work, 
bridges, iron fences, fire escapes, boiler 
cleaners, railroad frogs, switches, etc., 
clothes wringers, trucks, undertakers' 
hardware, electrical specialties, sheet 
metal work, plumbers' supplies, boilers, 
roller-bearing axles, wire bale ties, sad- 
dlery, hardware, etc. There are now 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



428 



twenty-four factories in this group as fol- 
lows: 

"American Grain Meter Company, 
Bayonet Trolley Harp Company, D. L. 
Casey Machine Company, Consolidated 
Novelty Manufacturing Company, George 
G. Eogers, Springfield Heating &■ Ventil- 
ating Company, F. N. Sterling Novelty 
Company, Peet & Schuster Company, 
Electrical Construction Supply Company, 
K. W. Dixon Company, Progress Furnace 
& Stove Company, Indianapolis Frog & 
Switch Company, Lagonda Manufactur- 
ing Company, William Bayley Company, 
Hennessy Foundry Company, American 
Eadiator Company, Shawver Company, 
W. C. Downey Company, L. Patric Fur- 
nace Company, Wickham & Chapman 
Company, W. F. Bauroth & Brother, 
' Thomas Eoherts, the Gray Iron Casting 
Company, National Motor Company. 

"They employ 900 men, using $800,000 
capital, and their annual product is 
$1,400,000. 

Manufactxtring Publishers. 

"All business being so dependent upon 
some kind of advertising, it is quite 
natural to find here a group of enterpris- 
ing publishers, printers, lithographers, 
engravers, binders, etc., who are issuing 
three daily, five weekly, two farm papers, 
besides printed books and circulars by 
the million, to be sent all over the world, 
and every piece of which makes Spring- 
field known to some one. This group con- 
tains fifteen houses as follows: 

"The Winters Company, Springfield 
Publishing Company, Transcript Com- 
pany, Springfield Bindery, E. L. Barrett 
&■ Sons, Barrett Brothers, Crowell Com- 



pany, Sun Publishing Company, Spring- 
field Engraving Company, T. E. Harwood 
& Company, Gazette Company, Poultry 
Success Company, Simmons Publishing 
Company, Thomas Stationery Company, 
the Springfield Daily News. 

' ' These establishments employ 450 men 
and 350 women, using $650,000 capital, 
and with $1,000,000 annual product. 

Manxtfactueing Florists. 

"There are twelve of these houses in 
Springfield, with a growing trade 
throughout the country ; one of them alone 
is selling two and one-half millions of rose 
plants each year. The twelve firms in this 
trade are as follows : 

"Highland Floral Company, McGregor 
Brothers Company, George H. Mellen 
Company, Goode & Eeese Company, A. E. 
Aldrieh, C. L. Eeese, T. A. McBeth, J. L. 
Maxwell, John A. Doyle & Company, 
Schmidt & Botley, Leedle Floral Com- 
pany, Springfield Floral Company. 

"They employ 300 men and seventy-five 
women, using a capital of $250,000, and 
their annual sales amount to $500,000. 

Medicine, Chemical and Coffin 
Companies. 

"This group comprises four medicine 
companies, one embalming fluid company 
and two coffin factories, making seven 
industries in all as follows: 

' ' Springfield Metallic Casket Company, 
Springfield Coffin Casket Company, Cham- 
pion Chemical Company, Herb Medicine 
Company, Scientific Eemedy Company, 
Higgins Drug Company, the Myers Com- 
pany. 



424 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



"They employ 400 men and seventy- 
five women, using a capital of $600,000, 
and their annual product is $1,000,000. 

General Factories. 

"Springfield also has nine large fac- 
tories, each one having a specialty of its 
own. They consist of one gas plant, two 
electric light plants, one rubber factory, 
one rubber tire plant, two breweries, one 
road roller company and one automobile 
factory. The product of each is well in- 
dicated by its name as follows : 

"Home Brewing Company, Springfield 
Breweries Company, Spring-field Gas 
Company, the People's Light, Heat & 
Power Company, the Victor Rubber Com- 
pany, Spring-field Eubber Tire Company, 
the Home Light, Heat & Power Company, 
the Kelly-Springfield Road Roller Com- 
pany, the Oscar Lear Automobile Com- 
pany. 

* ' They employ 600 men, use a capital of 
$1,800,000, and their annual product and 
receipts are about $1,500,000. 

Miscellaneous Factories. 

"There are seventy-two of them as fol- 
lows: 

"A Stelzer, Allbright Lamp Company, 
Beckley & Myers Ice Company, Bryant & 
Moore Company, Central Brass & Fixture 
Company, Compton Manufacturing Com- 
pany, Cottage Bakery, "W. D. Follrath & 
Company, Hendrickson & Pettigrew, the 
National Biscuit Company, Champion 
Saratoga Chip Company, J. Redmond & 
Son, H. M. Balentine, Lagonda Box Com- 
pany, the Greene Manufacturing Com- 
pany, Springfield Planing Mill Company, 



Houck Brick Company, Mills Brothers, 
Springtield Mattress Company, J. W. 
Parmenter, H. Y. Bretney & Company, 
Finch Shoe Company, H. Fehl, Buckeye 
Incubator Company, Fay Manufacturing 
Company, W. T. Parker' Manufacturing 
Company, the Mentels, Springfield Coal 
& lee Company, Garnier Brothers, Snyder 
Brothers, Ansted & Burk Company, 
Springfield Tent & Awning Company, 
Mark A. Smith, Moore Lime Company, 
Clark Paper Box Companj^, A. Grube & 
Son, the Reama Silver Plate Company, A. 
Kahrman & Son, Grube Brothers, Home 
City Planing Mill Company, John W. 
Jenkins, Kennard Manufacturing Coiu- 
pany, McCuUoch Company, E. N. Miller, 
Standard Trimmer Company, Ohio Gar- 
ment Company, Reed Manufacturing 
Company, the Ridgeley Trimmer Com- 
pany, Select Telephone Manufacturing 
Company, the Sterling Manufacturing 
Company, Springfield Baking Company, 
Springfield Pure Milk Company, "W. Z. 
Long, Kuqua & Sons, M. C. Russell 
Cement Company, E. Davenport, Wads- 
worth Engraving Company, Twentieth 
Century Novelty Company, John W. Col- 
lins, Henkie Manufacturing Company, C. 
B. Hutchins, C. F. Hutchins, C. F. jack- 
son Stove Company, King Top Manufac- 
turing Company, C. M. Long Cement 
Company, H. H. Moores Company, Ed- 
ward Nelson, Pauly Brothers, Rat Biscuit 
Company, A. M. Rawlins Lumber Com- 
pany, R. D. Tittle Pattern Company, 
Henry Voll, Thomas Wall & Son. 

"These factories employ 1,000 men and 
300 women, use a capital of $1,400,000, 
and their present product amounts to 
$2,100,000, annually growing larger. ' ' 

This same author sums up as follows: 



AND EEPRESG^TATIV^E CITIZENS, 



425 



"Finally, to drive home the argument 
in favor of Industrial Springfield, I may 
cite these potent facts : 

"Springfield makes more agricultural 
implements than any other city in the 
world, excepting only Chicago. 

"Springfield has twenty acres under 
roof in green-houses and one of these is 
the largest rose grower in the world. 

"Springfield produces more manufac- 
tured goods in proportion to its popula- 
tion than any other city in America. 

"Springfield manufactures seventy -five 
per cent, of all the piano plates used in 
the United States and Canada. 

"Springfield mails more second-class 
matter than any city in Ohio, except only 
Cincinnati and Cleveland. 

"Springfield is one of the largest pro- 
ducers of gas and gasoline engines." 

MercantjIjE Affairs. 

Springfield has never taken much of a 
position as a distributing center for mer- 
chandise; indeed, tha commercial activity 
of the town is so over-shadowed by the 
manufacturing industries that all others 
appear insignificant. At this time, as 
stated by Mr. Sharpe in an article in the 
Ohio Magazine, there are sixteen estab- 
lishments in Springfield that may be 
classed as of a wholesale character. The 
principal of these are three wholesale 
grocery establishments, one notion house, 
one tobacco and cigar house and some 
commission houses. 

In 1882 James Carson and D. Q. Fox 
came to Spring-field from Xenia, and im- 
der the name of Carson & Fox purchased 
the wholesale grocery business that had 
been conducted for some years previous 



to this time by Charles H. Bacon, and be- 
fore his time by Horr and Bacon. Their 
place of business was on the northeast 
corner of Washington and Limestone 
Streets. Carson & Fox continued busi- 
ness for fourteen years, having dissolved 
in 1896. Each partner established a new 
house of his own; one, known as James 
Carson & Company, is located in a build- 
ing which the firm owns immediately 
north of the Kelly Building, occupied by 
the "News." 

D. Q. Fox formed a company, and this 
company now conducts its business in the 
Kelly Building before referred to. 

In 1895 Steele, Hopkins & Meredith 
came to Springfield and purchased the 
establishment that had been run for a few 
years, owned by B. F. Funk & Company. 

In 1901 and 1902 this firm purchased 
ground on West High Street, between 
Fountain Avenue and Center, and erected 
thereon their present commodious build- 
ing. 

L. W. Bosart & Company have a whole- 
sale tobacco house located on East Main 
Street, near the first alley east of Lime- 
stone. 

The Springfield Paper & Merchandise 
Company was organized about 1895 by 
David King. Its place of business is on 
North Limestone Street, in the Winger 
Building. Other wholesale houses in the 
tobacco field might be mentioned: Leo 
Bretzenfelder, Garnier Brothers, August 
Stelzer and others in that line. 

The Springfield Confectionery Com- 
I)any wholesales in its line. C. T. Crum is 
the moving spirit in this business. It is 
located on South Limestone Street, not 
far from High. A number of other firms 
may wholesale in a small way, but the 



426 



HTSTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



wholesale business is all of comparatively 
recent date. 

• RETAILERS. 

It being impossible in a woi^k of tliis 
kind to give all the present retailers, we 
will mention some few in the past who 
have transacted business in the city. 

Gkocery. 

Among the old established groceries 
was that of the J. D. Stewart Company. 
This grocery establishment existed in the 
city of Spring-field from 1860 until the 
present year. The owner was quite a 
character in his time. He had an unfor- 
tunate habit of becoming intoxicated, but 
he was a shrewd business man, and it was 
a common saying that "Jim Stewart 
knew more drunk than a great many 
people did sober." The grocery was on 
the west side of South Limestone Street, 
where the Zimmerman Building is now 
located. After Mr. Stewart's death it 
was run by R. N. Stewart until this year, 
when he made an assignment and was 
wound up. Another old time grocery was 
that kept by Mr. Charles H. Shaffer at 
No. 51 East Main Street, and afterwards 
on South Limestone Street. Mr. Shaffer 
some years ago sold out his business and 
recently died (1907). Along in 1865 and 
'70 Frederick Zischler kept a grocery 
store about midway between High and 
Main on the east side of Fountain Avenue, 
and was very largely patronized. Other 
establishments have come and gone. To- 
day the town has what might be expected 
of it in this line for a city of its size. John 
. Funk, Sr., an active business man of this 



city from 1850-1880, built the building on 
the southwest corner of Main and Center 
Streets, and with his sons, Henry, C. C. 
and John, carried on a grocery there. 

Dey Goods. 

Twenty-five or thirty years ago tliree 
stores had the principal dry goods busi- 
ness of the city. Baldwin's was located 
on the northwest corner of Limestone and 
Main Streets. The principal proprietors 
were John H. Baldwin, who died in 1881, 
and Henry Baldwin, recently deceased, 
who was a son of Jonah Baldwin, a 
pioneer resident of this town. This house 
went out of existence shortly after the 
death of the senior Baldwin. 

The Murphys had a store in Spring- 
field for a good many years. The senior, 
James Murphy, came here in 1844 and 
established the business, and upon his 
death it was taken up by his sons, Wil- 
liam R. and James W., and continued un- 
til 1895. It was a popular establishment 
and well patronized. 

No house in the dry goods line is better 
remembered than that of the Blacks, 
Robert T. Black conducting a dry goods 
establishment in this city as early as 1847. 
At this date Andrew C. Black, who after- 
wards ran the store, came to Springfield 
and became a partner of Robert T., who 
was a brother. "William M., another 
brother, afterwards became a member of 
the firm. For some time the Blacks con- 
ducted a dry goods establishment in the 
old Trappers Corner, where Levy's 
Clothing House is now located. The busi- 
ness was continued as Blacks' Store for a 
number of rears after William Black 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



427 



died, but the establishment has now gone 
out of existence. 

At present the dry goods trade is large- 
ly controlled by two establishments. In 
3873 the Kinnanes, father and sons, Ed- 
ward, John and James, and Edward 
Wren, a son-in-law, established a store in 
the Commercial Building. This was con- 
ducted for some years as Kinnane & Wren ; 
afterwards the partnership dissolved and 
Mr. Wren conducted the business alone at 
the old stand until the department house 
was erected on East High Street, now oc- 
cupied by the Edward Wren Company. 
After the dissolution of Kinnane & Wren 
the Kinnane brothers, John, Edward and 
James, moved into the new Bushnell 
Building, and although the two senior 
members of the firm have since died, the 
business still continues in charge of 
James, a brother, and John, Jr., a son 
of John, Sr., deceased. Both of these 
stores have a very large assortment of 
articles in the dry goods line. 

In a smaller way Mr. Sullivan deals in 
dry goods on the northwest corner of 
Limestone and High, the location of the 
old Baldwin Store. 

Clothing. 

From the sixties to the nineties Abra- 
ham Lessner kept a clothing store located 
where the Springfield Hardware Store is 
now located, opposite where Jason Phil- 
lips, Sr., had a tailor store on East Main 
Street. About the same time a Jew by the 
name of Kauffman, designated as "Pop 
Eye," kept a clothing store on Main 
Street. Others of that period have passed 
away. 

M. M. Kauffman, who recentlv died 



(1907), had a large store in the Commer- 
cial Building on South Limestone Street 
and was in the clothing business in this 
town for a number of years. 

Another old establishment in the same 
line is that of M. D. Levy & Sons, located 
on the southwest corner of Fountain Ave- 
nue and Main Street. This firm has like- 
wise been in the town for many years. 
During the 'SOs and '90s the Eemsberg 
Brothers conducted a clothing store on E. 
Main Street, two doors west of Limestone. 

J. M. Knote has been in the business 
for a good many years. A present large 
establishment in that line, in addition to 
the Kauffmans and Levys, is the 
"'\'VIien," which came here some twelve 
or fifteen years ago and located on the 
southeast corner of High and Fountain. 

Kredel & Alexander conduct a very 
creditable establishment on East Main 
Street, near the Springfield Hardware 
Store. 

Druggists. 

Ludlow's Drug Store was one of the 
leading stores in that line for a half-cen- 
tury or more. The original founder* Dr. 
John Ludlow, was born in Springfield in 
ISIO, and a long and active life identified 
him with many of the prominent interests 
of the town. In later years he was suc- 
ceeded in the drug business by his son 
Charles, and the store was located on East 
Main Street, not far from Limestone. It 
has gone out of existence some ten years. 

For a long time William T. Smith car- 
ried on the drug business on Fountain 
Avenue opposite the Odd Fellows Build- 
ing. He recently (1907) died. 

In 1868 Dr. T. J. Casper established his 



,428 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



pharmacy at No. 41 East Main Street and 
for forty years has eoutiuiTed in business 
at that location. In 1869 the old building 
on the southeast corner of Fountain Ave- 
nue and Main Street was torn down and 
subsequently a drug store was established 
by Kidenour & Cobelantz. Within a few 
years thereafter Mr. Theodore Troupe be- 
came the proprietor, and still continues 
to ti'ansact business there. 

Jewelees. 

Forty or forty-five years ago A. Aron 
established on the north side of Main 
Street, not far from Fountain Avenue, a 
jewelry store. He continued in business 
there for some years and afterwards re- 
moved on the south side of Main Street, 
opposite the Bushnell Building, and con- 
tinued there until his death. The business 
is now run by his son. John H. Mulhol- 
land commenced the jewelry business in 
the city of Springfield in 1856 and con- 
tinued in that line until he lost his life by 
the burning of Black's Opera House in 
1903. He had his store in several parts 
of the city and was a leader in his line. 

Mr. C. C. Fried practically commenced 
the jewelry business in Springfield , in 
1858, when he served an apprentice under 
a Mr. Grossman. Afterwards he worked 
for B. Allen and for John P. Allen. In 
1872 he opened his own store and conduct- 
ed that until his death in 1907. The busi- 
ness is now conducted by his son and is 
located on East Main Street, a few doors 
east of Fountain Avenue. Other leading 
establishments in that line at the present 
day in Springfield might be mentioned as 
Hofman & Company and Margileth & Mc- 
Farland. Ben Allen and John P. Allen 



for a long time Avere engaged in this busi- 
ness. John P. is still living. 

Shoes. 

Among the prominent dealers in shoes 
might be mentioned John A. Reifsnider, 
who came to Spring-field in 1854, and 
about the time the Civil War broke out 
he established the business. In 1863 he 
was joined by his brother, and Reif- 
snider 's Shoe Store was one of the best 
known in Springfield. 

In 1868 Mr. E. S. S. Rouse established 
a shoe store on Fountain Avenue and con- 
tiimed in that business until along in the 
'90s, when he was succeeded by 0. 0. 
Rouse and J. W. Parsons, and a few 
years thereafter this firm ceased to do 
business. 

Herbert S. Huffman conducted a shoe 
store for a while on East Main Street, 
not far from the Kiser Building. After- 
wards Starkey & Scowden established a 
large shoe store in the Arcade. Mr. 
Scowden having embarked in other busi- 
ness, Starkey became the sole proprietor 
until his death (1905), when it was dis- 
posed of and is now owned by Mr. Nisley. 

Among the old established and well 
known dealers in shoes the name of 
George liorner, father of Judge William 
R. Horner, should not be omitted, as he 
was in business for a long time in this 
city, latterly having a store on West Main 
Street, not far from Center. Among the 
present shoe stores are Oscar Young on 
East Main Street, Routzahn & Wright on 
Fountain Avenue and Horner Brothers, 
grandsons of George, conduct a store in 
the Bookwalter Building on Limestone 
Street. Stimmel & Powers conduct a 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



429 



store on West High Street, not far from 
Fountain Avenue. Ben Best for a time 
"cobbled" while not performing- the 
onerous duties of city marshal. 

Meats, Etc. 

The pioneers in this line were William 
Grant and John Leuty. William Grant 
was an Englishman and came to Spring- 
field in 1836 and established himself in the 
meat business. He continued here his en- 
tire lifetime. His sons, William and 
Martin, now continue the business in a 
store on West High Street, opposite the 
Arcade. 

John Leuty was likewise an English- 
man and came to this city in 1833 and 
afterwards became a partner of William 
Grant, whose sister became his wife. 
They were partners for twenty-five or 
more years. The store is still continued 
by his son, James L., on Fotmtain Avenue, 
not far from High Street. Other persons 
in former times who engaged in this busi- 
ness, it being continued in some cases by 
their sons, were the Weigels, on East 
Main Street, and the Krausses on South 
Taylor Street, and Jolm Swonger was in 
this business for a number of years and is 
still living, aged ninety-two years. Wil- 
liam Detrick was likewise for a long time 
engaged in the same business. Aaron 
Reeder was also in the meat business. Al- 
most all the large packing houses now 
have branches in this city. 

The Leutys conduct an abattoir on 
North Plum Street; the Grants have one 
on North Bechtle Avenue, and Mr. Steve 
Huffman has one not far from the loca- 
tion of the Grants. No general packing 
business is done in this city. 

34 



LivBEY Men. 

Among the livery men that may be 
mentioned who were prominent in this 
city twenty-five years ago was Benjamin 
HoUoway. He commenced the business in 
this town in 1845 and continued until his 
death. He had a stable in various parts 
of the city; latterly it was located where 
Wren's Department House is now. He 
was succeeded by his son Christy, and 
after his death, which occurred about 
1892, the business passed into other hands. 
Along in the '60s and continuing until the 
building of the Soldiers' Monument, Mr. 
Charles Cathcart conducted a livery 
stable east from the Court House. For a 
long time Nimrod and Edward Myers con- 
ducted a livery stable on North Lime- 
stone Street, immediately north of the St. 
James Building, which is still occupied 
for that purpose. 

In 1865 S. and A. Deffenbaugh opened 
a livery stable on North Limestone Street, 
immediately opposite the Myers stable, 
and continued in that business until they 
sold out to Henry Erter some ten or fif- 
teen years ago. The building was sold 
to Captain Amaziah Winger, who tore it 
down. Mr. Erter continued in business 
in the new buildingj where the "Sun" of- 
fice is now located, until 1906, when this 
old livery site passed out of existence. 
Some ten years ago Isaac Johnson erected 
a livery barn on South Spring Street, 
where John 0. Swords now conducts a 
livery barn. On the same street, a few 
doors north, Joe O'Brien has a livery 
barn. In 1898 the late John S. Foster 
built a livery stable immediately south of 
the Court House. This property after- 
wards was purchased by David Carter & 



430 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Son, who continue the business. John S. 
Foster in the meantime built a stable on 
West Columbia Street, a short distance 
west of Fountain Avenue, which is still 
conducted by his son, John K. 

Away back in the '40s and '50s Charles 
Stout, the father of Mr. Stout who is now 
secretary of the Springfield Building and 
Loan Association, ran a livery stable on 
AYest Main Street, not far from the loca- 
tion of George Derrickson's joresent 
stable. Afterwards, along in the '60s, 
Josiah Driscoll built the Derrickson 
Stable, and for thirty or more years, until 
his death in 1895, Driscoll 's Livery Stable 
was considered among the best in the city, 
Mr. Driscoll himself giving supervision 
over the management. Upon his death it 
was purchased by the present owner, 
Greorge Derrickson. 

Hatteks. 

P. E. Bancroft, recently deceased, was 
an old time merchant of this city. He 
commenced business practically at the 
place where he continued until his death, 
in 1907, in 1851. His business is con- 
tinued by his son Bobert, and is located a 
few doors east of Fountain Avenue on 
Main Street. Other persons engaged at 
present in the hat business may be men- 
tioned as 0. F. Hypes, who has a store 
in the Bookwalter Building; J. S. Bethel, 
located in the Fisher Building, and John 
Sullivan, in the old Sharpe Building on 
South Limestone Street. 

Joshua Gore, for a long time a citizen 
of this place, about 1840 conducted a hard- 
ware store, afterwards a dry goods estab- 
lishment and later in life a hat store on 
East Main Street, with Herbert Huffman 



a partner. He died in 1893. Herbert L. 
Huffman was a native of Clark County, 
and died in 1900. 

HiRDWAEE Stokes, Etc. 

For a long time in the '6O3 and early 
'70s Doty & Rhinehart conducted a hard- 
ware store where the Woods Brothers are 
now located on East Main Street in the 
Kizer Building. This store afterwards 
])assed into the hands of the Hamilton 
Brothers, William and Fin, who continued 
the operation of this bi^siness until the 
latter part of the '80s. It was one of the 
leading stores of its time. About the 
same time that Doty had his store, ]\fajor 
Brown and William B. Baker had a hard- 
ware store on Main Street in the building 
immediately west of the Bushnell Build- 
iag. Later the Spi'ingfield Hardware 
Store was established in the room vacated 
by the post office, where the Gotwald 
Building is now located, on the southeast 
corner of Limestone and Main. Phil 
Wiseman and J. S. Kitchen were the prin- 
cipal proprietors. William Diehl died in 
1894 and was in the hardware business a 
long time in this city. He founded the es- 
tablishment now conducted by his son 
Wallace, immediately west of the First 
Presbyterian Church. 

Shortly before the death of Mr. Diehl 
he and his son George conducted a hard- 
ware store in the building immediately 
west of that occupied by the Elder & Tut- 
tle establishment. From the sign of the 
Lion on the roof the Lion hardware was 
so called. U. H. Gurney, George Eberly 
and Forest Eice ai-e largely interested in 
his firm. 

In the earlv '90s D. N. Elder and Caleb 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



431 



Tuttle, under the firm of Elder & Tuttle, 
established the hardware store now called 
the Vulcan on East Main Street. About 
the same time the Springfield Hardware 
Store was established in its present quar- 
ters in the Zimmerman Building. Henry 
Wiseman is the moving spirit recently. 
Charles H. Bigler is connected with this 
firm. 

John Hugel and E. S. Heiserman con- 
duct a hardware store on East Main 
Street, opposite the Bushnell Building. 
Mr. Hugel Avas for a long time clerk in the 
Hamilton store. W. F. Tuttle & Co. have 
a, store on Fountain Avenue, opposite the 
King Building. 

Books and Book Bindemes. 

John D. Smith came to Spring-field as 
early as 1837 ; he left, but returned about 
1844 and opened a book binding and book 
establishment in Trappers corner, and 
continued there for some sixteen years. 
In 1879 J. D. Smith & Co. was formed. 
He afterwards conducted the same with 
his son-in-law, E. T. Thomas, in a build- 
ing where the Bushnell Building is now 
located. Upon his death the plant was 
purchased by the Springfield Bindery. 

The Barretts began a blank book and 
book binding establishment in this city, 
their business being founded about 1860 
by the senior, E. L. Barrett. It is now 
divided among his sons, one branch pub- 
lishing blanks for township officers and 
the other those for the Probate Court and 
the Court of Common Pleas. C. H. Pierce 
came to this city in 1857 and first opened 
a news stand in the post office, which was 
located in the old building on the Gotwald 
corner, and afterwards succeeded to the 
newspaper business of J. D Nichols. Mr. 



Pierce commenced iu a small way, hand- 
ling the Cincinnati newspapers, deliv- 
ering them for a time from house to 
house, and finally established the pres- 
ent business, which is conducted by his 
son Roscoe and others in the Odd Fel- 
lows' Building. During the seventies 
Rev. J. W. Gunn conducted a book store 
in the room immediately west of the alley 
across from the Bushnell Building, now 
occupied by S. T. Font's candy store. 
The following gives the number of lead- 
ing establishments of our city : 

Bakeries, 28; boots and shoes, 13; 
blacksmith shops, 14; cigars, etc., 38; 
clothing, 16; coal dealers, 24; confection- 
eries, 25; daily markets, etc., 60; duggists, 
22; dry goods, 3; feed stores, 10; florists 
24; furniture dealers, 10; grocers, 155 
hardware, 9; hats, 12; livery stables, 14 
lumber dealers, 9; men's furnishings, 13 
millinery, 16; photographers, 10; printer, 
books, etc., 18; restaurants, 27; wall 
paper, 9 ; watches, jewelry, etc., 14. 

CEMETERIES. 

"One mom I miss'd him on the 'custom 'd 
hill. 
Along the heath, and near his favorite 
tree; 
Another came — nor yet beside the rill. 
Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was 
he. 

"The next, with dirges due, in sad array. 
Slow through the church-way path we 
saw him borne. 
Approach and read (for thou can'st read) 
the lay 
Graved on the stone beneath yon aged 
thorn. 



432 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



"Here rests Ms head upon the lap of 
earth, 
A youth, to fortune and to fame un- 
known. 
Fair Science frown 'd not on his humble 
birth, 
And Melancholy mark'd him for her 
own. 

"Large was his bounty, and his soul sin- 
cere : 
Heaven did a recompense as largely 
send: 
He gave to Misery all he had — a tear ; 
He gain'd from Heaven ('twas all he 
wish'd) a friend. 

"No farther seek his merits to disclose, 
Or draw his frailties from their dread 
abode, 
(There they alike in trembling hope re- 
pose). 
The bosom of his Father and his God." 
(Gray's Elegy.) 

Columbia Street. 

When James Demint made his plat in 
the city of Springfield Septepiber 5, 1803, 
three lots were reserved as a burial 
ground. This is what now constitutes the 
old burial ground or graveyard located 
west of Center Street on Columbia. Un- 
til the year 1844 this was used as a public 
burial ground for the city. In earlier 
times it was common for persons through- 
out the country district to have small 
burial lots located on their own farms, 
which they used as a burial ground for the 
family, and consequently not so many 
were buried then in the city burial ground 
as is now the case. This old plot of 



ground has been abandoned for the use 
of burial purposes for a number of years. 
Frequently it has been proposed that the 
dead should be taken up and re-interred 
in Ferncliti", or some other suitable place, 
but to this there have always been some 
objections, resulting probably more from 
the disinclination to disturb the final rest- 
ing place of those old settlers than from 
any other reason. 

Geeenmouiv^t Cemetery. 

In 1842 or '43 the City Council made 
arrangements to purchase a tract of land 
which was then far outside of the city 
limits beyond the railroad along the Na- 
tional Pike. This property was trans- 
ferred to the city in 1845 by Cyrus Arm- 
strong. For many years Greenmount 
Cemetery was the popular place of burial 
for the citizens of Springfield and the im- 
mediate locality. A dwelling house for 
the use of the sexton was built in 1868. 
The space allotted for burial purposes in 
this cemetery has been practically all 
taken, and it is scarcely ever now used 
for burial purposes. Louis Kindle was 
superintendent from 1862 until his death 
in the '90s, Lewis E. Staley being the 
present superintendent. 

Ferncliff Cemetery. 

The rapid growth of the city soon made 
it evident that the space occupied by 
Greenmount Cemetery would not long 
avail for the burial of the dead of our city 
and community, so on June 13, 1863, the 
matter was brought up before the City 
Council by Mr. William Warder. A com- 
mittee was afterwards appointed from the 





CITY HOSPITAL, SPRINGFIELD 



I ML \\"ARI)I':R I'LliLlC LIl'.RARV, STRLXGl-M ELD 





MASONIC HO^IE, SPRINGFIELD 



CLARK COUNTY CHILDRENS' HOME 





LAGONDA CLUB, SPRINGI-IELD 



Y. W. C. A. BUILDING, SPRINGFIELD 



A.^D REPRESteNTATIVE CITIZENS. 



various wards to take the matter under 
consideration, and on August 3d these 
committees made reports and a plan of 
organization was adopted. The amount 
of stock was limited to $10,000 in shares 
of $300 each. A special act of incorpora- 
tion was passed in the Legislature in 1848 
and a constitution and by-laws were after- 
wards adopted. The subscriptions were 
in the nature of a loan and were to be 
paid back with interest out of a sale of 
lots. The original officers were Dr. 
Eobert Eodgers, S. A. Bowman and D. 
Shaffer, trustees for three years ; G. S. 
Foos and Chandler Eobbins for two years 
and William Warder and John Ludlow, 
trustees for one year.' 

In 1863 seventy acres of ground were 
purchased for $7,000 from the heirs of 
Henry Bechtel. The grounds were dedi- 
cated in 1864. Hon. Sampson Mason pre- 
sided and the grounds were dedicated by 
the Eev. Samuel Sprecher. Travellers 
who have had ample opportunity to pass 
upon such matters have said that the en- 
trance to this beautiful city of the dead 
along the north banks of Buck Creek, be- 
neath the overhanging rocks, was sur- 
passed by no other piece of natural 
scenery the world over. Not only in this 
entrance, but the general contour and 
elevation of the land is such as to adapt 
it most beautifully to the purpose to which 
it is consecrated, and our citizens may 
be justly proud of the place they have 
prepared for the final repose of those who 
are no longer makers of our city's his- 
tory. A number of very fine monuments 
have heen placed in various parts of the 
groimds. The mausoleums of John W. 
Bookwalter, Governor Bushnell, P. P. 
Mast and W. H. Blee are works of art 



435 

and add much to enhance the natural 
beauty of the place. 

A massive granite shaft indicates the 
solid character of the late John H. 
Thomas, and a huge block of granite well 
attests the last resting place of the city's 
benefactors, J. and D. L. Snyder. 

It would be impossible to enumerate the 
many other appropriate ' and beautiful 
monuments that adorn the last resting 
place of the many persons who have been 
buried in various places throughout these 
grounds. 

Near the center a little mound is set 
apart for the burial of Clark County's 
soldiers, of whom 208 lie buried there at 
this time. The association now owns 
about 170 acres of ground, not more than 
fifty acres of which is used at this time 
for burial purposes. The number of 
burials that have been made in these 
grounds up to November 8, 1907, was 11,- 
796. The annual expenditure is some- 
where in the neighborhood of $10,000. It 
is kept up from sales of lots and interest 
on an endowment fund of $45,000. 

Many of our citizens have from time to 
time served upon the Board of Trustees. 
A little lake at the foot of the hill is the 
donation of 0. S. Kelly, formerly mayor, 
and a prominent manufacturer of this 
city.' Gustavus Foos took very great in- 
terest in making the contour of the east- 
ern slope, but perhaps it is not too much 
to say that to no person is so much due 
for the general manner in which these 
grounds are beautified as to the late John 
Dick, who was superintendent of this 
cemetery from 1863 until his death some 
three or four years ago. Mr. Dick was 
born in Scotland from a family of pro- 
fessional landscape gardeners. His 



436 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



father removed to Cinciimati in 1867 and 
was there employed in that business. Mr. 
Dick studied in the Eoyal Botanical Gar- 
dens of Edinburg, the best in that coun- 
try, and came to the United States in 1854 
and was employed for a time on Long 
Island, laying out parks, subsequently 
coming to Springfield on the recommenda- 
tion of Adolph Strauch, who was superin- 
tendent of Spring Grove, Cincinnati. 
The entire grounds are a monument to 
his industry and ability in making still 
more beautiful the admirable work of 
Nature. 

At this time from fifteen to twenty per- 
sons are kept constantly employed in 
taking care of the grounds. In 1887, or 
thereabout, the beautiful stone residence 
of the superintendent was erected near 
the Plum Street entrance. It is now in 
contemplation to erect a chapel for gen- 
eral purposes south of the Plum Street 
entrance and likewise to erect a large gen- 
eral utility house near the McCreight 
Avenue entrance. 

Of the present organization J. W. Staf- 
ford is president; J. L. Bushnell, vice 
president; J. F. Chorpening, secretary; 
Ed. Harford, treasurer, and J. F. Dick, 
superintendent. 

The trustees are E. 0. Bowman, J. L. 
Bushnell, J. J. Hoppes, J. W. Stafford, 
Robert Johnson, C. H. Pierce, W. F. Foos 
and J. H. Rodgers. 

The executive committee are J. W. 
Stafford, Robert Johnson, J. J. Hoppes, 
J. L. Bushnell and C. H. Pierce. 

Catholic Cemeteries. 

In 1853 Rev. Morris Howard bought 
three acres of land in the southeast quar- 



ter of Section 17, Springfield Township, 
lying on the north side of the National 
Road, two miles east of this city, and es- 
tablished a burial place for the members 
of the Catholic Church, intending to have 
it consecrated, but this was never done. 

Lagonda A^^;NUE Cemetery. 

In 1864 Father Thisse purchased six 
acres, which was then just outside of the 
corporate limits on Lagonda Avenue. 
These grounds were consecrated by him 
and until other Catholic Cemeteries were 
established it was used as the sole place 
of burial by the Catholic Churches of our 
city. It is now entirely within the city 
limits, and not much space remains to be 
used for burial purposes. 

St. Bernard's Cemetery. 

In 1878 St. Bernard's congregation, 
through their then pastor. Father Schuc- 
hardt, purchased ten acres west of the 
Urbana Pike and now opposite to the 
grounds of the Country Club. These 
grounds were consecrated by Most Rev- 
erend J. B. Pursell and are used for 
burial purposes by the St. Bernard's con- 
gregation. 

Calvary Cemetery. 

The space set aside for burial purposes 
in the Lagonda Avenue Cemetery having 
become very much depleated, additional 
grounds were purchased for cemetery 
purposes in Section 14 of Springfield 
Township, located about two and a half 
miles southeast of the city and the short 
distance of what is' Imown as Locust 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



437 



G-rove. These twenty acres have heen set 
aside for this purpose and the greater ma- 
jority of Catholics belonging to the St. 
Raphael's and St. Joseph congregations 
use this place for burial purposes. It has 
been given the name of Calvary. The 
ground was dedicated November 1, 1889, 
and the first person buried w^s Patrick 
Welch, in that year. 

THE PRESS. 

First Paper. 

There seems to be some discrepancy as 
to when the first newspaper was printed 
in Springfield. Oscar T. jMartin, in Beers ' 
History, makes the date 1820, and Mr. C. 
M. Nichols, in his address before the 
Springfield Centennial, makes it 1817 — 
two sources of information to which we 
are indebted for much of the information 
contained in this article. Whether or not 
the first paper was established in 1817 or 
1820 is not very material, but we know 
that at the later date one George Smith 
published a paper called The Farmer. 
This paper was printed upon a small 
sheet a little larger than a foolscap sheet. 
It advocated the principles of Madison's 
administration. 

Smith's office was in a small log house 
situated on the southeast corner of the lot 
on which the First Presbyterian Church 
now stands. In the year 1820 a religious 
paper was started under Rev. Saul 
Henkle, called the Gospel Trumpet. It 
was soon removed to Dayton. 

About 1821 the Farmer became the 
property of Henry Rogers and its name 
changed to The Farmers' Advocate. 
Henry Rogers disposed of the paper to 
his brother, Benjamin H. Rogers, who 



continued it under the name of the West- 
ern Pioneer. Benjamin H. Rogers died 
in 1884 and the paper was published for 
some time by his brother, Simeon Rogers. 
In 1825 George W. Jewett was the pub- 
lisher. He moved the office to a new 
building on the Court House Square. In 
1828 Benjamin and Moses M. Henkle be- 
came the owners of the Western Pioneer 
and in 1829 Colonel William A. Camron 
appears to have been the owner. In 1831 
the press and materials were owned by 
Jeremiah Warder, and Edward H. Cum- 
mings became the editor. 

In 1833 a paper was started called 
Farmers' Chronicle. This was absorbed 
in a short time by the Pioneer and for a 
time the paper was issued under the name 
of the Pioneer and Chronicle. In 1836 it 
resumed its old name of Pioneer. In the 
same year a paper called Calumet and 
Warclub, advocating the election of Gen- 
eral Harrison, was- published by J. D. 
Nichols. It did not continue longer than 
the campaign. It was renewed in 1840 
and again advocated the election of Gen- 
eral Harrison. 

The Repttblig. 

In August, 1849, the name of the 
Pioneer was changed to that of the Repub- 
lic and the office was removed to Main 
Street, where in 1840 a disastrous fire oc- 
curred. In 1848 it began the issue of its 
trj-weekly number. In 1853 the Republic 
became the property of Wick, Frey & 
Mayn, with their office in King's Row, 
Limestone Street; George H. Frey, still 
living, was its editor. 

In 1853 George W. Hastings, still a res- 
ident of our town, began the publication 
of a newspaper called The Nonpareil. 



438 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



This paper afterwards became the Mad 
River Valley Neivs and Clark County 
Journal. 

In 1861 the Republic was sold to W. 
F; Coggswell. In this same year the 
Springfield Daily Evening Telegraph was 
published by Henry C. Croft. The Tele- 
gram was subsequently sold to E. R. Gard 
and by him to Mr. Kost, and the latter 
disposed of it to Messrs. Hastings and 
Nichols; they consolidated it with the 
Daily Neivs. In 1864 Hastings & Nichols 
became the owner of the Republic and 
consolidated with this paper the Mad 
River News. 

In 1867 the Weekly Advertiser was 
started, of which paper Mr. Oscar T. Mar- 
tin was for a time the editor. In 1872 it 
became the property of the owners of the 
Repuhlic and was consolidated with that 
paper. 

In 1879 the Springfield Daily Times 
was published, but did not long survive. 
Along in the eighties a paper was pub- 
lished called the Champion City Times. 
About this time the Glohe was started, 
publshed by the Winter Brothers and 
edited by a Mr. Perkins, a very brilliant 
man, who years afterwards, when he had 
left the city, committed suicide. This 
paper consolidated with the Times and in 
1883 or '84 the Glohe and RetniMic be 
came consolidated, with Governor Bush- 
nell as the principal owner, and was then 
called the Glohe Repuhlic. It was after- 
wards sold to Cotes Kinney, Mr. Nichols 
and others. 

Press Republic. 

Along in the nineties the Press Repuh- 
lic became the property of Mr. Arthur D. 
Hosterman. Mr. Hosterman had pre- 



viously become the owner of the Cha/m- 
pion City Times, and the paper was then 
called the Times Republic. Later it was 
sold to Ed. S. Kelly and was issued under 
the name of the Press Republic. 

The News. 

Mr. Kelly continued the publication of 
the paper until 1905, when it was sold to 
its present proprietor and became con- 
solidated with the Democratic paper and 
was continued as a morning paper under 
the name of the Neivs. This practically 
ended the career of this paper, as up to 
this time it had been Republican in pol- 
itics, while now it is Democratic. It may 
be interesting now to go back to the Dem- 
ocratic branch of this consolidation. 

For a long time the Republic was print- 
ed in the building which had formerly 
been called the Willis House, or the Na- 
tional Hotel, and was located on Main 
Street, on the ground now occupied by 
the eastern part of the Bushnell Building, 
and it continued there until it became the 
property of Mr. Hosterman. It was then 
moved to and occupied a part of the old 
church, removed on the building of the 
Kelly Building, on the east side of South 
Limestone Street, not far north of the 
railroad. 

Mad River Democrat. 

In 1839 there was issued the Mad River 
Democrat. It did not live a very great 
length of time. In 1846 the Union Demo- 
crat came into existence, edited by John, 
M. West. In the following December its 
name was changed to the Clark County 
Democrat. 

In 1849 this paper became the property 



AND REPRESENT ATIVP_] CITIZENS. 



439 



of William Mossgrove and E. G. Dial, 
who removed the same to Urbaiia, where 
the name was changed to Expositor of the 
Fourth Congressional District. 

Teanscript. 

In 1852 the paper returned to Spring- 
field and became the property of William 
Boggs, and afterwards, after going 
through various hands, became the prop- 
erty of Ellfritz & Balentine, who changed 
the name to the Transcript, Mr. E. C. 
Balentine, now of Washington, D. C, be- 
ing the editor. This paper afterwards 
became, through various changes, the 
property of Mr. T. D. Wallace, largely, 
who published the Springfield Daily Dem- 
ocrat, with Mr. Harry E. Rice as editor. 
In 1905 this paper became the property 
of the owners of the present Daily Neivs, 
who had previously bought the Press Re- 
public. 

The owners of the Democrat had pre- 
vious to this time become the owners of 
the Sunday News, which was started in 
Spring-field in 1879, and was edited by D. 
T. West. Mr. West was a very able man 
and his scathing denunciations were ex- 
celled by none. Thus it will be seen that 
the Daily Neivs becomes the successor of 
a long line of former newspapers in this 
district in both the Republican and Demo- 
cratic ranks. 

It is owned and controlled largely by 
Mr. Cox, a resident of Dayton, the editor 
at present being G-eorge R. Hippard. It 
is a large paper issued principally as an 
evening edition, the present proprietors 
having changed it from a morning to an 
evening paper. 



GrAZETTE. 

In 1873 T. E. Harwood commenced the 
publication on a small scale of the Com- 
mercial Gazette, which was afterwards 
changed to the Gazette and when the old 
Press Republic ceased to be a Republican 
paper the name was again changed to the 
Republican Gazette. Mr. Harwood con- 
tinued to be the proprietor of this paper 
from its commencement in 1873 until his 
death in 1905. During this time Robert 
Nelson, now of Los Angeles, California, 
was for a while editor, and latterly 
Charles E. Folger occupied that position ; 
Mr. Folger being at jDresent the oldest ac- 
tive newspaper man of the city. This 
paper was for a long time conducted as 
an independent, but about 1890 changed 
its policy and became largely Republican 
in its tendency, although still retaining in 
some measure its independent character. 
After the death of Mr. Harwood it was 
continued by his sons for a short while 
and then became the property of Thomas 
J. Kirkpatriek, who is the present pro- 
prietor. Mr. Kirkpatriek had previous ex- 
perience in journalism, having been one 
of the founders and for a long time active- 
ly interested in conducting the Farm and 
Fireside; later he became owner of one of 
the Akron papers. 

The Gazette had very few changes in 
its location. It was issued for twenty- 
five years or more from the Kizer Build- 
ing, located immediately west of the alley 
on the south side of Main Street between 
Limestone and Fountain Avenue. Mr. 
Harwood afterwards purchased the build- 
ing located on the northeast corner of 
Spring and Main and there continued the 
operation of the paper until his death, 



440 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



same being occupied by the present prop- 
rietor of that paper for printing, the office 
being moved to 125 E. Main Street. 

Mr. Kirkpatrick assumes the general 
management and controlling editorship of 
this paper. Since he has had control he 
has infused new life into it and it is now 
a leading paper of the town and county. 

The Morning Sun. 

The Morning Sim came into existence 
in 1894 and was caused chiefly by some 
disagreement among the then owners of 
the papers in the city and a number of 
leading printers. These printers organ- 
ized themselves together and formed a 
stock company and began the issuance of 
this paper. It has continued under prac- 
tically the same management up to the 
present time. For a long time Enos Con- 
rad was the president and manager. It is 
independent in politics, although some- 
what inclined to favor Democratic 
policies. 

It is located immediately south of the 
west County Building. - It was first lo- 
cated on Main Street, East of Spring, 
afterward occupying the rooms imme- 
diately south of where it now is, it having 
moved into its present location in Decem- 
ber, 1906. It is a live and vigorous morn- 
ing paper and for that reason commands 
a large country subscription, as the paper 
can be carried in the morning deliveries 
of the rural route. Fred S. Wallace is the 
present managing editor, Walter L. Har- 
rison being general manager. 

Fakm and Fireside. 

In 1877 P. P. Mast & Co. issued a small 
agricultural paper which they called the 
Farm, and Fireside. It was issued orig- 



inally, largely for the purpose of advertis- 
ing the productions of P. P. Mast & Co. 
In 1879 the paper changed its ownership, 
although P. P. Mast continued to have a 
controlling interest: he and J. S. Crowell 
and T. J. Kirkpatrick became the owners. 
This firm continued the ownership of this 
paper until Mr. Mast's death, when Cro- 
well and Kirkpatrick became the pro- 
prietors. 

Afterwards Mr. Crowell, having pur- 
chased Mr. Kirkpatrick 's interest, became 
the sole proprietor and conducted the busi- 
ness under the name of the "Crowell Pub- 
lishing Company." Pie continued as sole 
proprietor and manager until 1906, when 
the present proprietors, pincipally New 
York people, became the owners. It has 
grown to one of the largest agricultural 
papers of the coimtry, having a circula- 
tion close on to 500,000. It is issued twice 
a month and occupies one of the most 
complete printing establishments in the 
country, located on the northwest corner 
of High and Factory Streets. 

In 1885 Messrs Crowell and Kirk- 
patrick started the publication of the il- 
lustrated monthly periodical known as the 
Woman's Home Companion. This became 
a strong rival to the Ladies' Home 
Journal and has now a circulation of near 
250,000. 

Farm News. 

In 1890 publication of the Farm News 
began here under the proprietorship of J. 
N. Gi-arvei*. It was afterwards sold to the 
Simmons Publishing Company, who now 
issue the same from their office located on 
tlie southwest corner of AYashington and 
Mechanic Streets. It has a circulation of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



441 



250,000. It is a monthly, bright and 
newsy. 

PouiiTRY Success. 

In 1895 Arthur D. Hosterman became 
the principal proprietor of the Poultry 
Success. It is a journal particularly de- 
voted to the raising of poultry and has a 
circulation of about 35,000. This is one 
of the leading poultry journals in the 
county. 

Springpiei/D Jottbnal Adleb. 

On September 11, 1874, Louis Weixel- 
baum and Jacob Schoenthal established 
the Springfield Journal, a paper published 
in German. They continued to occupy the 
sole field until 1890 when Louis Jorth es- 
tablished the Adler. 

The Journal was inclined to be Demo- 
cratic in its proclivities and the Adler, 
Republican, although both professed to be 
independent. 

. In 1891, Schoenthal having died, 
Weixelbaum became the sole proprietor 
of the Journal and on August 1, 1895, he 
purchased the Adler and its subscription 
list and changed the name of the paper to 
the Journal Adler. 

The office of the Journal, until after the 
death of Mr. Schoenthal, was in Black's 
Opera House Building. Thereafter, hav- 
ing become connected with the bindery 
business, it was moved down to its present 
location in the Bowman Building on W. 
Main Street. It is a paper fairly well 
patronized by our G-erman inhabitants and 
it is edited by a man of ability. 

MiSCEUjANBOUS. 

A number of papers of various kinds 
have in different periods been printed in 



this city. In 1841 a religious journal 
called the Presbyterian of the West was 
published here edited by Rev. J. Dunlap 
and Rev. W. D. Smith. This publication 
was afterwards moved to Cincinnati. 

The Gospel Herald was published in 
New Carlisle in this county in 1843. In 
1847 a little pamphlet was published here 
called the Moss-Covered Bucket, and in 
1858 the American Ruralist was published 
and existed for two years. In 1846 the 
Western Recorder was issued from the 
press in this town. The name was after- 
wards changed, in 1855, to the Western 
Methodist Protestant and in 1866 to the 
Methodist Recorder. This paper was 
afterwards moved to Cincinnati. During 
the Woman's Crusade, D. C. Ballentine 
and others edited a paper for a short time 
called the Daihj Leader. The Champion 
Reaper and Mower Company in 1870 pub- 
lished a paper called the Illustrated Cham- 
pion for gratuitous distribution, and 
about the same time Rinehart, Ballard & 
Co. published the Illustrated Springfield 
Thresher to advertise the threshing ma- 
chine. Somewhat along the same line was 
Leffel's Mechanical News, which was first 
issued in 1871. It became quite a noted 
paper in its line and in 1886 was moved to 
New York. 

R. S. Thompson published the Live 
Patron and the Neiv Era for a number of 
years, having quite an extensive circula- 
tion, especially among the grangers. For 
a long time it was the official organ of the 
Ohio State Grange. 

It suspended a few years ago. On sev- 
eral occasions there have been Lutheran 
publications issued from the various 
printing offices of this town. 



442 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Editoes, Etc. 

Two of the persons having much 
to do with newspaper work in Spring- 
field in former" years are still liv- 
ing,- namely, George H. Frey, Sr., and 
G-eorge W. Hastings. Mr. Frey has 
had a long and active career;' for a 
number of years he was County Com- 
missioner and was a member of the 
first board of Water Works Trustees be- 
sides having filled other places of trust. 
George W. Hastings, by reason of failure 
of his eyesight, has not been actively iden- 
tified with business affairs for a number 
of years past; otherwise, .however, enjoy- 
ing good health at a ripe old age. 

Clifton M. Nichols deserves more than 
a passing notice when speaking of news- 
papers of Springfield, Ohio. For more 
than thirty-five years he was in the editor- 
ial harness, all that time practically with 
the old Republic, and of him it can be said 
that his aim was always to make a news- 
paper that was clean and truthful, earn- 
estly upholding the principles of the party 
to which he belonged — the Republican. 
After he left his editorial work he became 
secretary of the Board of Trade and con- 
tinued in that position until his death in 
1903. 

Mention should likewise be made of 
Charles E. Fblger, who as reporter and 
editor was an active newspaper man of 
this town for thirty years or more. Mr. 
Folger was for a time on the Gazette then 
on the Press RepiiMic and then again on 
the Gazette, having retired from that 
paper upon Mr. Kirkpatrick, a gentleman 
of much originalit;^^ energy and ability, 
becoming the owner. 

James H. Rabbitts was editor of the 



Republic for some six or seven years pre- 
vious to his becoming postmaster in 1898. 
One of the brightest newspaper men this 
city ever had was Mr. George W. Perkins 
who edited the Globe while it was owned 
by the Winters Company. He afterwards 
went back to his native state, Kentucky. 

D. T. West, who was owner of the Sun- 
day Nedvs, was for a long time actively 
identified with the press of this city. 

In the writing of spicy editorials and 
the trenchant use of the English language 
he was perhaps without superior. Major 
W. H. Dugdale for a time was editor of 
the Bemocral. He left the city in 1881. 

Coates Kinney, the famous author of 
"Rain on the Roof," and other poems, 
for a time was largely interested in editor- 
ial work on the old Republic. 

Robert T. Nelson, who afterwards be- 
came prominently identified in newspaper 
work in Los Angeles, California, was the 
first editor of the Gazette. 

Captain U. C. Ballentine, now in Wash- 
ington, D. C, for a long time was editor 
of the Transcript and the Democrat. Cap- 
tain Ballentine was a writer of force. 

R. S. Thompson wielded the editorial 
pen with ability in his paper the Ne'iv Era. 
He is still living in the city engaged now 
in other business. 

A. D. Hosterman, the present owner of 
the Poultry Success, and John N. Garver, 
have made a success of a number of pub- 
lications, at different times. 

Harry Rice, now the proprietor of a 
Xenia paper, for the past fifteen years 
has been connected with the newspaper 
work of our city. 

John A. Reid and Chas. A. Warren have 
been connected with our local papers for 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



443 



neai* a score of years, as has Fred Wal- 
lace now with the Sun. 

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES. 

BoAKD OF Trade — Commercial Club. 

For some time leading men of Spring- 
field had felt the need of some organiza- 
tion that could look after the welfare of 
the city, generally. This need was more 
keenly felt in the strenuous times that fol- 
lowed the business depression occurring 
in the latter part of the eighties. 

The great East Street Shops had been 
standing idle for a number of years. The 
plant of the Armstrong Bros., boiler 
makers, was in like condition, so was the 
plant of the Springfield Manufacturing 
Company operated by E. W. Butt, in the 
southern part of town, and several others 
of a lesser character. The old Gray 
Malleable Works and the shops of the 
Champion Machine Co., now occupied by 
the Superior Drill Co. and the Foos Gras 
Engine Co. were likewise or nearly quite 
unoccupied. 

To induce business firms to locate and 
start work in these vacant factories, and 
inaugurate enterprises of a kindred char- 
acter for the welfare of the city generally, 
a large number of business men organ- 
ized, in 1889, the Board of Trade and in- 
stalled as secretary the veteran newspaper 
man, Clifton M. Nichols. This organiza- 
tion continued in existence until 1904, 
when it was absorbed by the Commercial 
Club. This latter club was organized by 
a younger and perhaps more vigorous set 
of men, than those who composed the 
Board of Trade. Both the Corqmercial 
Club and the Board of Trade had for their 
object the advancement and fostering of 



Springfield's material interests. This 
club was organized in November, 1897. 
For the remainder of the year 1897, Theo- 
dore Troupe, was president and D. T. 
West, secretary. In 1898 S. J. Wilkerson 
was president, D. T. West continuing as 
secretary. In 1899 A. F. Sparks served 
as president, and J. F. Kitchen ?s sec- 
retary. In 1890 W. 11. Schaus was presi- 
dent and J. H. Long secretary. In 1891 
J. Frank McCxrew was president. Long 
continuing as secretary. In 1902 E. B. 
Hopkins was president. Long still con- 
tinuing as secretary. In 1903 R. B. House 
was president. Long still secretary. In 
3904 Chas. S. Kay, who had previously 
served as president of the Board of Trade, 
was elected. Long continuing as secretary. 
In 1905 John L. Plummer was president, 
and George H. Knight, secretary. In 1906 
N. H. Fairbanks, was president. Knight 
continuing as secretary. In 1907 W. H. 
Stackhouse was president, and Dr. W. A. 
Barber, secretary, and in 1908, John N. 
Garver was elected president and James 
G. Stewart, secretary. 

It is the custom of this club to have an 
annual picnic some time in June or July 
and a banquet at the installation of offi- 
cers, each year. The last banquet was 
held February 6, 1908, at the Lagonda 
Club House. The speakers were Mayor 
J. S. Eeyburn of Philadelphia, who is 
a native of Clark County, and Mr. 
Schermerhorn, manager of the Detroit 
•'Times." Mr. Eeyburn in his address 
took exceptions to some of President 
Roosevelt's actions in reference to cor- 
porations. He was replied to by Mr. 
Schermerhorn very vigorously, and al- 
though the audience was made up of man- 
ufacturers and persons who might pos- 



444 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



sibly be inclined to take exceptions to 
Roosevelt's policies, yet by a very large 
majority of the individuals composing it, 
expressed its sympathy with the speaker 
who was defending the President. 

Mr. Schermerhorn's address was, in 
wit and the choice language used, prob- 
ably never excelled at any former banqiiet. 

The club has been a potent factor in the 
welfare of the citj^ of Springfield. Per- 
haps not accomplishing all that its found- 
ers or members might desire, yet it is the 
hope of all that it may live and "make 
Springfield flourish. ' ' 

Lagonda Club. 

This club is a social organization and 
was incorporated in 1893 with an author- 
ized capital stock of $25,000. Shortly 
after its organization it purchased the old 
Cavalier corner, on the northwest corner 
of Spring and High Streets, and erected 
thereon the present well arranged and 
equipped club-house. Springfield is hard- 
ly large enough to support a social club 
of this character, without more or less 
difficulty. The members of the Board of 
Directors have on several occasions ex- 
perienced some trouble in keeping the or- 
ganization going. The building is an 
ornament and contains excellent facilities 
for banquets and assemblies. As a mat- 
ter of course it is generally patronized 
only by the wealthier people. Recently 
in the banquet hall a number of banquets 
have been given for outside organizations. 

E. 0. BoMonan, and his brothers, J. E. 
and Border, Robert Foos and his brother 
William, Charles Bauer and his brothers, 
Pearly M. Cartmell, Percy Norton, W. A. 
Scott, and others, participated in its or- 



ganization. The building was opened in 
October, 1894. The present officers are 
E. 0. Bowman, president, Percy Norton, 
first vice-president, I. W. Wallace, second 
vice-president, F. M. Farmer, secretary, 
and W. S. Rabbitts, treasurer. 

CoTjjsrTRY Club. 

Somewhat akin to the Lagonda club in 
the purpose of its organization is the 
country club. This body was organized 
in 1906 with a capital stock of $15,000. It 
had its inception in the desire of some of 
our well-to-do city people to have a place 
in the country for pleasure and recreation 
in out-door sports. They purchased the 
old Ward farm, latterly owned by Will- 
iam S. Thompson, about half a mile above 
the city lirait.s on the Urbana Pike. This 
farm is partly located in the valley and 
partly on the uplands. On the ridge go- 
ing from the valley to these lands, a most 
excellent view is had of the Mad River 
Valley. On this ridge the club built its 
club-house and in the adjoining fields have 
golf grounds. The place is one of beauty 
and well adapted for the purposes to 
which it is applied. Mr. Robert H. Foos 
has been very active in the welfare of this 
club and it owes much of its present con- 
dition to his energetic effort. Robert H. 
Foos is president, Elmore Ross, treasurer, 
and Robert Rodgers, secretary. 

Literary Climbs. 

That there may have been literary clubs 
formerly in the city of Springfield of 
which there is now no record is not im- 
probable. As a matter of course, there 
are now and alwavs have been such clubs 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



445 



and societies connected with the educa- 
tional institutions, but we refer to the 
clubs unconnected with institutions of that 
character. A general literary club was in 
existence during the seventies. This club 
was composed of both men and women. 
Just who belonged to it or who organized 
it is not known. It is presumed that the 
Rodgers, "Warders, Brooks, Bishops, and 
others of literary taste were connected 
with it. 

Men's Literary Club. 

In 1891 the Men's Literary Club was 
organized by B. F. Prince, Judge J. K. 
Mower, Rev. Dr. Fullerton, Dr. John H. 
Rodgers, Judge F. M. Hagan, General 
Keifer, J. S. Crowell, Charles Kay and 
others. This club has continued very suc- 
cessfully to "the present time, and com- 
prises in its membership, men of the class 
of those mentioned, who assisted in its 
organization. Its membership is limited 
to thirty. It meets on alternative Monday 
evenings. Rev. Dr. R. H. Hume is presi- 
dent at this time. 

Young Men's Literary Club. 

This club was organized in 1896, W. 
W. Witmyer being chiefly instrumental 
in putting it on a solid foundation. Its 
membership is composed of a younger 
class of men, and is limited to thirty-five; 
and it holds its meetings on the second 
and fourth Friday evenings of each 
month, except during the summer months 
of June, July, and August. This club, 
like the Men's Literary Club, has a social 
feature connected with it in that it meets 
at the house of the members and such 
member is host of the club for the even- 
ing. Dr. W. B. Patton is its president. 



Miscellaneous. 

There are a number of other clubs in 
the city, notably those in the various 
churches. There is a very progressive 
club of that character connected with the 
First Congregational Church; the mem- 
bers of Christ Episcopal Church have also 
a men's clnb, and the Lutheran Churches 
of the city have such organizations known 
as Lutheran Ijeagries. These organiza- 
tions connected with the churches are 
fully as much, if not more, of a social as 
of a literary character. Various other 
clubs are found in the city which possess 
some literary characteristics. 

Woman's Club. 

I find in Mrs. E. L. Buchwalter's ad- 
dress at the 'Spring-field Centennial that 
the first woman 's club here of which there 
is any record was the one known as the 
Worthington Scientific and Literary Cir- 
cle. It was organized in 1878 by Mrs. 
Ruth A. Worthington, who was at that 
time principal of the Springfield Semi- 
nary. It had a limited membership of 
thirty. Afterwards there was organized 
the Traveller's Club, in 1888, by Mrs. J. 
W. Murphy. This club at first had thirty 
members, this number afterwards increas- 
ing to forty. After this came the Fort- 
nightly Club, founded in 1891. This club 
during its existence was one of the best 
in the city. Afterwards came the Mon- 
day Afternoon Club, and following this, 
in 1893, was the Tuesday Club. These 
four clubs in 1894 met and organized what 
is today known as the Woman's Club, and 
is today undoubtedly the leading club of 
that character in the city. 



446 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



There are also a number of other clubs 
ainong the literary women of Springfield 
existing at this time. The "Woman's 
Club has a large and influential member- 
ship composed of active and associate 
members. It is instrumental in bringing 
distinguished lecturers to our city. At 
l^resent it meets at the parish house of 
Christ Episcopal Church. 

Mrs. E. L. Buchwalter has had the 
distinction of serving on state and na- 
tional organizations of this character. 

Authors. 

In the consideration of literary matters, 
Tve should make some brief reference to 
Springfield authors. We find, upon in- 
vestigation of this matter, that it is ex- 
tremely difficult to gather information. 
No doubt there have been others than 
those here mentioned whose names we 
have not been able to secure. Among 
the best known are : 

General J. Warren Keifer, "Slavery 
and Four Years of War." 

Hon. John W. Bookwalter, "Canyon 
and Crater," "Siberia and Central Asia." 

C. M. Nichols, "Life of Lincoln," 
"Summers Campaign (1864) etc." 

Mrs. Willis Baines Miller, "Mrs. 
Cherry's Sister"; ""His Cousin"; "The 
Doctor"; "Pilgrim's Visions"; "The 
Silent Land" etc. 

Mother Stewart (E. D.), "The Cru- 
sader in Grreat Britain," "Memories of 
the Crusade." 

E. T. Kelly, "History of the Kelly Fam- 
ily." 

Mrs. Georgia Eunyan, "Four Hundred 
years of America." 

Dr. John Scott, "Land of Sojourn." 

Eev. Dr. Alexander Clark, "Work Day 



Christianity," "Gospel in Trees," "Old 
Log House." 

Anson A. Gard, " jMy Friend Bill." 

Mrs. Belle Braine, "Holding the 
Eopes," "Eedemption of the Eed Man," 
"Transformation of Hawaii." 

Eobert Braine, "Messages from Mars." 

Prof. E. S. Todd, "Sociological Study 
of Clark Coxmty, Ohio." 

Thomas F. McGrew, "Letters from 
Europe." 

Prof. H. F. E. Hoefdoerfer, "Introduc- 
tory Studies in German." 

Mrs. Lydia Heck Wiggins, "Life and 
Works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar." 

Eev. Dr. M. J. Firey, "Infant Bap- 
tism." 

Eev. G. N. H. Peters, "Theocratic 
Kingdom." (3 Vol.) 

Elliot B. Henderson, Poems of various 
characters. 

Lawrence Eussell (Dramatic). 

Kate Kaufman, "As Nature Prompts." 

Dr. George P. Hackenberg, "Medical 
Consultation Book." 

Dr. Samuel Sprecher, "Ground Work 
of the System of Evangelical Lutheran 
Theology. ' ' 

E. S. Thompson, " Tempei'ance. " 

W. H. C. Dodson, "Original Poems." 

J. J. Greer, "Beyond the Lines," "A 
Yankee Prisoner in Dixie." 

Paul Showell, Poems of various char- 
acters. 

Professor M. Diehl, "Life of Dr. 
Keller." 

Eev. J. B. Helwig, "Eomanism. " 

Wad Beach, Indian History. 

W. T. Coggeshall, "Poets of the West," 
etc. 

J. E. Dodge, "Eed Men of the Ohio 
Vallev." 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



447 



Dr. B. F. Prince, "The Springfield Cen- 
tennial." 

Oscar T. Martin, "History of Spring- 
field." 

Harry Rice, "Eve an Evangelist." (In 
press) 

Virgil Coblentz, "Handbook of Phar- 
macy. ' ' 

David H. Bauslin, ' ' The Ministry an At- 
tractive Vocation." 

• In the line of law literature might be 
mentioned George S. Diehl, and his work 
on "Religions Corporations." 

William M. Rockel, "Questions Selected 
from Supreme Court Reports," "Ohio 
Mechanic's Lien Law," jointly with Judge 
Charles R. White, "Complete Guide for 
Township Officers," "Complete Ohio 
Probate Practice," "Ohio School Code," 
"Guide for Executors and Administra- 
tors." 

Of authors who are not now but have 
been sometime residents of this county, 
might be mentioned Rev. Dr. E. A. 
Steiner, author of on the "Trail of the 
Immigrant." "Tolstoi the Man," etc.; 
Rev. C. H. Small "Cornerstones of 
Faith." 

Rev. L. S. Keyser, Books on Birds and 
Bird Life. 

Rev. Dr. Henry Tuckley, "Latter Day 
Events," etc. 

Rev. Thomas Harrison, some time pro- 
fessor at New Carlisle, "Testimonies in 
Favor of Religion." 

Dr. Isaac Punk, a native of this place, 
now of the well known publishing firm of 
Funk and Wagnalls, New York, is the 
editor of several volumes published under 
his supervision of which we would es- 
pecially mention tlie Standard Dictionary. 

Prof. Edgar F. Smith, some time pro- 



fessor of Wittenberg College, later of Jef- 
ferson University, Pennsylvania, has sev- 
eral wofks on chemistry. 

Secret and Fraternal Organizations. 

Perhaps no country in the world's his- 
tory will have shown a period of such 
rapid growth as that of the United States 
in the last thirty years, and along with 
this general growth there has been a very 
great growth in the number and kind of 
secret and fraternal organizations. 
Whether the rapid increase in wealth and 
the concentration of power into the hands 
of the comparatively few, have caused men 
to feel a weakness when standing alone, 
and thus look to association and organiza- 
tion to enhance their prospects in life, or 
whether these organizations result from 
other causes, might be questioned, but 
whatever the cause, the fact is that there 
has been an extraordinary growth in these 
secret and fraternal organizations. Even 
the power of the church, as shown in some 
denominations, has not been able to lessen 
this growth of fraternal organizations. 

It is now generally the case, that while 
many protestant denominations do not en- 
courage membership in these fraternal or- 
ganizations, they do not oppose it, while 
the Catholic church, bitterly opposed to 
them, has societies of a very similar char- 
acter, composed of and to some extent 
controlled by the church organization. 
Few if any persons now living, have a 
personal recollection of the exciting time 
that was created by the abduction of Mor- 
gan in 1826. This episode created a very 
strong anti-secret society feeling, that was 
more particularly pronounced, because of 
the accompanying circumstances, against 



448 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



the Masons. The feeling was so strong 
that it exercised a material influence upon 
the election of public officials. It so man- 
ifested itself in Clark County, that a Ma- 
sonic lodge, which had been created here 
in 1829, disbanded and no other was 
formed for nearly twenty years there- 
after. In New Carlisle the bitter feeling 
against Masons was such that the charter 
and some of the paraphernalia was taken 
out of the lodge-room by a member and 
buried, some portions of which were only 
returned a year or two ago. It will be im- 
possible in a work of this character to 
describe in detail the organization and 
membership of the" very great number of 
societies in Spring-field and Clark County. 
Suffice it to say, that they are found in the 
City of Spring-field and in every village 
within the county limits. 

Misoisnc. 

In a preAdous history of this county it 
is stated that the first Masonic Lodge 
opened in this vicinity, convened at the 
Court House on September 20, 1809, at 
which Samuel Simonton and Jona Bald- 
win were present. This was an Urbana 
lodge named Harmony Lodge No. 9. In 
the same year it was decided to divide this 
lodge, which at that time comprised mem- 
bers from Springfield, Dayton and Ur- 
bana; thereafter Urbana and Springfield 
were together, and in 1810- '11- '12- '13 and 
'14 meetings were held alternateh'^ at 
Urbana and Springfield. 

In 1814 the L^rbana people proposed to 
surrender their charter and a new lodge, 
named Harmony No. 8, was chartered, to 
be held at LTrbana, and those at Spring- 



field were to apply for a new charter, 
which they did in 1815. This lodge was 
called Morning Star No. 27. As stated 
before, this lodge was disbanded in 1829. 
Its first officers were S. M. Hinkle, M. ; 
Oliver Armstrong, S. W. ; C. Shipman, J. 
W. ; Ira Paige. Secretary. 

In 1848 Greneral Anthony, who was very 
prominent in Masonic circles, and others, 
made application for a new lodge; this 
was chartered in 1848 and was named 
Clark Lodge No. 110. Charles Anthony, 
M. ; J. M. Kills, S. W. ; A. M. Taylor, J. 

In 1871 another Masonic Lodge was or- 
ganized called i\nthony Lodge after Gen- 
eral Anthony, and numbered 455. 

Springfield Chapter, R. A. M., was 
chartered in 1851. Spring-field Council, 
R. S. M., No. 15, was organized in 1852; 
Palestine Commandery K. T. No. 33 was 
chartered in 1878. 

New Carlisle and South Charleston both 
have Masonic lodges. That at South 
Charleston was chartered in 1850 and is 
called Fielding Lodge No. 192. That in 
New Carlisle was chartered in 1831 and 
is named New Carlisle Lodge No. 100, 
and now has the distinction of being the 
oldest Masonic Lodge in Clark County. 

Until about the year 1883 Masonic 
bodies met in the old Odd Fellow's Build- 
ing and from there they went into John- 
son's Building, on West Main Street. Up- 
on the completion of the Bushnell Build- 
ing in 1893, they moved to their present 
commodious quarters. They have recent- 
ly purchased a lot on the southeast corner 
of Columbia and Fountain Avenue, where 
in the future, it is expected, a building of 
their own will be erected. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



449 



Cekno Masons. 

This branch of Masonry did not get 
much of a footing in Springfield until at 
a comparatively recent date. Springfield 
Lodge No. 7 was organized in 1895 ; Fred- 
erick Lodge No. 40, in 1898; Solomon 
Chapter No. 92, in 1899. Eastern Star 
Springfield Chapter No. 4, in 1899. 

COLOBED MaSOKS. 

In 1865 Davids Templar Masonic Lodge 
No. 15 was organized. In 1877 the lodge 
was reorganized and the name changed to 
Chami^ion No. 15. Eureka Lodge was or- 
ganized September 24, 1895 ; Wilson Com- 
manderj^ in 1871. Later Mt. Olive Chapter 
No. 4, Washington Temple, was organ- 
ized. 

Odd Fellows. 

This order is very strong and has been 
for many years in Springfield and its 
vicinity. The oldest lodge is Springfield 
Lodge No. 33. This was instituted in 
1844, next came Ephraim Lodge No. 146, 
instituted in 1850. Then Goethe No. 384, 
instituted in 1867, then Lone Star Lodge 
No. 732 located at Lagonda was instituted 
in 1884. These constitute the subordinate 
lodges. Mad River Encampment was or- 
ganized in 1846, Lagonda Encampment in 
1895. Connected with this order is Can- 
ton Occidental No. 21, and Daughters of 
Rebekah, Ivor Lodge No. 415, Daughters 
of Rebekah, Schiller Lodge No. 420, 
Daughters of Rebekah, Fidelia Lodge No. 
]2, instituted in 1869, and Daughters of 
Rebekah, Star of the East Lodge No. 331, 
organized in 1891. These orders have two 



places of meeting in the city, one at the 
Odd Fellows' Building on Fountain Ave- 
nue and the other at a building owned by 
them in Lagonda. 

An Odd Fellow lodge was organized in 
South Charleston in 1850 known as Clark 
I^odge No. 166 and in New Carlisle in 
1872; Caritas Lodge No. 515 was organ- 
ized. As early as 1850 an Odd Fellows 
lodge was organized at Vienna Cross 
Roads. 

KxiGHTs OF Pythias. 

In April, 1872, Moncrief Lodge No. 33, 
Knights of Pythias, was organized by a 
number of prominent persons in the city 
and it has the distinction of being the old- 
est of this great growing order in the 
City of Spring-field. In 1886 Red Star No. 
205 was organized with a very large char- 
ter list. In 1889 Lessing Lodge was in- 
stituted and in 1892 came Ingomar Lodge 
No. 610. The LTniform Rank of this order 
is organized as follows : In 1878 Spring- 
field Company No. 6 was chartered; in 
1884 Champion City being No. 44 was 
chartered ; and in 1890 Lessing Company 
No. 105 came into existence. The Rath- 
bone Sisters was chartered in 1897. The 
Knights of Pythias organization for a 
considerable length of time met in a hall 
on S. Fountain Avenue, the second door 
north of Main Street. The Red Star after 
its organization, for a time met in the 
Buckingham Building, and afterwards the 
various bodies met in the Dial Building, 
and thence moving over to their present 
commodious quarters in the Bushnell 
Building Annex, after its completion in 
1903. 
The uniform ranks have not always 



450 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUN.TY 



met in tlie same building with the sub- 
ordinate lodge, Company No. 44 for a 
number of years having a hall leased on 
High Street opposite the Arcade and 
Company No. 6 the Old Funk Hall at the 
southwest corner of Main and Center. 

These comprise the three oldest and 
most prominent of secret and fraternal 
organizations. The following list, how- 
ever, includes many which in numbers and 
importance come near equalling any one 
of the three above mentioned, and prac- 
tically all of that character now in the 
city. 

Colored Knights or Pythias. 

Diamond Lodge No. 30, of this organi- 
zation, was instituted in 1887. Mystery 
Lodge No. 45 in 1898. Star Division Uni- 
form Rank in 1888; Calanthe in 1898. 

Miscellaneous. 

The following will give a list of the 
other societies of like character, with their 
respective meeting places at this time, 
and their date of institution where the 
same is known: 

American Mysteries — St. John's Coun- 
cil No. I, Instituted 1849. Meets south- 
west corner of Main and Foiintain Ave- 
nue. 

Ancient Order of Hibernians — In- 
stituted 1875. First Division — Organized 
February, 1876. Meets 53i/o W. Main. 
Second Division — Organized March, 1879. 
Meets 53y2 W. Main" Street. Fourth Di- 
vision — Organized April, 1883. Meets 
531/2 W. Main Street. Fifth Division- 
Organized, 1884. Meets St. Joseph's 
School. Seventh Division — Organized 



September, 1893. Meets 531/2 W. Main. 
Ladies Auxiliary — Meets 531/2 W. Main. 

Benevolent Protective Order of Elks — 
Lodge No. 51. Meets over 861/2 S. Foun- 
tain Avenue. Instituted 1885. 

Catholic Ladies of Ohio — Branch 56. 
Meets No. 561 Clifton Street. 

Daughters of Tabor — Dickson Tabern- 
acle No. 503. Meets 2O1/2 S. Fountain 
Avenue. 

Daughters of America — Helping Hand 
Council No. 7. Meets No. 38 E. Main 
Street. 

Daughters of the Revolution — Meets 
southeast corner of Limestone and Colum- 
bia. 

Daughters of Jerusalem — St. Mary's 
Council No. 1. Meets southwest corner 
of Main and Fountain Avenue. 

Fraternal Mystic Circle — No. 3. In- 
stituted 1885. 

Fraternal Order of Eagles — Champion 
Aerie No. 397. Meets No. 207 E. Main 
Street. 

Grand Army of the Republic — Mitchell 
Post No. 45. Instituted 1881. Meets at 
G. A. R. Hall. John Brown Post No. 633. 
Instituted 1887. Meets at No. 5 S. Foun- 
tain Avenue. Woman's Relief Corps No. 
315. Instituted 1891, meets G. A. R. Hall. 

Good Samaritans and Daughters of 
Samaria — St. Mary's Lodge No. 4. Meets 
southwest corner Main Street and Foun- 
tain Avenue. 

Home Guards of America — Loyal Home 
No. 17. Meets No. 18 S. Limestone Street. 

Improved Order Red Cross — Olive 
Branch, No. 5. Instituted 1885. 

Independent Order Red Cross — Elite 
Commandry No. 23. Instituted 1897. 
Meets at 361/0 S. Fountain Avenue. 

Improved Order of Red Men — ^Lagonda 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



4n 



Tribe, No. 61. Instituted 1872. Meets 531/2 
W. Main. Ontario Tribe No. 96. Instituted 
1888. Meets southeast corner Lagonda 
Avenue and Florence Street. Enola 
Council. No. 22, Degree of Pocahontas — 
Instituted 1892. Meets southeast corner 
Lagonda Avenue and Florence. Poca- 
hontas Council No. 25. Instituted 1885. 
Meets southeast corner Lagonda and 
Florence Street. Fried Commandery, No. 
8. Instituted 1901. Miami Tribe No. 217. 
Meets 531/0 W. Main Street. 

Independent Order of Foresters — No. 
1435. Instituted 1893. Meets at P. 0. 
S. of A. Hall. Companion Court No. 490. 
Meets at P. 0. S. of A. Hall. 

Junior Order United American Me- 
chanics — Champion Council, No. 2. In- 
stituted 1872. Meets 2I1/2 N. Fountain 
Avenue. Buck Creek Council No. 143. In- 
stituted 1891. Meets southeast corner La- 
gonda and Florence Streets. Helping 
Hand Council No. 61. Instituted 1900. 
Meets Zimmerman Block. Springfield 
Council No. 240. Instituted 1892. Meets 
38 E. Main Street. Junior Order United 
American Mechanics Past Councilors' As- 
sociation. Meets No. 38 E. Main Street. 
Uniform Bank, No. 3. Instituted 1900. 
Bushnell Council. Meets 2I1/2 N. Foun- 
tain Avenue. 

Daughters of America^ — Home City 
Council No. 27. Instituted 1894. Meets 
at Zimmerman Block, 38 E. Main Street. 
Violet Council No'. 29— Instituted 1894. 
Meets Zimmerman Block, 38 E. Main 
Street. 

Knights of Ancient Essenic — No. 22. 
Instituted 1896. 

Knights of the Golden Eagle — Logan 
Castle No. 1. Instituted 1887. Meets 
211/2 N. Fountain. Lincoln Castle No. 9— 



Instituted 1887. Meets 381/2 S. Fountain. 
Champion Castle No. 26 — Instituted 
1898. Meets 2I1/2 N. Fountain Avenue. 
Springfield Commandery No. 2 — Instituted 
1889. Meets 381/2 S. Fountain Avenue. 
Logan Commandery No. 3. — Instituted 
1889. Meets 2I1/2 N. Fountain Avenue. 

Knights of Fidelity — No. 11. Insti- 
tuted 1900. 

Knights of Maccabees — Springfield 
Tent No. 272. Instituted 1894. Meets 
381/2 S. Fountain Avenue. Lagonda 
Tent No. 381— Instituted 1897, southwest 
corner Lag'onda Avenue and Florence 
Street. Ferncliff Hive No. 170— Insti- 
tuted 1896. 

Knights of Tabor — Springfield Tenlple 
No. 316. Meets 201/2 S. Fountain Avenue. 

Knights of Columbus — Springfield 
Council No. 624. Meets Buckingham 
Block, 

Knights of Honor — Protection Lodge 
No. 759. Instituted .October 4, 1877. 
Meets 9 W. Main Street. 

Knights and Ladies of Honor — Live 
Oak Lodge No. 1421. Meets southeast 
corner Main and Fountain Avenue. 

Knights of Khorassan — Al Yembo 
Temple No. 112. Meets Bushnell Build- 
ing. 

Kesher Shal Barzel — No. 138. Insti- 
tuted 1875. 

Ladies of the Maccabees — Ferncliff 
Hive No. 170. Meets P. 0. S. of A. Hall. 
Lagonda Hive No. 345. Meets southeast 
corner Lagonda Avenue and Florence 
Street. 

Ladies of the Golden Eagle — Fidelity 
Temple No. 12. Meets 2I1/2 N. Fountain 
Avenue. Honor Temple. Meets 211/2 N. 
Fountain. Valor Temple No. 25. Meets 
381/-. S. Fountain Avenue. 



452 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ladies' Circle — Maple G-rove Camp No. 
40. Meets 881/2 S. Fountain Avenue. 

Modern Woodmen — Commercial Camp 
No. 3347. Instituted 1895. Meets No. 18 
S. Limestone Street. 

National Union — Royal Council No. 81. 
Instituted 1884. Meets 38 E. Main Street. 
Crescent Council No. 526 — Instituted 
1890. Meets southeast corner Main and 
Foimtain Avenue. 

National Protective Legion — Spring- 
field Legion No. 1265. Meets 38 E. Main 
Street. 

Patriotic Order Sons of America- 
Washington Camp No. 1. Instituted 
1898. Meets P. 0. S. of A. Hall. Camp 
No. 3. Meets P. 0. S. of A. Hall. 

Pathfinders (The)— Lodge No. 84. 
Meets P. O. S. of A. Hall. 

Protective Home Circle — Iron Circle 
No. 258. Instituted 1896. Springfield 
Circle No. 155. Meets 38 E. Main Street. 
AVillielm Circle No. 294— Instituted 1897. 
Meets 40 W. Washington Street. 

Royal Arcanum — Lagonda Council No. 
151. Instituted 1878. Meets southeast 
corner Main and Fountain Avenue. 

Sons of Veterans — Z. Barney Phillips 
Camp No. 37. Instituted 1888. 

Sisters of Mysterious Ten — No. 23. In- 
stituted 1895. 

Tribe of Ben Hur — No. 32. Instituted 
1898. Meets 21i/o N. Fountain Avenue. 

Union Veterans' Union — Stevens Com- 
mand No. 16. Instituted 1887. 

United Brothers' Friendship — No. 10. 
Instituted 1895. 

United Spanish War Veterans— Henry 
A. Asline Camp No. 5. Meets 2871/2 W. 
Main Street, west of Race. Keif er Camp 
No. 3. Meets Court House. 



Queen Esther's Court — No. 4. Insti- 
tuted 1882. 

Woman's Veteran Relief Union — No. 
32. Instituted 1895. 

TRADES AND LABOR ORGANIZA- 
TIONS. 

During the proceedings of the Spring- 
field Centennial Mr. Jeff Creager, who 
has been prominent in labor circles for 
many years, made an address in which he 
gave the following list of organizations 
as made up to that time : 

List op Unions. 

Beginning with 1864 the following labor 
organizations have been instituted in the 
order named in the city of Springfield: 

1864 — March. Iron Molders' Union 
No. 72. 

1868 — September 1. Tj^ographical 
Union No. 117. Reorganized July 28, 
1882. 

1883 — March 25. Brotherhood of Loco- 
motive Engineers, Sandusky Division, 
No. 208. 

1883— April 9. Mad River Assembly, 
K. of L., No. 2582. 

1885— June 22. Tailors' Assembly, K. 
of L., 3980. 

1885— October 12. Champion City As- 
sembly, K. of L., No. 4351. 

1886-^January 1. Lagonda Assembly, 
K. of L., No. 4894. 

1886 — January 4. Germania Assembly, 
K. of L., No. 4903. 

1886 — January 8. Phoenix Assembly, 
K. of L., No. 4950. 

1886 — January 15. Excelsior Assem- 
bly, K. of L., No. 5007. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



453 



1886— February 13. Iron Workers' 
Assembly, K. of L., No. 5815. 

1886 — March 1. Western Assembly, K. 
of L., No. 5816. 

1886 — June 7. Cigar Makers' Assem- 
bly, K. of L., No. 7825. 

1886— September 12. District Assem- 
bly, K. of L., No. 178. 

1886 — January 13. Journeymen Bakers 
and Confectioners, No. 94. Reorganized 
September 11, 1900. 

1887— Jime 26. Brotherhood of Loco- 
motive Firemen, Lodge 360. 

1887 — December 12. Cigar Makers' 
Union No. 45. 

1889 — October 8. Bricklayers and 
Masons No. 25. 

1889— April 2. Brotherhood of Car- 
penters and Joiners No. 284. Reorgan- 
ized 1901, April 2. New number 660. 

1890 — January' 1. Trades and Labor 
Assembly. 

1890 — June 16. Brotherhood of Paint- 
ers and Decorators No. 167. 

1890 — April 2. Journeymen Barbers 
No. 26. 

1890— December 9. Retail Clerks' Ua- 
tional Protective Association No. 190. 

1890 — June 30. National Brotherhood 
of Boiler Makers No. 10. Reorganized 
March 3, 1895, No. 18. 

1891 — January 16. International Asso- 
ciation of Machinists, Lodge 148. Re- 
organized May 14, 1898. 

1891 — Newspaper Employes' Union 
(local). 

1891 — September 28. Hod Carriers' 
Union. Incorporated under laws of the 
state of Ohio. 

1891 — June. Brotherhood of Brass 
Workers. 



1891 — 'Switchmen's Mutual Aid Asso- 
ciation, Lodge 125. 

1892 — Car Inspectors' and Repairers' 
Association. 

1892 — Building Trades Council. 

1892— April 3. Order of Railway Con- 
ductors, Division 329. 

1892 — Quarrymen and Limeburners, 
Cold Springs Lodge. Reorganized 1896, 
under A. F. of L. 

1892— Teamsters' Union (local). Re- 
organized and chartered by the Inter- 
national Union, March, 1900. No. 124. 

1892 — Laborers' Union (local). 

1892 — August 1. Journeymen Tailors' 
Union No. 203. 

1892 — Shoemakers' and Repairers' 
Union (local). 

1892 — November 1. Journeymen Plumb- 
ers ', Gas Fitters', Steam Fitters' and 
Steam Fitters' Helpers' Union No. 97. 

1892 — October 1. National League of 
Musicians No. 64. 

1892— Coal DriA'ers' Union (local). 

1893— April 1. Tin, Sheet Iron and 
Cornice Workers' International Associa- 
tion No. 91. 

1893 — January. 
Union No. 25. 

1893 — Machine Wood Workers' 
national. 

1894 — Journeymen Stone Cutters' 
sociation. 

1895 — September 15. Press Feeders' 
Union No. 7. 

1896— March 21. Theatrical Stage Em- 
ployes' Union No. 34. 

1896 — October 4. Brewery Workers' 
Union No. 45. 

1896 — Journeymen Horse Shoers ' Union 
No. 76. 



Printing Pressmen's 



Inter- 



As- 



454 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



1896 — International Association of 
Plasterers (operative) No. 22. 

1897— February 10. Boot and Shoe 
Workers' Union No. 139. 

1898 — June 8. Coremakers' Interna- 
tional Union. 

1898 — November 25. Metal Polishers', 
Buffers', Platers' and Brass Workers' 
Union No. 102. 

1899— April 13. Brotherhood of Train- 
men, Lodge 573. 

1899— July 21. Metal Chippers' Pro- 
tective Union No. 7446. 

1900 — ^August 23. Suspender Workers ' 
Union No. 8618. 

1900 — November 1. Shirt, Waist and 
Laundry Workers ' Union No. 34. 

1900 — April 24. Amalgamated Asso- 
ciation of Street Eailway Employes, Divi- 
sion 146. 

1901— May 14. Stereotypers ' and Elec- 
trotypers' Union No. 55. 

1901— May 8. Machinists' Helpers' 
Union No. 9102. 

1901 — August. American Federation 
of Musicians No. 160. 

A total of sixty organizations. 

In addition to the above there appears 
in the last edition of the Springfield 
Directory the following : 

Bill Posters' United Association of 
the United States and Canada. 

Brotherhood of Blacksmiths No. 196. 

Brotherhood of Bookbinders. 

Brotherhood of Eailway Clerks No. 96. 

Brotherhood of Eailway Maintenance 
of Way Employes No. 396. 

Electrical Workers' Union No. 45 (In- 
ternational). At Trades Assembly Hall. 



Federal Labor Union No. 9857. 

International Union Steam Engineers 
No. 318. 

Metal Polishers' and Brass Workers' 
Union No. 102. 

National Association of Stationary En- 
gineers. 

Painters', Decorators' and Paper 
Hangers' Union No. 533. 

Patternmakers' League. 

Printing Pressmen's Union No. 48. 

Shoe Workers' Union No. 139. 

Stonemasons' Union No. 68. 

Tailors' Union No. 203 (International). 

Theatrical Stage Employes' Union 
No. 34. 

Order of Eailroad Conductors, Division 
No. 329. 

Spring-field being largely a manufactur- 
ing city, labor organizations flourish. No 
general strike, however, has ever affected 
the city. During the time that Mr. Will- 
iam N. Whitely had control of the East 
Street Works a detei'mined stand was 
taken on his part not to employ a member 
of any labor organization. Mr. Whitely 's 
subsequent failure in business had no con- 
nection with anj^ strike. So, although at 
times there have been certain classes of 
workmen in various establishments who 
have temporarily ceased work, these dif- 
ficulties have never at any time assumed 
a serious aspect. Indeed Springfield has 
generallj' been considered fortunate in 
this respect, and it has been one of the 
potent arguments in inducing new in- 
dustries to locate in this town, that there 
has never been here any serious trouble 
between the employer and the employee. 



CHAPTER XVIII 



SPRINGFIELD (II.)---EDUCATION. 

SCHOOLS. 

Early History — Location, Principal and Enrollment of the Various School Build- 
ings (1907) — Private Schools other than Wittenberg College — Parochial 
Schools — Wittenberg College. 



(The various district and other schools 
in the county outside of Spring-tield may 
be found in the Chapter on Townships.) 

The early educational affairs of Spring- 
field have been well treated in a previous 
history of the county, and also in Prof. 
Weir's interesting paper read at the cele- 
bration of the Centennial of Spring-field. 
To the latter source of information the 
author is indebted for the facts contained 
in the following article relating to the 
early history of our schools : 

Eakly History. 

"In the year 1806, on the site occupied 
by the Lagonda National Bank and con- 
tiguous properties, in a building of logs, 
Nathaniel Pinkered opened the first 
school in Spring-field and has the credit 
of giving as full a course of instruction as 
was usual in those times. 

"Before Mill Run was diverted from 
its natural bed to furnish power for the 



paper mill once operating near North 
Street, its course to Buck Creek followed 
the line of the present Center Street 
sewer. The portion of the town lying to 
the west of this stream was called 'Old 
Vii'ginia,' Close to the west bank of Mill 
Run, in a frame or log building about 
where Sehaeffer's feed and grain store 
now stands, was a school known as 
Smith's Academy. The date of the open- 
ing of this institution cannot now be 
fixed, but was probably about 1813. 
Samuel Smith, the proprietor of this 
somewhat famous and well patronized 
school, was assisted in the care of smaller 
pupils by his wife, in her home nearby. 
An Englishman by birth, he enjoyed the 
telling of marvelous tales at the expense 
of the rough soil and rigorous climate of 
New England, where he had lived before 
coming to Ohio. Smith's fondness for 
ardent spirits, which he was at no pains 
to repress, is responsible in part for the 
Munchausen character of these stories, 



456 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



which his serious manner of telling led his 
younger hearers to accept as veritable 
facts. After his career as teacher, and 
after changing his too bibulous habits, 
Samuel Smith became justice of the peace, 
and lived to a good old age, honored by 
all who knew him. 

"The first building erected in the town 
exclusively for religious services was al- 
most due south from Smith's school 
across Main Street and off Center 
Street, about west of the Zimmerman 
drinking fountain. This building of 
hewed logs, thirty feet long and twenty 
feet wide, was put up by a general sub- 
scription in 1811, and was used by min- 
isters of all creeds in their casual visits. 
In 1818 the house was used as a school, 
but the names of the teachers who pre- 
sided at the desk cannot be recalled. 

"As closely as can now be reckoned, be- 
tween the years 1824 and 1832, two 
schools independent of each other were 
conducted in a house still standing at the 
northeast corner of Fountain Avenue and 
North Street. The teachers were Reuben 
Miller, Esq., and James L. Torbert, Esq. 
Divided by a hallway, the west end was 
used by Mr. Miller, and in the east end 
Mr. Torbert kept his school. These were 
the pioneers in academy work, for both 
taught only pupils in the advanced grades. 

"One of the drawing cards of Mr. 
Torbert 's school was the fact that he gave 
instruction in English Grammar. Judge 
Torbert 's dwelling was on Main Street, 
the site covered by Governor Bushnell's 
substantial business block, and here Mrs. 
Torbert kept school for little children, 
whose weariness in quest of knowledge 
was slept off on a settee in her back par- 
lor, and whose hunger was appeased with 



ginger cookies from her pantry. Several 
persons are yet living who recall the facts 
thus recited, and who also remember the 
industrial branches, such as painting and 
embroidery, which were included in her 
sj'stem of training. 

"One of Mrs. Torbert 's pupils, after- 
ward enrolled in Judge Torbert 's school, 
recalls the sentence by which she was in- 
itiated into the mysteries of English 
Grammar, parsing and analysis: 'John's 
hand trembled.' This is an interesting 
fact, since the usual introduction to pars- 
ing is through an ancient case of assault 
and battery, wherein 'James struck 
John. ' But, after all, it may be a part of 
the same case, for, under the circum- 
stances, what would be expected of John 
but that his hand would tremble prelim- 
inary to giving a synthetic example of 
subject and object changing places in the 
sentence. 

"These were the days of quill pens, 
with teacher as maker and mender. 
While making the rounds of his room for 
inspection or correction, he was wont to 
fix the damaged quills passed up to him. 
A good penknife, of proper edge and tem- 
joer, was therefore an essential in the 
equipment of the master, and his skiH 
and speed in pen cutting counted for 
much in the sum of his qualifications. One 
teacher had an eccentric fashion of 
thrusting the quills into his hair, till in 
his measured beat he came again to the 
pupil's seat. Hence by the time his round 
was made, his locks, more and more re- 
sembled the 'fretful porcupine.' Engraved 
copies for the penmanship exercise had 
not been invented, and so each teacher 
had to set the copy for his youthful 
scribes. This will explain, on the theory 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



457 



of heredity, why handwriting varies so, 
and also provides the cloak to cover a 
multitude of chirographic sins. 

"It will be understood that all the 
schools of that 'elder day' were known as 
'pay schools'; the idea of instruction for 
all at public expense, though advocated, 
did not yet meet with popular favor. The 
demand for teachers was often in excess 
of the supply, and public-spirited men, at 
times, were much at a loss how to keep the 
schools supplied with competent teachers. 

"In order to provide proper training 
for her own children, Mrs. Ann Warder 
brought from Easten Pennsylvania into 
her own household a well-equipped in- 
structor, and, inviting a few children 
from family friends, opened a school in 
her homestead, then on East High Street, 
opposite Christ Church, now owned and 
occupied by the Misses Burrows. In her 
later home, on East Main Street, at the 
intersection of the Big Four Railway 
tracks, Mrs. Warder conducted a school 
of more advanced grade, among whose 
teaching corps may be named Miss Arm- 
strong and Mr. Lewis. 

"No teacher of the early days in 
Springfield will be longer or. more loving- 
ly remembered than Miss Eunice Strong. 
Of sturdy New England stock, full of 
right convictions, broad in mind and large 
of heart, she impressed herself upon the 
religious, educational and social life of 
her day. When Main Street was called 
South Street, and before it was opened 
east of Spring, access to the ridge now 
called High Street was by a road winding 
up the slope to its summit. On this road 
and below the Warder homestead before 
referred to, in a frame structure. Miss 
Strong kept school for younger pupils. 



Afterward, in association with Miss Par- 
sons, on the site of the Charles Ludlow 
and Ross Mitchell residences, she had a 
school for older pupils. At a later period 
Miss Strong taught older students in a 
frame building on Fisher street, on the 
premises of the First Presbyterian 
Church. Many of the best years of her 
life were devoted to this good work, and 
no period of local educational history has 
the marks of one personality more deeply 
impressed upon it than the years Eunice 
Strong lived here. In response to ques- 
tions relative to her work, nearly every 
one exclaimed: 'Wiy, yes! Of course I 
remember Miss Strong.' 

"If fii'es kept burning on the altar of 
education in any one locality can sanctify, 
then the northeast corner of High Street 
and Fountain Avenue ought to be regard- 
ed as 'holy ground.' As early, probably, 
as 1836, a two-story frame stood here, 
and on the second floor Mr. Elliott and 
his sister kept school for youth of both 
sexes. In 1837 Miss Strong succeeded in 
the occupancy of this site with her young 
people. Following her. Misses Merrill 
and Tenney kept a school for girls and 
continued it till 1840, the year of the fire 
that destroyed much of the business prop- 
erty of the town. In 1841 Rev. Mr. Pres- 
bury, rector of the Episcopal Church, 
brought to this classic corner his select 
school for girls, which he had previously 
conducted at his own home. 

"In the course of time this frame gave 
place to a plain brick building of three 
stories, known to the last generation as 
the 'Baltimore Grocery.' Reaching the 
third floor by a stairway from High 
Street, one found a large, well-lighted 
room and well adapted to the school uses 



458 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of that time. AVhen, after a few years' 
suspension of the Public High School, the 
course of study was again shaped to pro- 
vide a line of advanced work, the pupils 
pursuing it were separated from the other 
grades, and, in 1867, as a High School, 
were installed over this 'Baltimore Gro- 
cery.' Mr. Allen Armstrong and Miss 
Mary Harrison were the teachers in 
charge of this school. 

"A review of education in Springfield 
with Hannah Haas left out, would ignore 
a very long and useful career. Before 
she began her work in connection with 
Spring-field Seminary, Miss Haas gath- 
ered a little school in a house standing on 
the southwest corner of Fountain Avenue 
and Columbia Street. At another time 
she had a school in the basement of the 
church then known as the Associate Re- 
formed Presbyterian and later as the 
United Presbyterian. This house of 
worship, partly torn away to make room 
for Mr. James Carson's wholesale gro- 
cery, was recently wholly removed for the 
erection of Mr. E. S. Kelly's business 
block on Limestone Street. After occupy- 
ing a room in 'Trapper's Corner' for a 
brief time, Miss Haas then used the base- 
ment of the Episcopal Church, which then 
stood at the southwest comer of High and 
Limestone Streets. At another period 
she taught in the house on the Presby- 
terian Church lot alluded to in connec- 
tion with Miss Strong. Whether it grew 
out of the sympathy felt by the church for 
the school, or was a source of income to 
meet that vexatious question, 'current ex- 
penses,' so common in church finance, it 
will have been noted already in this nar- 
rative that the church edifice was the 
usual shelter of the school. 



"The United Presbyterian Church was 
also used by Robert Black as a school of 
advanced grade; there are many of his 
students yet alive to attest to the excel- 
lence of his work in their behalf. In this 
same place was gathered the first public 
library, and here, too, a debating society 
held its meetings, which proved a valuable 
training for many who have since been 
much under public gaze. Robert Black 
remained long a citizen of this place and 
was recorder of the county for a term of 
years. Among others who used as a 
school room the Episcopal Church were 
Mrs. Lowndes, Miss Lavinia Baird, Laura 
and Virginia Miller, all of whom conduct- 
ed schools for little children. 

"Miss Carrie Baird has the unique dis- 
tinction of having conducted in her own 
home a school for little ones who were un- 
able to pay the fees usually asked; 
prompted to do this simply as a means of 
doing what good she could. Miss Lavinia 
Baird at a later date gave instruction in 
a room over the tea store now on Foun- 
tain Avenue. These labors were about 
3858. 

"Where Central Methodist Episcopal 
Church now is was the_ site of a school 
kept by Miss Catherine Haas, sister of 
Miss Hannah Haas before named in this 
narrative. 

"Miss Elizabeth Parker at a later date 
conducted a school on the site of Nathaniel 
Pinkered's early labors. 

"A very interesting group of schools 
was located in the eastern portion of the 
town, then quite in the suburbs. Fifty 
years or more ago the tract east of Wal- 
nut Street and south of Main was farm, 
forest and orchard. Near the intersection 
of Walnut and High Streets was a frame 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



459 



striicttire in whicli an English gentleman 
(particular emphasis on gentleman) and 
his estimable wife kept school for all 
grades, including instruction in languages 
and higher branches. So long ago manual 
and industrial training were in vogue, for 
under Mrs. Miller's oversight sewing and 
embroidery were taught the girls; and 
women are still living who remember the 
instruction — and speak of the skill at- 
tained by several of the pupils. Mr. Mil- 
ler is remembered for the interest he took 
and inspired in his students in the study 
of astronomy. When Mr. Miller had re- 
moved to a new school near the corner of 
Main and Spring Streets, Miss Vicory 
succeeded him in the use of the building 
which was a part of her grandfather 
Merryfield Vicory 's farm. Here also 
Miss Peet had a school afterward. ' Kind 
and faithful' is the brief but expressive 
eulogy pronounced upon the memory of 
these teachers by one of the pupils. 

"Across Mill Run, on the site of the 
East Street shops, and reached from the 
Vicory farm by a foot log, lay the little 
school presided over by Miss Emma Way. 
This one seems to have been the most re- 
mote from the center of the town. 

"Three places are identified as the 
scenes of the labors of Mr. Orin Stimson, 
a pioneer in educational matters in 
Spring-field; North Spring Street, a few 
rods north of Columbia Street, on the 
west side; South Limestone Street, near 
the former site of the Associate Reformed 
or United Presbyterian Church ; northeast 
comer of Columbia and Factory Streets. 
There are many who recall the days spent 
in Mr. Stimson 's school and attest his 
abilitv as a school man. He was one of 



the victims of the cholera in its visitation 
about half a century ago. 

"The lot now occupied by the mansion 
of Mr. John Foos has many scholastic as- 
sociations. Here in a large square frame 
house, Mrs. Anna Foos held a school dur- 
ing the summer terms of two years. Here 
also for one winter Mr. Cadwallader, and 
the next Mr. Buchanan served the rising 
young idea. It is a matter of regret that 
the details of this service, both as to facts 
and dates, are so meagre. 

"Sam Lawton, of Miss Stowe's 'Old 
Town Folks,' was wont to say that a 
pretty face on the singer's seat, in church, 
was a means of grace. Apropos of this, 
there is a record that in the forest still 
surrounding the E. W. Ross homestead on 
]Cast High Street there nestled a little 
school presided over by a woman of ac- 
complishments, to which were added un- 
usual charms of personal beauty ; declared 
by one admirer to have been the most 
beautiful woman of her time. Local his- 
tory should not fail, then, to place on its 
roll the name of Miss Minerva Aldrich. 
Miss Aldrich was followed in the conduct 
of this school by Miss Gunning. 

"The records of many schools are so 
scant that the narrative reads like a page 
from a city directory; yet in order to 
preserve local traditions and history, 
these teachers will be set down in this 
chronicle of one phase of our city's life.' 

"Miss Smith, later wife of Judge 
Rodgers and mother of Professor Henry 
G. Rodgers, taught on the site of the 
Bowman Building, opposite the Teegar- 
den residence on West Main Street. 

"Mrs. Woodward, mother of the late 
Librarian Woodward, taught where the 



460 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Farm and Fireside publishing house now 
stands. 

"In a stone house removed to erect the 
business house of Conrad Nagel, as long 
ago as 1832-5, Mrs. Donohue had a school 
for little children. Here, too. Miss Fin- 
ley and later Mrs. Anna Foos wrought on 
plastic natures. So few of the school- 
rooms used in those 'elder days' still 
stand, that any, which survive the de- 
mands of business for room to expand, 
should be pointed out as interesting links 
between the past and present. The red 
brick cottage on West Columbia Street, 
under the shadow of St. John German 
Church, was one of those 'noisy man- 
sions' where, with varying tides of for- 
tune, master and youth struggled with the 
problems then confronting them. Eev. 
Mr. Pingree, Mr. William Wilson, and 
probably Miss Ebersole are some of those 
who taught school in this house. 

' ' Close to the track of the Little Miami 
Eailway, between Center and Factory 
Streets, stood the school of Miss Doolittle, 
which is remembered as one of the most 
•popular and flourishing schools of that 
era of 'pay schools.' 

"Few, even of the older citizens, re- 
member personally Mr. Isaac Lancey, 
who en.ioj^s the distinction of being the 
first custodian of the first public library. 
Mr. Lancey had a school on Fountain 
Avenue where Union Hall now stands, in 
a two-story frame house set back from 
the line of the street. The building on 
West Washington Street now used by the 
National Biscuit Company, and formerly 
the Universalist Church, was the school- 
room of ]Mr. James Wilson and also of 
Eev. Mr. Pingree, who was also a pastor 
of the church. 



"It is interesting to note that in many 
of the schools last named the Bible was 
the chief reading book, and formal in- 
struction in the catechisms of the churches 
was a part of the system. 

' ' The educational advantages of Spring- 
field ere long began to attract attention 
from beyond her bounds, and created a 
demand for boarding schools for both 
sexes. About 1844 such an enterprise for 
girls was started by Rev. Mr. Moore in a 
building known as the "Linn," where the 
Gotwald-Zimmerman edifice now stands. 
This school was maintained for some 
time, remembered by many for the public 
examinations and literary exercises, which 
were held in the Presbyterian Church. 
Mr. Moore afterward removed to Gran- 
ville, Ohio, in charge of a college. 

"Perhaps no name filled so large a 
I)lace in public esteem as that of Eev. 
Chandler Eobbins, who was identified in 
so many ways with the education of 
Spring-field's youth. He was first called 
to the principalship of the Springfield 
High School, as the institution still stand- 
ing on East High Street was then called, 
and served acceptably five years. After 
an absence of three years in the South, 
Mr. Eobbins returned to Springfield and 
in 1848 established Greenway Institute, a 
boarding school for boys. This school 
was first located on the Foos property, 
before mentioned, and. is said to have 
taken its name from the beautiful grounds 
surrounding the school. 

"In 1851 the building on East Main 
Street, now forming a part of the City 
Hospital, was erected as the home of his 
school, to which boys were attracted from 
distant places. Mr. Eobbins continued 
this institute till his death in 1871. In 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



461 



addition to his labors in his own school, 
this tireless man was successively rector 
of the Episcopal Church, a member of the 
Board of Education, superintendent of 
schools, examiner of teachers. 

"On this roll of worthies must be in- 
scribed the names of Miss Matilda Stout, 
who kept a school at the northeast corner 
of Factory and Main Streets ; Mr. McWill- 
iams, William Reid and his sister, Jane 
Reid, Rev. William McGrookin and Rev. 
John Rowe, all of whom spent many years 
of their lives in the cause of popular edu- 
cation. " 

Present School, System. 

Prior to 1850 it seems that the schools 
were conducted by teachers in their own 
buildings, the Council estimating and de- 
termining the amount to be paid for 
tuition, according to the number of pupils 
attending each school. In 1847 the Legis- 
lature passed a law applied particularly 
to the town of Akron and providing for a 
School Board. This law was afterwards 
extended so as to allow any town of 200 
inhabitants to organize under the act. 

In 1850 Robert Black and John Ludlow 
were appointed managers of the public 
schools, and in March, 1851, the people 
voted to build two new schoolhouses. In 
February, 1853, a reconomiendation was 
reported in Council to purchase two lots; 
one was the present site of the western 
school building and the other, which was 
formerly that of the eastern school build- 
ing, was located on High Street, imme- 
diately northwest of the Big Four Rail- 
road, north of the bridge. 

In 1855 the first Board of Education 



was selected, consisting of Chandler Rob- 
bins, Joseph Brown and C. H. Williams. 

F. W. Hurt was elected the first super- 
intendent. John Fulton was principal of 
the western and Daniel Berger of the 
eastern school. The Board of Education 
was elected by wards until the adoption 
of the new municipal code, when it was 
provided that there should be elected cer- 
tain members at large, the others to be 
chosen by the various wards. The High 
School Building was erected in 1875 at 
a cost of $70,000. A few years ago an ad- 
dition almost doubling its capacity was 
added to the west part. At this time there 
are a large number of excellent school 
buildings in various parts of the city. 

The following is a list of the superin- 
tendents of the schools so far as we are 
able to give their names : 

F. W. Hurt, James Cowles, Chandler 
Robbins, Charles B. Ruggles, Allen Arm- 
strong, John F. RjTiman, Charles H. 
Evans, J. A. Jackson, W. J. White, A. E. 
Taylor, William II. Weir, Carey Boggess, 
John S. Weaver, Carey Boggess. 

In 1855 there were ' fourteen teachers, 
including the superintendent and prin- 
cipal; in 1860, eighteen; 1865, twenty- 
four; 1870, thirty-four; 1875, forty-two: 
1880, sixty-two; 1907, superintendent, 
one; special teachers, three; elementary 
German teachers, five; principals, six- 
teen ; high school teachers, eighteen ; man- 
ual training teacher, one; elementary 
teachers, one hundred and twenty-six; 
total, one hundred and seventy. 

In 1872 and 1873 the enumeration was 
4,047 ; 1878-1880 it was 5,789. In 1907 it 
is as follows : 

Spring-field City — First ward, males, 
1,493; females, 1,305; total, 2,798. 



462 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Second Ward— Males, 1,126; females, Fifth— Males, 907; females, 895; total, 

1,061; total, 2,187. 1,802. 

Third Ward— Males, 1,203; females. Sixth— Males, 976; females, 925; total, 

1,235 ; total, 2,438. 1,901. 

Fourth— Males, 642; females, 895; Total— Males, 6,347; females, 6,043; 

total, 1,802. total males and females, 12,390. 



Name^ LocATioisr^ Principal and Enrollment of the Various Schools 
Buildings (1907). 



'Same. Location. 

High School Southwest corner High & Factory 

Bushnell X. W. corner Schaffer and Columbia 

Central Southwest corner High and Factory 

Clifton Street Southeast corner Clifton & Taylor 

Dibert Avenue Southeast corner Dibert Ave. & Jackson 

Elmwood Northeast corner Oakland Ave. & Elmwood Ave. 

Franklin South side Fair between Miami & Y Springs 

Frey Northwest corner Auburn Ave. & Erie Ave. 

Garfield Southeast corner Pleasant & Winter streets 

Gray West side Dayton Pike near Hughes 

Jefferson N. S. JlcCreight Ave. b. Limestone & Fountain Ave. 

Lagonda Belmont Ave.. Lagonda 

Lincoln West side Pearl between Southern Ave. & Rice 

McKinley South side High between East & Mary 

Northern South side College Ave. b. Fountain Ave. & Limestone 

Southern Northeast corner Miller & Limestone 

Washington Northwest corner Lagonda & Park Aves. 

Western Northeast corner Main & Yellow Springs 



Principal. Enrollment. 


Chas. C. Patterson 


649 


D. B. Long 


366 


Trillena White 


327 


L. S. Meloy 


619 


Theo. J. Rebert 


301 


P. S. Altman 


223 


Augusta Wiegel 


135 


Charlotte M. Swanton 


68 


Wm. Roberts 


347 


Chas. A. Kizer 


414 


0. E. Allen 


421 


Salathiel Ogan 


216 


Z. Taylor 


364 


Peter Lynch 


393 


Ladru M. Layton 


585 


Daniel Ebersole 


362 


B. B. Mclntyre 


876 


H. E. Boggess 


371 



Selected statistics for school years 1905 
to 1907 : 

1905. 1906. 1907. 

Enrolled in June 5585 5474 5614 

Enrolled for year — 

Bovs 3191 3194 3233 

Girls 3326 333 3304 

Total ; 6517 6527 6537 

Average monthly enrollment 5928 5896 5888 

Average daily attendance — 

Boys 2655 2615 2659 

Girls 2765 2718 2707 

Total 5420 5333 5366 



Private Schools Other Than Witten- 
berg College. 

In 1834, by an Act of the General As- 
sembly of Ohio, the Springfield High 
School, in the town of Springfield, Clark 
County, Ohio, was incorporated. Quite 
an extended account of this institution is 
given in Beers' History, and many of the 
prominent men of the town were engaged 
in promoting this worthy enterprise. In 
the list, are the names of Sampson Mason, 



Charles Anthony, Judge W. A. Rogers, 
Dr. Robert Rodgers, Dr. B. Gillett, Jere- 
miah Warder, Edmond Ogden, Reuben 
Miller, James S. Halsey, Levy Reinhart, 
John Bacon, Charles Cavalier, Harry 
Bretney, Samuel and James Barnett, Will- 
iam Worden, John Whiteley, James Reid, 
Rev. Edward H. Cummings, Rev. John S. 
Galloway and John M. Gallagher. 

A site was selected for this school on 
East High Street, immediately east of the 
Methodist Church, and a building erected 
there, which is used at this time as a pri- 
vate academy. The High School was or- 
ganized in 1835, with Milo G. Williams as 
])rincipal. He resigned his position in 
1841 and was succeeded by Chandler Rob- 
bins. For some reason it was proposed to 
transfer the school to the conference of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church and the 
proposition was made and accepted by 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



463 



that body in 1841, and in '42 an act was 
passed to incorporate the Ohio Confer- 
ence High School in the town of Spring- 
field. Chandler Bobbins was succeeded 
as principal by Rev. Solomon Howard in 
1845. He resigned in '52 and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. John W. Weakly, and in 
1860 Mr. Weakly was succeeded by E. G. 
Dial, Mr. Dial's successor being W. J. 
Ellsworth, who was followed by J. W. 
Herron. The latter resigned in 1869, 
when the building was leased to the Board 
of Education of Springfield for five years, 
to be used for a public high school. Upon 
the termination of this lease the school 
passed again under private control. Miss 
Anna B. Johnson now conducts a primary 
school in this historic building. 

Speingfield Female Seminary. 

In 1840 Rev. Jonathan Edwards con- 
ducted a select school for ladies in the 
basement of the First Presbyterian 
Church, and in 1852 a charter was ob- 
tained. A large building was erected for 
the purpose of the Female Seminary on 
the spot where the Northern School 
Building now stands. 

Mr. John A. Smith had charge of this 
school, which was conducted under the 
auspices of the Presbyterian Church. 
Mr. Smith was succeeded by M. H. Chris- 
tian in 1854, and he was succeeded in 
1855 by Rev. Charles Sturdevant. By 
reason of a debt and financial embarrass- 
ments, Mr. Sturdevant assumed the lia- 
bilities and became the owner. In 1857 
Rev. James L. Roberts bought a half in- 
terest, and in 1860 Rev. Henry R. Wilson 
bought Mr. Sturdevant 's share. In 1865 
Rev. J. S. Rogers became the sole owner 



and conducted it as a seminary until it 
was sold in 1871 to the Board of Educa- 
tion. 

Parochial Schools. 

The Catholic Churches and some of the 
old Lutheran Churches of the city still 
conduct parochial schools. These schools 
at present are the following : 

St. Raphael School. 

St. Bernard's Parochial School. 

St. Joseph's Convent and Conservatory 
of Music. 

St. Joseph's Parochial School. 

German Evangelical Lutheran School 
(Zion's). 

In addition there are the following: 

Williss Business University. 

Nelson's Business College. 

The following constitute the present 
members of the Board of Education and 
the officers of the same: W. A. Martin, 
president; S. R. Hutchings, J. M. Derrick- 
son, A. F. Linn, Paul C. Martin, H. L. 
Schaeffer, W. S. Meredith, Carey Bog- 
gess, superintendent of instructions; W. 
H. Thomas, Clerk; C. W. Arbogast, 
treasurer. 

At the election held November, 1907, it 
was voted to erect a new High School 
Building at a cost not to exceed $200,000. 

Wittenberg College. 

By Benjamin F. Prince, A. M., Ph. D.* 

As most early collegiate institutions in 

our country, Wittenberg College, was 

foimded under the pressure of a religious 



*Dr. Pi'ince graduated frozii this institution in 1865 
and oomnipncpd his duties as an instructor in 1866, 
and has romained with the institution ever since, a 
period of forty-two years. 



464 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



organization. The Evangelical Lutherans 
of Ohio and Indiana realizing that if they 
were to gain and maintain a pei'manent 
footing in the West, as these states were 
designated in the early forties, decided to 
establish an educational institution which 
should be under their control. 

Foundation. 

As early as 1830 such an effort was 
made and a seminary for the special train- 
ing of ministers was commenced. This 
was largely controlled by the German ele- 
ment, of the church, and did not, as was 
thought of some, sufficiently take into ac- 
count the interests of those who had 
passed from the German into the English 
stage. The latter desired an institution 
which would not only give opportunity for 
a theological education, but a scientific 
one as well, and one where the laity might 
receive a training which would better 
qualify them for entrance into one of the 
professions or into business and the chan- 
nels of trade. With this in view Witten- 
berg College was chartered March 11th, 
1845. At this time there was no money 
in the hands of the Board of Directors, 
but their hopes and expectations were in 
the future. They believed that friends 
would rise up and take care of the new in- 
stitution and push it forwai'd to success. 

The charter provided for both a theo- 
logical and scientific education and that 
the usual collegiate degrees might be con- 
ferred when property to the amount of 
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) should be 
in possession of the Board of Directors. 

De. Keller. 

Eev. Ezra Keller, D. D., was the moving 
spirit in the enterprise. He had traveled 



as a missionary through the states of 
Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, and 
from his observation became impressed 
with the importance of educating a min- 
istry for the church to which he belonged, 
on the territory where their labors were 
so much needed on account of the rapidly 
growing population. He also had in mind 
the training of young men who would not 
enter the ministry, in subjects that be- 
longed to higher education and which 
would make them leaders in society, 
church and state. 

Location. 

It was through his advice that Witten- 
berg College was located at Springfield. 
Other places were considered by him, 
while casting about for a suitable location 
for the college, as Wooster, Canton and 
Xenia. In 1844 Dr. Keller opened a 
school at Wooster, but he felt that the 
permanent place for it should be further 
to the south and west. Springfield was 
finally decided upon as the future home 
of the institution and the selection of the 
site was made in March, 1845. For the 
next six or seven months Dr. Keller oc- 
cupied himself in awakening an interest 
among the Lutheran people in the states 
to be connected with the enterprise, and 
in securing the co-operation of the resi- 
dents of Springfield and Clark County in 
the new institution. On November 3rd, 
1845, the school was opened. Five stu- 
dents were present at the first hour and 
four more came in during the day. Others 
came later, and the aggregate number for 
the first year was about seventy. There 
was as yet no building erected by the col- 
lege board. The classes were heard in the 
basement of what is now known as the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



467 



J"'irst Lutheran Church, which was yet in 
an unfinished state. It contained several 
small rooms, which served as places in 
which to hear and instruct the various 
classes. 

Eeectiotst of Piest College, Etc. 

In the summer of 1846 the erection of 
the east wing- of what is now the young 
men's dormitory was begun. Funds were 
low and the completion of the wing was 
greatly delayed. In the spring of 1847 
Dr. Keller made himself personally re- 
sponsible to the various contractors if 
they would proceed with the work. In 
this manner the building was completed 
and occupied by transferring the classes 
from the church. The main building with 
the west wing was still to be erected, to 
which work Dr. Keller gave much thought 
and energy. But he was not destined to 
see its consummation. In December, 
1848, he was suddenly stricken with 
typhoid fever. His system, reduced by 
hard labor and anxiety concerning the 
many growing and pressing interests that 
confronted him, was unable to resist the 
encroachments of the disease and on De- 
cember 29th he fell a victim to its ravages. 
His death was a great loss to the institu- 
tion and was deeply mourned by his many 
friends in the city, who were numbered 
among all denominations and who ever 
held his memory in the profoundest 
esteem and respect. His body was laid to 
rest nearby the institution to which he 
had given five years of earnest toil. After 
the opening of Ferncliff Cemetery his re- 
mains were removed to its beautiful and 
attractive grounds. 



Eev. Samuel Spbecher. 

The Board of Directors now elected 
Eev. Samuel Sprecher to the place made 
vacant by the death of Dr. Keller. Eev. 
Sprecher was a warm friend of Dr. Keller 
and the person whom the latter would 
have chosen as his successor. The repu- 
tation of Eev. Sprecher as a scholar, 
theologian, philosopher and eloquent 
speaker was already well known. 

In June, 1849, President Sprecher as- 
sumed the duties of the position to which 
he had been elected, performing them to 
the satisfaction of the Board of Directors, 
friends and students of the college. At 
his coming he found but one wing of the 
proposed building completed and the 
money for erecting the remaining parts 
mostly to be raised. It seemed almost an 
impossible task, but he gave himself hero- 
ically to it and by the close of the col- 
legiate year, 1850-51, the heavy duty was 
accomplished. 

First Class. 

In the year 1851 the first class was 
graduated from the college. It consisted 
of eight members. Four became minis- 
ters, two lawyers, one a physician and one 
entered upon a business career. One still 
(1908), Eev. William H. Wynn, D. D., 
Tacoma, Wash., survives to remember 
the day of his graduation. 

Among the hard problems which the in- 
stitution had to meet, that of finance was 
the most strenuous. It did not begin 
full-handed, as many institutions of a 
later date, but had to struggle in its ef- 
forts to do the best possible work with 
slender means. That it turned out so 



468 



HISTOEY OF CI.AEK COUNTY 



many pei'sons in its early history who be- 
came eminent in the various professions 
which they entered, is a proof that much 
can be accomplished in awakening ambi- 
tion for scholarship and inciting of lofty 
aims without a lavish expenditure of 
money. At the various meetings of the 
College Board in those early days the sub- 
ject of finance was a common theme, and 
plans looking to the betterment were 
from time to time inaugurated. 

In accordance with the practice of other 
educational institutions of the day, 
scholarships were sold at a very low fig- 
ure, with the hope that a large number 
would be taken, and from this source an 
endowment of considerable dimensions 
would accrue to the college; but the re- 
sults, as elsewhere, were far from satis- 
factory. At various periods during the 
presidency of Dr. Sprecher, he took the 
field to secure funds for the college and 
was able to add materially to the endow- 
ment of the institution. The war of 
1861-5 affected greatly the attendance of 
students and thereby its resources. Many 
of the students enlisted, some for three 
months, some for three years and some 
for the war. The number who went was 
so large as to call from the government 
special commendation. 

During Dr. Sprecher 's administration 
of twenty-five years a high grade of 
scholarship was secured and maintained 
by the young men who passed through the 
courses of study then offered by the col- 
lege. The president himself was the em- 
bodiment of high thinking and by it he 
inspired many young men who came un- 
der his influence with an ambition for 
learning and scholarship. 



Dr. J. B. Helwig. 

In 1874 Dr. Sprecher resigned the pres- 
idency and was succeeded by Kev. John B. 
Helwig, D. D., who for eight years pre- 
sided over the affairs of the institution. 
He was earnest in his endeavor to build 
u]p its interest. During his administra- 
tion young women were admitted and the 
work of co-education at Wittenberg be- 
gan. A more extended and flexible cur- 
riculum of studies was adopted. The 
financial condition was somewhat im- 
proved. Plans for the erection of a new 
building, so greatly needed, were dis- 
cussed and subscriptions for that purpose 
taken. The college had now outgrown its 
contracted quarters and the pressure was 
at hand for enlargement. But the duties 
of administration and the labor connected 
with the effort to secure better facilities 
for carrying forward the work of the in- 
stitution began to weigh heavily on the 
mind and body of Dr. Helwig, and feeling 
the strain too great, he resigned in the 
spring of 1882. 

Dr. S. a. Ort. 

The Board of Directors now elected to 
fill the vacancy Eev. Samuel A. Ort, D. D., 
who for two years past had filled a chair 
in the school of theology. He at once as- 
sumed the duties of the position and gave 
his first attention to the securing of funds 
for the proposed new building. 

New College Building. 

This was successful and by April, 1883, 
the work of construction was commenced. 
Owing to delays from various causes the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



469 



building now named Recitation Hall was 
not ready for occupancy until September, 
1886. Its completion meant much for the 
professors and students. Better class 
rooms with various added facilities were 
provided, which were a great help in car- 
rying on the work of the institution. The 
citizens of Springfield and Clark County 
generously contributed the greater part 
of the funds for the building. 

In the meantime the field of instruction 
had been much broadened. In the sciences 
the opportunity for more extended and 
practical work Avas greatly increased and 
the new methods for their study fully in- 
augurated. The student was encouraged 
to become an investigator in the scientific 
field and find out for himself the secrets 
of nature. Also English and German, as 
well as the ancient classics, history and 
political science, jDhilosophy and mathe- 
jnatics, all took an advanced step in the 
scope of their study and as far as pos- 
sible in the methods of instruction. All 
these improvements, together with the 
new spirit which necessarily followed on 
account of them, made the institution 
vastly different from what it had been a 
quarter of a century earlier. 



who desired to send their daughters to 
Wittenberg. In consequence of this grow- 
ing need, the Board of Directors at its 
meeting in June, 1887, decided to erect a 
suitable building as a home for young 
ladies. The work was commenced and a 
neat and comfortable hall was finished in 
the spring of 1888. It was not, however, 
put into use until the following Septem- 
ber. Though not large, it has answered 
its purpose well, and Ferncliff Hall has 
become one of the features of college life. 
Plans are in hand for its enlargement as 
soon as there is a demand for it on ac- 
count of increasing numbers of young 
women from abroad. No building for the 
special use of the Theological School had 
been erected before 1890. In the fall of 
1889 the cornerstone of such building was 
laid and the whole structure completed 
and dedicated in November, 1890. It sup- 
plied a great need and opened a way for 
securing many advantages to the young 
men preparing for the ministry. The 
teaching force had already been enlarged 
and a course of instruction prepared to 
meet the demands necessary for the times. 

Hamma Divinity Hall. 



Admission of Women. 

After the admission of young women as 
students in 1874, their numbers gradually 
increased from year to year. Those who 
applied from abroad began to be consider- 
able in numbers, and places had to be 
found for them in homes within a rea- 
sonable distance from the college. This 
brought continual annoyance to the presi- 
dent and his associates ; neither was this 
condition always satisfactory to parents 



The building is known as Hamma Divin- 
ity Hall, in honor of the chief donor to 
the expense of construction, Eev. M. W. 
Hamma, D. D. This building was burned 
December, 1900, and rebuilt the following 
year. Since that time the corps of in- 
structors of the Seminary has been furth- 
er increased, new courses added and vari- 
ous facilities provided. For the better 
equipment of the Seminary the legacy of 
the late Eev. Charles Stroud and the gift 
of Dr. Hamma will furnish ample means 



470 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



for it on its present foundation when 
once the entire sum becomes available. 

Zimmerman Library Building. 

A place for housing and caring for the 
growing library of the college became 
more and more a necessity from year to 
year. Realizing the needs of the institu- 
tion for a library building, Hon. John L. 
Zimmerman, an alumnus of the college, 
proposed to erect such a structure as a 
memorial to his brother. Rev. Joseph 
Clark Zimmerman, deceased. The offer 
was gladly accepted. The Zimmerman 
library was begun in 1891 and dedicated 
in 1892. The building is now crowded 
with books, pamphlets and magazines. Its 
enlargement is fast becoming a necessity. 
The gathering of books must go on and no 
doubt there will soon be provided means 
for the extension of the building and its 
further equipment. 

Substantial additions were made to the 
endowment fund during the presidency of 
Dr. Ort. The number of students was 
greatly increased. Plans for enlarge- 
ment were inaugurated, many of which 
were of much service to the college. After 
eighteen years of earnest and effective 
labor in building up the institution in 
equipments, in buildings, in finances, and 
by the extension and addition to the vari- 
ous departments of instruction, Dr. Ort 
offered his resignation as president of the 
institution, retaining, however, his chair 
in theology in the seminary and professor 
of philosophy in the college. 

Dr. J. M. EUTHRAUFF. 

Dr. Ort was succeeded by Rev. J. 
Mosheim Ruthrauff, D. D., who, holding 
the position for nearly two years, was 



suddenly stricken down with a fatal dis- 
ease. With the coming of Dr. Ruthrauff 
the policy of directors withjegard to the 
duties of the president was changed. 
Hitherto the presidents were expected to 
do their full share of teaching, look after 
the conduct and discipline of the students, 
represent the college wherever and when- 
ever necessary, and secure needed funds 
and advance the financial condition of the 
college. Its growing interests made this 
a great and impossible burden. Dr. Ruth- 
rauff was relieved of all teaching. He 
began with commendable zeal to advance 
the financial interests of the institution, 
but his labors were destined to be of short 
duration. With a suddenness that falls 
to few the death summons came and 
again the presidency of the college became 
vacant. 

Rev. Charles G. Heckert. 

For one year after the death of Dr. 
Ruthrauff, Dr. Ort had temporary over- 
sight of the affairs of the college. In the 
spring of 1903 Rev. Charles G. Heckert, 
D. D., who held the chair of English and 
logic, was elected to the vacant place. He 
accepted the position with the condition 
that his duties should begin on the follow- 
ing commencement day, a wish that was 
granted by the Board of Directors. Hav- 
ing been an instructor and professor in 
the institution for fourteen years. Dr. 
Heckert was well acquainted with its af- 
fairs and could enter upon his duties 
without a period of tutelage to learn the 
methods of administration and the needs 
of the various departments. Under his 
efforts and advice the institution has 
broadened its courses, enlarged its faculty 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



471 



and advanced all the interests of the 
college. 

Caenegie Science Hall. 

Through his earnest efforts the latest 
addition to the facilities of the college, 
Carnegie Science Hall, has been secured. 
The building has been erected and 
equipped. It has been fitted up in the 
most approved method for scientific 
work. It equipments are of the mod- 
ern type and together "with all its ap- 
pointments it adds much to the facil- 
ities for teaching the sciences. The build- 
ing proper stands as a monument to the 
generosity of the donor, Mr. Carnegie; 
the equipment expresses the interest of 
alumni and friends of the college in the 
progress of the institution. 

Geadtjates, Etc. 

There have gone out from the Seminary 
since its first class in 1846 more than 
three hundred and sixty ministers. They 
are scattered over four continents, en- 
deavoring to bear the light of gospel truth 
everywhere for the betterment of the 
world. 

The college proper has had an equally 
useful and prosperous career. With its 
first class in 1851 to and including the 
class of 1907, it has sent forth more than 
eight hundred and sixty graduates. They 
have been useful and successful in many 
fields, some as judicial officers in the 
courts of state and nation, some as legis- 
lators and statesmen in national and state 
legislatures, some as manufacturers and 
business men, some as lawyers, some as 
teachers in state schools and colleges, and 
some as ministers and many others in 



various pursuits and vocations, bearing 
honor to themselves and credit to the col- 
lege that gave them their degree. Nor 
must there be forgotten the many who 
have spent one or more years at Witten- 
berg, but for various reasons, cut short 
their course and entered at once upon the 
struggle of life in the ranks of their fel- 
lows; to these also the college has meant 
something. It gave them a broader out- 
look and a better preparation for the 
duties and positions that fell to their lot. 
To all the college has been a benefactor 
and a source of help. 

With the advent of young women in the 
college it became necessary to inaugurate 
music and art departments. The demand 
for music, especially, from the first was 
quite pronounced. This wish was met by- 
securing such instructors as would be a 
help to the students and a credit to the in- 
stitution. The department has been quite 
well patronized and the -work of instruc- 
tion satisfactory to the pupils. 

In art also much has been done. The 
various instructors who have ha^ charge 
of the classes have been able to secure 
creditable Avork, and thus advance the in- 
terests of the department. 

There has been from the first an acad- 
emy connected with the institution. There 
are many who prefer to take their train- 
ing for entrance to the college classes in 
a school specially designed for that pur- 
pose. Hence such a school has been an 
adjunct at Wittenberg. It is well manned 
with experienced and capable instructors, 
and commends itself for the good work 
done. Its rounds of studies which are de- 
juanded for college entrance cover a year 
or more of college work as the latter was 
outlined twenty-five or thirty years ago. 



472 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Societies. 

There ai-e three literary societies con- 
nected with the institution, the Excelsior, 
the Philosophian and the Euterpean. 
These societies meet weekly and exercise 
themselves in declamations, orations, and 
debates. The first two were organized 
at the very beginning of the institu- 
tion, and for many years were a 
leading factor in the institution. Since 
the introduction of elective courses and 
the opportunity for a larger number 
of recitation hours, not so large a num- 
ber of the students give attention to 
literary exercises conducted by the so- 
cieties. Still much good work is done in 
them and they continue to be a' very use- 
ful factor in the college. 

A number of the professors in Witten- 
berg College have taken, in addition to 
their collegiate course, post-graduate 
courses in various universities; others 
have and are now taking summer courses 
in such institutions. By it they are well- 
equipped for their work. It insures to 
the student an advantage in being taught 
by men who know the subjects which they 
are appointed to teach, and which can by 
their superior training give inspii'ation 
to those who are in their care. The tradi- 
tions of Wittenberg, coming down from 
the first decade and a half, are to the effect 
that the instructors of those early days 
created the spirit of self-reliance, in- 
dependent thinking, and thorough in- 
vestigation in the minds of their students. 
No better equipment for life's battles 
could be provided by any institution. 
That spirit still prevails; Wittenberg is 
true to her traditions. 

The college has yet much for the future. 



Under the wise guidance of its energetic 
president. Dr. Charles G. Heckert, aided 
by an earnest and zealous faculty, with 
the prospect of many friends rising up to 
help it financially, as well as with their 
moral support, and with a loyal alumni, 
Wittenberg College has before it a bright 
future, and a promise for usefulness to 
the church with which it is connected, to 
the citizens of Springfield and Clark 
County, in whose midst it is located, to 
its patrons from whatever state they may 
come, and to all who may fall within the 
circle of its influence. It seeks to be a 
benefaction to all, whether rich or poor, 
and stands ready to do its part for the 
increase of knowledge among men and for 
the betterment of mankind. 

The Faculty (1907-8). 

Charles Girven Heckert, A. M., D. D., 
President, Professor of Logic. 

Samuel Alfred Ort, A. M., D. D., LL. 
D., Vice-president; Frederick Gebhart, 
Professor of Christian Theology, Mental 
Philosophy and Ethics. 

Benjamin Franklin Prince, A. M., Ph. 
D., Professor of History and Political 
Science. 

Alvin Prank Linn, A. M., Ph. D., Pro- 
fessor of Chemistiy and Mineralogy. 

Karl Friedrich Eichard Hochdorfer, A. 
M., Ph. D., Alumni Professor of Modern 
Language. 

Edwin Oscar Weaver, A. M., Professor 
of Physics. 

David Henry Bauslin, A. M., D. D., 
George D. Harter, Professor of Practical 
Theology. 

Franklin Skinner Fox, B. S., A. M., Pro- 
fessor of Elocution and Oratory. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



473 



Frederic Pierre Colette, B. es L., Pro- 
lessor of French. 

John Philip Schneider, A. M., Ph. D., 
Professor of English. 

Charles Gallatin Shatzer, A. M., Spring- 
field, Professor of Geology and Biol- 
ogy. 

Jens Anderson Ness, A. M., Ph. D., 
Professor of Latin. 

George Olaf Berg, A. B., Ph. D., Acting 
Professor of Greek. 

Earl William Castle, A. B., Professor 
of Mathematics. 

Loyal Herbert Larimer, A. M., Profes- 
sor of Exegetical Theology. 

Eaymond Williams McKinney, A. M., 
I'rincipal of Wittenberg Academy. 

Alice Mary Mower, A. M., Instructor in 
Latin and German. 



H. B. Martin, A. B., M. D., Lecturer on 
Histology. 

J. Frank McGuire, Director and Pro- 
fessor of Piano, Harmony, Counterpoint 
and Composition. 

Jessie Crabill, Instructor in Piano. 

Mark A. Snyder, Instructor in Violin 
and Stringed Instruments. 

Dilla Edith Ellwood, Instructor in Art. 

Mrs. Winifred Spangler Holton, In- 
structor in Wood Carving. 

La Verne G. Ogden, Instructor in 
Physical Culture. 

Benjamin Franklin Prince, Ph. D., 
Librarian. 

Grace Prince, A. M., Assistant Libra- 
rian. 

Alvin Frank Linn, Ph. D., Registrar 
and Curator of Museum. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



SPRINGFIELD (III.)— CHURCHES. 

(General History from paper of Dr. Kay.) 

Center Street Methodist— High Street M. E. Church— St. Paul's M. E.— Clifton 
Avenue M. E.— Grace M. E.— North Street A. M. E.— Wiley A. M. E.— 
Allen Chapel A. M. E. — Methodist Protestant Church — The Christian De- 
nomination — Disciples' Church of Christ in Springfield — United Presby- 
terian — First Presbyterian — Second Presbyterian — Third Presbyterian 
Church — Protestant Episcopal — The Heavenly Rest Protestant Episcopal 
— First Baptist — Trinity Baptist — The Blessed Hope Baptist — St. John's 
Baptist Church (colored) — Universalists — First Lutheran — St. John's Ger- 
man Evangelical Lutheran — Zion's Lutheran — Second Evangelical Lutheran 
— Third Lutheran Church — Fourth Lutheran Church — Fifth Lutheran — St. 
Luke's Evangelical Lutheran — Calvary Evangelical Lutheran — St. Ra- 
phael's Catholic — St. Bernard's Catholic — St. Joseph's Catholic — United 
Brethren — LagondaAvenue Congregational Church — First Congregational — 
Jewish Congregation — Seventh Day Adventists — Christadelphians — Grace 
Reformed — Church of Living God — Young Men's Christian Association-^ 
Young Women's Christian Association — Cenlral Y. M. C. A. 

In giving a history of clmrclies of the With very few exceptions the pastors 

city of Springfield, I have been unable to have kindly responded, so that, in all 

find anywhere so full a source of inf orma- probability, it may be safely said that the 

tion as the interesting paper read by Dr. following pages contain the most complete 

Isaac Kay, an honored practicing phy- and accurate history of the churches of 

sician of this city since 1853. The author Springfield that has yet appeared in print, 

has submitted the sketches of the various Dr. Kay in his paper in well chosen 

churches as given by him to the pastors of words gave credit for much of his infor- 

the several congregations, requesting them mation to the early writings of the late 

to correct any errors therein contained Dr. John Ludlow and to the excellent work 

and to bring the articles down to date, of Oscar T. Martin in "Beers' History of 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



475 



the City of Springfield. ' ' While no doubt 
much credit is due to the said authors, it 
would be unfair not to give to the Doctor 
himself a very large share for his work in 
gathering and putting into readable shape 
so much interesting historical matter con- 
cerning the churches of Springfield. With 
the omission of some formal parts and 
the insertion of some additional data, his 
account is as follows : 

From the time that James Demint, with 
his family, came from Kentucky, in 1799, 
and commenced dwelling in his double log 
cabin, situated on the north side of La- 
gonda or Buck Creek, upon the site now 
occupied by our Northern School House, 
there were no white dwellers here, until 
the year 1801, when Griffith Foos' family 
and several others from the same state, 
came and settled in what is now known as 
Springfield. They built themselves log- 
cabin homes, after having selected lots 
already laid out by Messrs Demint and 
Daugherty, and soon a number of pioneers 
came in, and settled down, as citizens, 
until in the year 1804, there were about 
a dozen houses in the place. Among the 
principal residents, at that time, were 
James Demint, John Daugherty, Griffith 
Foos, Charles Stowe, John Eeed, James 
Lowrey, J. Fields and two Frenchmen 
named Duboy and Lucoy, who dealt in 
goods suitable, mostly, for the Indian 
trade. Even during this short while, 
above named, the agencies of evil were 
here, several years in advance of the time 
when Chistian work had begun to exeet 
its beneficial influence upon the commun- 
ity. Whiskey, gambling, profanity, and 
occasional fighting, were all in evidence, 
but perhaps not to an unusual extent, as 
compared with other pioneer settlements. 



The very first preaching ever held in 
Springfield was at Mr. Griffith Foos' log 
tavern, as early as 1803, first by a Rev. 
Mr. Thomas, a Baptist minister, and after- 
wards, at long intervals, by preachers of 
other evangelical denominations. But 
these irregular ministrations resulted, as 
it seems, in no church organization of any 
kind. 

In the spring of 1804, a Mr. Walter 
Smallwood, with his wife, came to Spring- 
field from Virginia, purchased a lot on the 
south side of Main Street, and built a resi- 
dence near where the Western House now 
stands. Mr. Smallwood was a blacksmith 
and not a member of any church, nor was 
he a professor of religion. His wife was a 
woman of superior intelligence, cultivated 
manners and very active in all matters 
pertaining to the moral and social im- 
provement of the little community. She 
became a prime mover and original mem- 
ber of what was called the Methodist So- 
ciety, of that time, and she continued to 
labor in that sphere until 1806, when sev- 
eral persons of this religious affinity or- 
ganized themselves in what should be re- 
garded as the First Methodist Church of 
Springfield. Whilst speaking of this time 
as one of religious dearth and gloom, we 
have occasion to note the life of this 
Christian woman, especially, and to re- 
gard her as a sort of morning star, in the 
opening up of the religious day. She was 
said to have been remarkably gifted in 
prayer, and her choice words and sweet 
voice, melting in its tenderness, were 
frequently heard in supplication in sea- 
sons of social worship, at her church. The 
character and work of this good woman 
would naturally claim our strong interest 
in her historv. 



476 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Mrs. Smallwood was the mother of six 
children — three boys and three girls — all 
of whom reached mature years, and, un- 
der the early teaching of their pious 
mother, identified themselves with the 
church and engaged in its active work. 
Her burning and shining light, amid the 
irreligious atmosphere surrounding her 
early life, had doubtless hurried the com- 
ing of a better religious era in Spring- 
field. 

For several years individual Christians 
had assembled themselves occasionally for 
worship, but in a somewhat unorganized 
capacity. Their usual place of meeting 
was at Nathaniel Pinkerd's log school- 
house, on the northeast corner of Main 
and Market Streets, where a deep re- 
ligious feeling was experienced by many, 
who soon after began to look toward a 
regular church organization. 

As we wish to consider the religious 
denominations in chronological order so 
far as possible, and inasmuch as the 
Methodist people seem to have been the 
pioneers in this regard, we shall make a 
note of their work, first, and follow the 
destinies of that denomination down to 
the present time. 

Cektkk Street Methodist. 

The records go to show that to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church belongs the 
credit of first establishing public worship 
as an organization, though they did not 
erect their church building vmtil the year 
1814, four years after one had been built 
by the Christian Society, of which we will 
speak later on. This first-named Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church was built during 
the pastoral charge of Revs. Joseph 



Tatum and Joseph Oglesby, when the 
Mad River Circuit had a membership of 
1,200. The incumbents of the Springfield 
Station for the next nineteen years may 
be summarized as follows : Rev. Abbott 
Goddard, for 1815; Moses Crume and 
Henry Bascom, 1816 ; Walter Griffith and 
William Williams, 1817; John Sale and 
John Sti'ange, 1818; Russell Biglow and 
Robert W. Finley, 1820 ; A. McLean, 1821 ; 
Thomas S. Hitt and George W. Maley, 
1822; James Collard and John J. Taylor, 
1823; William Larnin, 1824; James T. 
Wells and George Gatch, 1825; Augustus 
Eddy and Levi White. 1826 and 1827; 
Burroughs Westlake and Alfred M. 
Lorain, 1828 and 1829; Levi White and 
Elias Potter, 1830 ; William H. Raper and 
James T. Donahoe, J. W. Reagan, Rich- 
ard Brandruff and Joseph Hill then 
served as supplies until 1833. In 1833 
William H. Raper being Presiding Elder 
of the Ijebanon District, the new Spring- 
field Circuit was formed with a member- 
ship of 950 ; the first preachers under this 
arrangement being Revs. Joshua Boucher, 
J. P. Taylor and A. Sellers. It was dur- 
ing this year that the church edifice was 
built at the southeast corner of Columbia 
and Market Streets. It was large, two 
stories in height, with a gallery, and af- 
forded ample room for the largest con- 
gregations that were likely to assemble 
in the town at that day. The church was 
without a belfry, and was called together 
at the ringing of the Court House bell, 
which, by arrangement, was rung at the 
same hour on the Sabbath for all the 
churches in the place. Afterward a bel- 
fry and a bell were procured, the bell 
being the same as now in use at the Cen- 
tral M. E. Church, on the northwest 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



477 



corner of Center and High Streets. This 
is the same organization, which was re- 
moved, later, from its old location on the 
corner of Columbia and Market Streets. 

In 1834 Eevs. Joshua Boucher and 
Granville Moody were in charge of 
Sioring-field Circuit, with Rev. William H. 
Raper as Presiding Elder. This church 
was then continuously served by pastors 
as follows : For the years of 1835 and 
]836, Revs. William A. Barrett, John 
Alexander, Michael Marley, E. B. Chase 
and Joseph Gasner; Mifflin Harker and 
James L. Grover, for 1837; M. Harker 
and Solomon Howard, 1838; William 
Young and Samuel Clark, with Zachariah 
Connell as Presiding Elder, 1839. In 
1840, the charge at Springfield became a 
station, with Rev. William Young as 
pastor and a membership of 330. The 
pastorates were then continued as fol- 
lows: Solomon Howard, in 1843; John 
W. Weakley, 1842 and 1843; William 
Herr, 1844; Uriah Heath, 1845; Randolph 
P. Foster, 1846 and 1847; Charles Elliott, 
1848. 

About this time a portion of the old 
church colonized and formed the High 
Street M. E. Church, the two bodies being- 
served by Revs. Charles Elliott and 
Solomon Howard. In 1849 and 1850, the 
parent organization was supplied by Rev. 
Maxwell P. Gaddis, when there was a 
membership of 446. Then came Rev. 
Granville Moody, in 1853 and 1854; Rev. 
James F. Chalfant, 1855 ; Joseph Newson, 
1856; AV. T. Ell.sworth, 1857 and 1858; M. 
Dustin, 1859 ; Charles Ferguson, 1860 and 
1861. 

In 1862, the church having sold its old 
property on Columbia Street, purchased 
a lot and commenced buildings on the 



northwest corner of Center and High 
Streets, and took the name of the Central 
M. E. Church of Springfield. The line of 
pastors then continued as follows : Rev. 
S. L. Yourtee, 1863 to 1865 ; J. W. Cassett, 
1866 and 1867 ; Asbury Lowrey, 1868 ; S. 
A. Brewster, 1869, 1870 and 1871; C. W. 
Ketchum, 1872. 1873 and 1874; E. T. 
Wells, 1875, 3 876 and 1877; W. A. Robin- 
son, 1878, 1879 and 1880; A. B. Leonard, 
1883 to 1886; William Runyan, 1886 to 
1887; John Pearson, September 1, 1887 
to 1888 ; Thomas N. Pearne, from Septem- 
ber 1, 1888 to 1890; C. W. Barnes, 1890 
to 1894; C. W. Rishell, 1894 to 1895; V. 
F. Brown, 1895 to 1899. C. M. Van 
Pelt, 1899 to 1901 ; C. L. Conger, 1902 to 
1904; A. W. Leonard, 1905 to the present. 
Present membership 1,000. The church 
has decided to build on the present site 
a new house of worship at a cost of $40,- 
000. Nearly one-half the amount has been 
pledged. The church is free from debt. 

The present building, erected in 1862, 
at a cost of $22,000, added materially to 
the architectural beauty of the city, and 
constitutes a busy headquarters of Chris- 
tian activity. This venerable H. E. 
Church has had seventy-one pastors since 
its existence of ninety-five years, which, 
perhaps, with the exception of one or two 
other churches, is the greatest number of 
pastors which has ever served any other 
church in the State of Ohio during the 
century just past. Spring-field should 
thank God for the high privilege of hav- 
ing had such a religious organization, all 
these years, in its midst. 

High Street M. E. Church. 

The High Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Springfield, organized in April, 



478 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



1849, with about 80 members, and has 
since become c[uite an efficient factor in 
the Christian cause here in this city. Levi 
Eeinhart, Edmund Ogden, Christopher 
Thompson, L. N. Olds, John M. Young 
and S. S. Moler constituted the Board of 
Trustees. Their tirst church building was 
dedicated July 27, 1851, Rev. John Dillon, 
afterward professor in Drew Theological 
Seminary, preaching the sermon on the 
occasion. The pastors of this charge suc- 
cessively were as follows: Revs. Isaac 
Dillon, in 1849; John S. Inskip, 1850; 
John W. Weakley, 1851; William H. 
Southerland, 1852-53 ; M. Dustin, 1854-55 ; 
John F. Marley, 1855-56; W. I. Fee, 1857- 
58; Allen Trimble Thompson, 1860; 
George C. Crum, 1861-62; A. B. Wam- 
baugh, 1864; G. II. Dart, 1865-66-67; 
Thomas Collett, 1868-69-70. During this 
last-named pastorate the church edifice 
was remodeled at a cost of $18,000. 
Thence onward the pastors were: Rev. 
Lucien Clark, from 1871 to 1874; William 
L. Hypes, 1874; S. B. Smith, 1875; F. G. 
Mitchell, 1876-77-78; Thomas J. Harris, 
1 879, during whose pastorate the member- 
ship was about 350. Next in the pastor- 
ates were : John F. Marlay, 1882-85 ; R. 
H. Rust, 1885-90 ; John R. Shannon, 1890- 
91 ; A. H. Lucas, 1891-95 ; John A. Story, 
1895-1905. The present pastorate of 
Eugene P. Edmonds began October, 1905. 
Number of church membership, 600 and 
of Sunday school, 300. 

St. Paul's M. E Church. 

The second colony from the First, or 
Central Methodist Episcopal Church, was 
organized into a church imder the most 
favorable auspices, and took the name of 
the St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal 



Church of Springfield. This plan was ef- 
fected on the 10th day of February, 1880, 
and involved the hearty and enthusiastic 
co-operation of 150 persons, many of 
whom were veteran Christian workers. 
They p;irchased a very fine, elevated lot, 
situated on the west side of Yellow 
Springs Street, and erected upon it one of 
the most beautiful brick church edifices 
in the city, nearly one-third of which was 
contributed by Mr. P. P. Mast, one of 
Springfield's most liberal and philan- 
thropic citizens, and who was a faithful 
member of the church thus benefited. 

The organization of this church was 
formed in February, 1880, with 166 char- 
ter members, including the following 
prominent persons: Mr. and Mrs. P. P. 
Mast, Mr. and Mrs. J. M:. Deardorf, Mr. 
and Mrs. John Leuty, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. 
H. Houck, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Stafford, 
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Parsons, Mrs. E. S. 
Vale, and Mrs. M. E. Kinney. The church 
building was commenced in the spring of 
1880, was finished in September, 1881, and 
dedicated by Bishop J. W. Wiley May 7, 
1882 ; Rev. S. A. Brewster and Rev. W. N. 
Brodbeck, pastor, participated in the ex- 
ercises. The estimated cost of the build- 
ing was $45,000. The following is the list 
of pastors : Rev. W. N. Brodbeck, from 
September, 1880, to September, 1883; J. 
W. Bushong, 1883-84; Henry Tuckley, 
1884-87; Thomas E. Collett, 1887-88; J. 
R. Shannon, 1888-89 ; G. W. Gullette, 1890- 
90 ; G. W. Dubois, 1890-92 ; Paul C. Cur- 
nick, 1892-97; J. W. McGruder, 1897-99, 
and J. W. Peters, 1899-1905; John F. 
Chenoweth, 1905-1907 ; IT. L. Ulter, 1907— 
The present membership of the church is 
480, and number of officers, teachers and 
scholars of the Sundav-school is 215. 



AND EEPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



479 



Clifton A\T-]srxjE M. E. Church. 

The organization of the Clifton Avenue 
M. E. Chnreh followed the organization of 
the Sabbath school and prayer meeting. 
The idea of the organization originated in 
the Centra] M. E. Church of this city. The 
first session of the Sabbath school was 
held Sabbath afternoon, March 11, 1894; 
the first prayer meetmg was held March 
36, 1894. The first revival services were 
conducted by Rev. C. W. Barnes, the 
pastor of Central M. E. Church, during 
the week preceding Easter, in 1894. So 
encouraging was the great interest taken 
in the devotional meetings and Sabbath 
school, that it was determined to enter 
upon a church organization. The first 
step in this direction was a meeting called 
for consultation with the Presiding Elder, 
J. F. Marlay, D. D., by the pastor, C. W. 
Barnes, at the parsonage, June 19, 1894. 
There were present at the parsonage Eev. 
Dr. J. F. Marlay, Rev. C. W. Barnes, J. 
Griffith, J. S. Comer, J. B. Perrin, B. F. 
Kiplinger, and J. N. Wommer. 

These five laymen were appointed to 
secure financial pledges for the coming 
year, and the pastor was instructed to 
secure a list of persons who would enter 
the new church. The number secured was 
about one hundred, and the formal organ- 
ization of the church was accomplished 
August 13, 1894. The first Trustees were 
J. N. Wommer, J. Griffith, B. B. Littleton, 
W. S. Richardson and J. S. Comer. The 
first official board meeting of the new 
church was held August 21, 1894. The 
ladies organized an Aid Society August 
26, 1894; the young ladies made a similar 
organization August 21, 1894. 

In November, 1899, the Springfield 



Methodist Union appointed Robert John- 
son and Jeremiah Griffith a committee to 
purchase the church building from the 
i'ree-Will Baptist Society. This the com- 
mittee did, and a united effort on the part 
of the church members and friends in the 
city enabled them to place the property 
in the church's name as the home for the 
future. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 
1907, the mortgage was burned leaving 
the property free from debt. 

At the conference session held in Wil- 
mington, September, 1894, Bishop Good- 
sell appointed Rev. A. L. Brokaw the first 
pastor of the new church. The follow- 
ing pastors have served the church : Rev. 
A. L. Brokaw, 1894-1895 ; Rev. J. P. 
Shultz, 1895-1897; Rev. C. D. Munsey, 
1897-1900; Rev. S. W. Campbell, 1900- 
1903 ; Rev. Homer G. Curless, 1903-. 

The membership numbers about 350. 
The Sunday-school enrollment is 300 with 
an average attendance of over 200. The 
Superintendent is F. R. Henderson. As- 
sistants, Fred Maurer, and J. B. Perrin. 

Grace M. E. Church. 

The third off-shoot from the Central M. 
E. Church was the Grace M. E. Church, 
situated on West Main Street, near the 
Pennsylvania House. This enterprise 
also was most liberally advanced and sup- 
ported from first to last by the personal 
labors and generous pecuniary aid of Mr. 
P. P. Mast, who became most thoroughly 
identified with its religious work. A neat, 
but sufficiently commodious frame house, 
was built in 1872, at a cost of $1,800, which 
was dedicated on Sunday, August 12, 
1873, the sermon on the occasion being 
preached by Rev. Charles Ferguson. Al- 



480 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



bert Allen. Stanley De Long, and seventy- 
two others were charter members. The 
pastors were as follows, each term begin- 
ning in September : Eevs. B. F. Jackson, 
1887; G. L. Tnft, 1887-88; W. I. Fee, 1890- 
91 ; A. C. Tnrrell, 1892-93 ; W. G. Warner, 
1893-94 ; David Herr, 1895-96 ; E. M. Ells- 
worth, 1897-98-99; J. L. Duckwall, from 
September, 1900, to 1906, when Alfred 
White became the pastor. 

Apkican Methodist Episcopal Churches. 

What is now known as the North Street 
African Methodist Episcopal Church was, 
according to the most reliable tradition, 
organized about the year 1824. Even be- 
fore that time a few Christian colored 
people, most of whom had once been 
slaves, were in the habit of gathering in 
their humble cabins, or barns, and holding 
religious services. Their first church 
building, one at first used as a school- 
house, stood on the site of what was later 
known as the Bacon property, on East 
Main Street. Then they purchased a little 
stone church, on Limestone Street, near 
the creek. As the society continued to 
grow in numbers and means, it bought a 
small brick edifice formerly belonging to 
the St. John' Lutheran folks, located on 
East North Street, where their present 
church now stands, for the sum of $800. 
On September 28, 1874, the body was legal- 
ly incorporated, and preparations were 
commenced for building their present 
large brick edifice, which was completed 
during the year 1876, at a cost of about 
$12,000. Among the earliest preachers 
were the Eevs. Thomas Lawrence, Fayette 
Davis, and Mr. Kingman. We have se- 
cured the following list of pastors besides 



the ones already mentioned, so far as pos- 
sible, from the most accessible records, 
since 1879, their terms of service com- 
mencing and ending in October of the 
respective years : Eev. J. W. Gazaway 
was pastor from 1880 to 1882; Eev. J. 
H. Jackson, from 1882 to 1884; 0. P. 
Eoss, from 1883 to 1884; W. T. Maxwell, 
from 1887 to 1889; Eobert Johnson, from 
1889 to 1890; E. C. Eansom, from 1890 to 
1893; G. A. Collins, from 1893 to 1896; 
W^ H. Coston, from 1896 to 1897; William 
J. Johnson, from 1897 to 1899, and from 
October, 1899, to this time, Eev. J. S. 
Ferguson. The present membership of 
this church is 400, and the number of Sun- 
day-school pupils is 125 ; teachers, 11, and 
officers, 10. 

Pastors: From 1899 to 1901, Eev. J. 
S. Ferguson; from 1901 to 1902, Eev. B. 
W. Arnett, Jr.; from 1902 to 1904, Eev. 
John Dickerson; from 1904 to 1905, Eev. 
T. W. Woodson ; from 1905 to the present, 
Eev. Geo. W. Maxwell. 

Wiley African M. E. Church — Center 
Street. 

This church was organized May 5, 1867, 
by nine persons coming from tlie old 
North Street A. M. E. Church, but under 
the auspices of the Cincinnati, or White, 
conference. 

June 1st, 1867, Wm. Chinu, J. J. Whet- 
sell, and Samuel Dudley were constituted 
a committee to "look for a lot and re- 
port at the next meeting" and in a week 
after, this committee reported that a lot 
could be had on South Center Street for 
$300, $50 cash and the rest in payments. 
The report was favorably received and the 
lot was purchased. The sisters furnished 



AND EEPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



481 



the first money raised for that purpose, 
which was $46.80. The present site was 
the lot secured. 

Since the organization of the church 
the following pastors have served this 
charge: 1st, Rev. P. FuUman, five 
months. Rev. Scott Ward, five months and 
church built. Rev. Samuel Davage, three 
years; membership increased to seventy 
full members and twelve probationers, 
and sixty in the Sunday-school. Rev. H. 
Butler, six months. Rev. John Downs and 
Rev. Austin, fourteen months. Rev. W. 
C. Echols, three months. Rev. H. W. 
Johnson, six months. Rev. A. Price, six 
months. Rev. A. W. Hargrave, one year. 
Rev. Scott Ward one year. Rev. Arthur 
Johnson, one year ; membership increased 
to 100 full members and ten probationers. 
Rev. M. McCoomer, one year ; membership 
increased to 180 full members and eight- 
een probationers. The Sunday-school 
numbered eighty. Rev. T. M. Thompkins, 
one year. Rev. Chas. Jones, one year. 
Rev. J. W. Moreland, one year. Church 
remodeled and reopened and name 
changed from Asbury to Wiley M. E. 
Church. Rev. Henry Cardozo., six months. 
Rev. W. S. Lankford, six months; par- 
sonage built. Rev. Henry W. Tate, three 
years ; enrolled at beginning of term, 121, 
enlarged to 178. Rev. Gr. W. Ziegler, two 
years; church debt cancelled. Rev. Gr. A. 
Sissle, one year. Rev. W. A. White, two 
years. Rev. Joseph Courtney, one year. 
Rev. W. B. Harris, two years. Rev. N. 
H. Tolbert, five years. Rev. W. M. Lang- 
ford, two years ; foundation laid for a new 
church. Rev. T. L. Ferguson, four and 
one-half years; membership increased to 
400 and the present edifice erected. In 
all twenty-seven pastors. 

27 



The Presiding Elders who served dur- 
ing these years were : Rev. Wm. C. Echols, 
Rev. W. L. Muir, one and a half years. 
Rev. Marshall W. Taylor, D. D., four and 
a half years and elected editor of South- 
western Christian Advocate. Rev. Joseph 
Courtney, four years. Rev. E. W. S. 
Hammond, elected editor of Southwestern 
Christian Advocate. Rev. M. S. Johnson, 
five years Rev. T. L. Ferguson, six 
years. Rev. H. W. Simmons, two years. 
Rev. Elam A. White, our present Presid- 
ing Elder. 

Wiley M. E. Church has a hopeful 
future and under the present officers hope 
to make these years following some of the 
most successful in the history of the 
church. 

Allen Chapel A. M. E. Chuech. 

This church, located on the corner of 
Boler and Clifton Streets, was organized 
in May, 1881. The opening sermon was 
preached by Rev. B. F. Lee, then Presi- 
dent of Wilberf orce College, now Bishop. 
There were seven charter members, and 
the following is a list of pastors since the 
organization : Revs. C. W. Crosby, Alex. 
Smith and R. G. Blunt, 1882 ; 0. P. Ross, 
1883; Jesse Henderson, 1884-85; D. Dor- 
sey, 1886, Rev. Joseph Artope filling out 
his year; Rev. W. N. Tate, 1888; Rev. C. 
Phelps, 1889; Rev. M. E. Davis, 1890-91- 
92-93; Rev. G. W. Jackson, 1894; Rev. 
Jesse Smith, 1895; George Bundy, 1896; 
M. Mason, 1897; J. Maxwell, 1898; D. D. 
Lewis, 1899. Rev. Dr. A. H. Hill is the 
present pastor. No other statistics have 
been furnished the writer. 

Rev. G. F. David, 1900-01 ; Rev. W. E. 
Spellman, 1902 ; Rev. Randall, 1903 ; Rev. 



482 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



J. A. Byiioe, 1904; Rev. L. V. Jones, 1905; 
Rev. J. T. Jordan, 1906-07. 

This church is located in one of the 
popular sections of the city, and has a 
great future. The present pastor is try- 
ing hard to relieve it from all of its em- 
barrassments and hopes in a few days to 
pay off its entire indebtedness. 

Methodist Protestant Church. 

The Methodist Protestant Church, lo- 
cated at first on North Street, afterward 
on Washington Street, and finally on 
Pleasant Street, was organized in Jan- 
uary, 1829, with twenty members, Revs. 
L. and M. Henkel taking an active part. 
There were then but three other churches 
in Spring-field, namely, the Methodist 
Episcopal, the Presbyterian, and the 
Seceder, now United Presbyterian. The 
first pastor was Rev. A. McOuire, with 
Rev. Jonathan Floj^d as colleague. In 
1837 Rev. A. H. Bassett was pastor and 
also editor of the Methodist Recorder, the 
church paper. Rev. A. C. Barnes became 
pastor in 1838-39; Da^dd Croll, in 1840; 
O. P. Stephens, in 1843; James Pelan, in 
1844; Reuben Rose, 1848-49; W. G. 
Fowler, 1849; Reuben Dalby, 1850; 
Charles H. Williams, 1851-52 ; N. S. Smith, 
1853, at which time the membership was 
about one hundred. The succession was 
continued in the following order, but the 
dates of their services have not been ac- 
cessible to the narrator: T. B. Graham, 
T. Heard, S. S. Bartlett, J. E. Snowden, 
J. B. Walker, J. W. McFarland, J. W. 
Ellis, J. W. Spring, W. E. Marsh, J. M. 
Flood, W. R. Parsons and others. This 
church haA-ing become weakened by deaths, 
removals and lack of sufficient financial 



support, and other causes, finally disband- 
ed their organization, sold their property, 
a good, substantial brick edifice on West 
Pleasant Street, and the surviving mem- 
bership became merged into the churches 
of other denominations. This organiza- 
tion, largely made up of earnest, indus- 
trious, godly men and women, existed in 
our midst for about sixty-five years, faith- 
fully battling for Truth and Righteous- 
ness. Their existence had greatly blessed 
this community and the world. 

This church was sold in 1903 to St. 
John's Baptist Church (colored), the Rev. 
Boiling R. Reed being the pastor. 

The Christian Denomination. 

In trying to observe as nearly as pos- 
sible a chronological order in regard to 
the origin of our local denominations, we 
will now go back as far as the years 1810- 
11. Four years after the orignal organ- 
ization of the Methodist Church, but three 
years before the latter had erected their 
house of worship, the "Christians," then 
sometimes called "New Lights," put up 
the first house of worship ever built in 
Spring-field. This was accomplished large- 
ly under the patronage of Mr. Griffith 
Foos and a few others, from Kentucky, 
who seem at one time to have been mem- 
bers of that denomination, in their former 
home. This house was 20x30 feet, was 
built of logs and situated on the west side 
of Mill Run a few rods west of where the 
Zimmerman Fountain now stands on Cen- 
ter Street. The subscriptions for this 
pioneer church edifice in Spring-field con- 
sisted in part of money, but mostly of 
dry goods, groceries, live stock, lumber 
and labor, on the part of those aiding in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



483 



the work. Although, the building was put 
up under the auspices of the people he- 
longing to the Christian denomination, as 
we learn, it was the understanding at the 
time that it was to be free for the use of 
all denominations. The organization, or 
whatever there was of it, lasted but fifteen 
years, and in 1825 the house was entirely 
abandoned for church purposes. 

We do not see or hear anything more 
of this denomination in Springfield, until 
in the spring of 1881, when Elder C. J. 
Jones, an evangelist from Philadelphia, 
by way of renewing, or, rather, commenc- 
ing their denominational work in Spring- 
field, came here, and with the assistance 
of Rev. A. W. Coan, editor of "The 
Herald of Gospel Liberty," at Dayton, 
Ohio, began a series of meetings in 
Black's Opera House, which in a few 
months eventuated in a church organiza- 
tion. As a result, these Christian people, 
within four months,, purchased a valuable 
lot on West High Street, between Me- 
chanic and Plum Streets, and built a neat, 
commodious ehapel, capable of seating 600 
persons. In this they were assisted by the 
liberal subscriptions of quite a number of 
large-hearted manufacturers and other 
business men. Many persons outside of 
the organization gave from $50 to $100 
each. This new church building was 
dedicated to the worship of God in Decem- 
ber, 1882, with a membership of nearly 
one hundred persons. 

Rev. Mr. Jones remained as pastor of 
this church for two years and was fol- 
lowed by Rev. J. M. McWhinney, for 
four months; Nicholas Summerbell, for 
eighteen months; Byron Long, for ten 
months ; J. F. Strait, for two years ; C. W. 
Choat, for nine months ; E. D. Hammond, 



for three years; and Rev. Benjamin 
Mason, for three years. 

The people of this denomination dis- 
card all written creeds, except the Holy 
Scriptures, and place much stress upon 
the tenet, concerning the direct influence 
of the Holy Spirit upon the human soul, 
and his vital importance in the convic- 
tion, conversion and sanetification of 
mankind. About this time the minds 
of many citizens were somewhat con- 
fused in regard to the nature and 
status of this new Christian movement. 
A popular misunderstanding concerning 
it was all the more natural and excusable 
from the fact that a large religious de- 
nomination, churches of which are located 
principally in Kentucky and other por- 
tions of the southwest, generally calling 
themselves Disciples' Church, and of 
whom the Rev. Alexander Campbell, 
president of Bethany College, Virginia, 
was a talented and distinguished leader, 
have also, in many instances of late, as- 
sumed the Catholic name, "Christian 
Church." Frequent explanations of the 
matter became all the more necessary at 
the time from the fact that, during nearly 
the same dates as above mentioned, a 
church of this last-named branch of the 
Christian denominations was formed in 
this city, and known as the Disciples' 
Church of Christ in Springfield. Marion 
W. Baker has been the pastor for several 
years past, the church being without a 
regular pastor since he resigned in 1906. 

Disciples' Church or Christ in Speiitg- 

FIELD. 

This church was established under the 
labors of Rev. A. Campbell, of Cincinnati, 



484 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



September 5, 1886. These good people 
finally erected a neat and commodious 
frame edifice on the southeast corner of 
Mulberry and Yellow Springs Streets, 
where church services and a Sunday- 
school are regularly maintained. This 
house of worship, from foundation to 
finish, owing to delays, required from 1892 
to 1893 in building, and was dedicated in 
1894, Governor Ira B. Chase, of Indiana, 
delivering the dedication discourse. There 
is a present membership of 450, and there 
are 350 in the Sunday-school. A complete 
list of pastors includes Rev. B. C. Black, 
who served from 1889 to 1890; E. W. 
Hammon, 1890-91 ; H. Elliott Ward, 1891- 
93; Horace Sibrell, 1893-94; J. P. Childs, 
1895; E. T. Hayes, 1895-97; J. S. Bonham, 
1898-99; W. A. Harp, 1899-1907. This 
church has had nine regular pastors. 

In 1906 the church was enlarged and 
remodeled and converted into a quite 
modern and beautiful edifice, at a cost of 
about $9,000. It is now a brick veneer 
with auditorium, lecture-room, class- 
rooms, kitchen, and large dining-room. 

Many special meetings have been held 
and nearly 800 have been added to the 
membership during the present pastorate 
and but for death and removals this would 
be one of the largest congregations in 
the city. 

The congregation is quite thoroughly 
organized with splendid C. E. and Junior 
Endeavor, Women's Missionary Society, 
Men's League, five strong bands in the 
Ladies' Aid, Home Department and 
Cradle roll in the Sunday-school. The 
congregation is not only evangelistic but 
has given much attention to the care of 
widows and orphans. 



United Presbytekian Church. 

Chronological order requires us next to 
notice the United Presbyterian Denomi- 
nation. 

Says Dr. Kay, "I am indebted to my 
aged friend, William A. Barnett, Esq., 
for the following particulars in regard to 
the history of the United Presbyterian 
Church of this city. Mr. Barnett has been 
an intelligent and exemplary member, and 
firm supporter of this church for more 
than half a century, and he yet lives to 
bless our community with his presence. 
From him we learn that it is difficult to 
give the exact date of its first organiza- 
tion, which was effected under the name of 
the Associate Reform Presbyterian 
Church. This society, for the first nine- 
teen years of its existence, was a branch 
of what is now the First United Presby- 
terian Church of Xenia, and the first min- 
ister was the Rev. John Steele, who came 
from Bourbon County, Kentucky, in 1817, 
at a salary of $500 per year for both con- 
gregations, preaching here one-fourth of 
the time, and the balance of the time in 
Xenia. Serving the double charge for 
nineteen years, his son, Rev. John Steele, 
Jr., says his father never missed but twice 
in filling his appointments here, and that 
Avas when he was sick, and during a pro- 
tracted illness of Mrs. Steele. Mr. Steele 
left home on horseback early on Sabbath 
mornings and came to Mr. James Stew- 
art's, six miles south of town for break- 
fast, and then came to town and preached 
two sermons and returned home in the 
evening, having had a ride of forty miles. 
He resigned the double charge in 1836, and 
retired from the ministry, after preaching 
forty years." 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



485 



In 1838 Rev. James F. Sawyer became 
pastor, for all of the time, and about this 
time the societj- became an organized con- 
gregation. On account of ill health, Mr. 
Sawyer gave up the charge in 1848. The 
Rev. Eobert Henry was the next pastor, 
from December, 1850, until June, 1853. 
Rev. Joseph Clokey was pastor from 
March 1, 1855, to March 1, 1875. Rev. 
Joseph Kyle became pastor January 1, 
3877, and continued until July, 1891. Rev. 
R. H. Hume, the present incumbent, be- 
came pastor June 1, 1892. 

This society was incorporated by the 
Legislature of Ohio, December 17, 1830. 
In May, 1858, the Associate Presbyterian 
and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian 
Churches united, and formed the United 
Presb;si:erian Church. The persons who 
were the nucleus of the congregation came 
from Rev. John Steele's congregation in 
Bourbon County, Kentucky. They were 
James Steele, Mr. Snodgrass, Mr. Kirk- 
patric (an elder), a son-in-law of Mr. 
Steele, and all relatives of Rev. Mr. Steele. 
At a later date, James Dallas, of near Ur- 
bana, and his brother, who resided in 
Spring-tield, James Bogle, Richey Wisley, 
James Stewart, David Cowan, George Mc- 
CuUough, John G-oudy, Robert Goudy and 
Anthony Byrd were added to the society. 
Mr. Kirkpatric, James Steele, David 
Hunter, James Bogle and James Dallas 
were the first elders. At a later date Will- 
iam Cowan, William Kirkpatric, William 
Hunter and Mr. Hume were added to the 
society. 

Before erecting a church building, the 
congregation, for want of a better place, 
worshiped in the second story of William 
Mclntire's distillery, at the northeast 
corner of Columbia and Spring Streets, 



the present location of the Blee Brewery. 
There was no evidence of any harm aris- 
ing from so near contact with whiskey; 
the spirits upstairs did not mingle with 
those below. 

The first house of worship was a stone 
building, erected in North Limestone 
Street, near Buck Creek, in or about 1819. 
The next building was erected in 1839, 
on Limestone Street, south of High Street, 
where James Carson & Company's store 
and the Kelly Building now stand. The 
present building at the corner of Mul- 
berry and Limestone Streets, was erected 
in 1886. The present membership is two 
hundred and thirty. 

Presbyterian. 

The First Presbyterian Church of 
Spring-field was organized July 17, 1819, 
with a membership of twenty-seven. Four 
years before its formation, the Rev. Arch- 
ibald Steele was the regular supply,, 
preaching once a month in such rooms as 
could be conveniently secured for that 
purpose. Mr. Steele was succeeded by the 
Rev. Andrew Poague, who gave his serv- 
ices imtil 1825, when the Rev. Franklin 
Putnam became the first regular pastor 
of the church. At this time the village 
had a population of 510; males, 285, and 
females, 225. In April, 1828, the Rev. 
William J. Frazer succeeded as supply, 
and during his incumbency the first 
church edifice was built at a cost of $600. 
The Rev. William Gray acted as regular 
supply from February 27, 1830, to Feb- 
ruary 24, 1832. The Rev. John S. Gallo- 
way, who had been supply for four 
months, was finally ordained and installed 
as pastor October 4, 1832. He continued 



486 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



in this relation with marked success for 
nearly eighteen years, when he resigned, 
April 16, 1850, and took an appointment 
for service, as agent, of the American 
Bible Society. In 1848, two years before 
Mr. Galloway left Springfield, the old 
church building was taken down, and a 
new one, costing $12,000, was built on the 
same site, corner of Main and Fisher 
Streets. The dedication sermon was 
preached by Rev. I>r. Phineas Grurley, 
then of Dayton, but afterward of Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

The Rev. N. C. Burt, a man of eminent 
ability, was called as pastor, September 
2, 1850, and served till June 19, 1855, 
when he resigned, to take charge of a 
church in Baltimore. After that the suc- 
cession of pastors and times of service 
were as follows: William T. Findlay, 
from 1855 to 1858; Sylvester F. Scovel, 
from 1860 to 1866 ; T. A. FuUerton, from 
1867 to 1871, during which time $3,000 
was spent in improvements upon the 
church building. From 1871 to 1872, the 
pulpit was filled by the Rev. George F. 
Cain; from 1872 to 1879, by the Rev. J. 
W. McKnight, immediately after which 
the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. J. B. 
Helwig, president of Wittenberg College, 
for eight months. The Rev. W. C. Fal- 
coner, D. D., of St. Louis, was then called, 
and his installation took place November 
9, 1880. His period of service was the 
longest, except one, in the history of the 
church. During this pastorate the Oak- 
land Mission, at the East End, was mate- 
rially developed and put upon a perma- 
nent footing; many special evangelistic 
meetings were held and important 
changes made in the music in the church, 
and in other matters. On account of fail- 



ing health. Dr. Falconer resigned April 
13, 1891, and the Rev. A. A. Murphy, 
having been called, entered upon his pas- 
torate, September 1, 1891, and closed 
June 18, 1894. During his term he se- 
cured the help, for a season, of the cele- 
brated evangelist. Dr. Wilbur Chapman, 
with remarkably good results. 

The Rev. Alexander Proudfit was called, 
January 9, 1894, and entered upon his 
gospel labors February 17th, following, 
Whilst this servant of God was ardently 
engaged in the service of his Divine Mas- 
ter, he was suddenly called to lay down 
his work and receive the reward of his 
earthly ministry. He died on the last 
Friday in March, 1897. This is the first 
death that has ever occurred to a pastor 
while in active service among this people. 
Dr. Proudfit 's bodj^ was transferred to 
New Castle, Delaware, for interment. In 
just three weeks after this event the mor- 
tal remains of a former pastor. Rev. Dr. 
Falconer, were conveyed sorrowfully 
away from the church building to their 
final resting place in Ferncliff, our beauti- 
ful City of the Dead. 

The Rev. John Clark Hill, D. D., of 
Chicago, the present pastor, was called 
March 2, 1898, and was installed on 
Wednesday, April 27th, of that same year. 

During the many intervals occurring 
between the various pastorates, the 
church has been indebted to the following 
ministers, who had served faithfully in 
these contingencies, namely, the Rev. Drs. 
John B. Helwig, Joel Swartz, S. A. Ort 
and J. W. H. Stuckenberg, all of Witten- 
berg College; the Rev. Alexander Clark, 
of the Methodist Protestant Church, and 
others. Of those who were sent into the 
ministry from this church, may be men- 







= Q 





AND EEPRE8ENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



489 



tioned the Rev. Washington A. Hooper, 
Edwin B. Raffensperger, William H. Mo- 
Meen, S. M. Crothers and Gilbert L. 
Wilson. 

During its history of eighty-eight years, 
this church has had twelve installed pas- 
tors, averaging terms of five and one-half 
years each, and over 1,500 persons have 
been received into its communion, on con- 
fession of faith. The Sunday school was 
organized on the first Sabbath in Augnist, 
3829, with eight teachers and sixty 
scholars, with Mr. Walcot Spencer as su- 
perintendent. This school has been fully 
and faithfully officered, and in every way 
maintained, for the seventy-eight years of 
its existence, to the present. 

During Dr. Hill's pastorate, which has 
now continued for nearly ten years, many 
thousand dollars were spent in refurnish- 
ing and beautifying the interior of the 
edifice, and the church has enjoyed re- 
markable prosperity in the number of ad- 
ditions made on confession of Christ, the 
average annual number being larger than 
for many decades. The present member- 
ship is five hundred and nine. 

Second Presbyterian Church. 

The Second Presbyterian Church was 
a colony from the First, and was formed 
in 1860, with a membership of 106. In 
1862 they purchased a lot on Limestone 
Street for $4,000, and built thereon an 
edifice costing $18,000. The dedication 
services were held September 3, 1863. 
The church is a two-story brick, with the 
usual convenient arrangement for audi- 
ence rooms, Sunday school and prayer 
meeting rooms, etc. The following is a 
list of pastors, with the dates of their 



services: Rev. E. R. Bower, from May, 
1861, to July, 1867; Rev. P. H. Mowrey, 
from November, 1868, to September, 1873 ; 
Rev. W. H. Webb, from April 20, 1874, to 
February 21, 1886; Rev. George H. Ful- 
lerton, from November 7, 1886, to July 1, 
1891, and Rev. E. P. Thomson, from 
February 10, 1892 to the present. The 
church now has a membership of 509, and 
the Sabbath school, including its Mission 
school, 532. 

Third Presbyterian Church. 

The Third Presbyterian Church was 
developed from a Mission Sunday school, 
located on the North Side, under the pat- 
ronage of the First and Second Presby- 
terian Churches, in the autumn of 1878. 
This church was regularly organized May 
11, 1891, with 104 charter members. On 
this occasion Rev. George H. FuUerton, 
D. D., presided over the meeting, and the 
sermon was preached by Rev. Maurice E. 
Wilson, D. D., of Dayton. Ohio. The 
other members of the Dayton Presbytery 
who participated in the exercises were 
Rev. J. K. Gibson, D. D., of South 
Charleston, Ohio, and the late Rev. James 
L. Rodgers, of this city. The officers in- 
stalled and elected at the organization 
were as follows: Elders, Richard H. 
Rodgers, Edward T. Sykes and John S. 
Weaver; deacons, James A. Todd; James 
P. Morrow, A. J. Shanks, L. C. LeRoy 
and M. M. McConkey. 

The present church edifice, was erected 
during the autumn and winter of 1893 and 
1894, and was dedicated January 28, 1894, 
the dedicatory sermon being preached by 
Rev. Willis G. Craig, D. D., of McCor- 
mick Theological Seminary, of Chicago, 



490 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



111. The present membership of the 
church is 346, and of the Sunday school, 
323. 

The firfet pastor M^as the Eev. George 
H. Fullerton, D. D., who was succeeded 
by the Eev. George W. S. Wenrick. Un- 
der the present pastor, Eev. John Newell, 
formerly associate pastor in the House 
of Hope Church, St. Paul, Minn., the 
church has taken a very decided forward 
step in the matter of missionary enter- 
prise. In addition to the support of the 
local work, the members have now their 
own special representatives in Foreign 
and Home Mission fields. These mission- 
aries are W. Edgar Eobertson, M. D., of 
Hunan, China, and Mr. Karl Lehmann, 
of Colorado. 

The session of the church today is com- 
posed of M. M. McConkey, Dr. John H. 
Eodgers, Eichard H. Eodgers, Edward T. 
Sykes and Prof. John S. Weaver. 

Peotestant Episcopal. 

In March, 1834, about seventy persons, 
among whom were William Coles, Harvey 
Vinal, John Newlove, Greenfield Dovely, 
Samuel Clark, William Wilson, Edwin H. 
Cummings, William Werden, Samson 
Mason, Isaac Hendershott and James 
Sykes, together with their wives, united 
themselves for the purpose of establish- 
ing a Protestant Episcopal Church in 
Springfield, Ohio. On the 12th of Decem- 
ber, of that year, the following men were 
elected vestrymen : Joseph T. Thorp and 
Joseph Sprague; wardens, H. Vinal, 
George Mortimer, Peter A. Sprigman, H. 
Diffeiidorfer, Joseph Perrin, C. T. Ward, 
S. Mason, D. Groynn, E. C. Eoss and John 
Cook. Eev. Alexander Varian was chosen 
pastor. 



In February, 1835, a lot was purchased, 
located on the southwest corner of High 
and Limestone Streets, upon which, soon 
afterward, a church building was erected, 
and consecrated by the Bishop, November 
28, 1844. This edifice was. used for its 
purpose until the erection of the new 
stone church on the corner of High Street 
and Linden Avenue, and its consecration, 
May 5, 1874. This building is a fine archi- 
tectural structure and quite an ornament 
to the city, costing $38,000, and was all 
paid for before its dedication. A stone 
Parish House was erected in 1906-7 at a 
cost of $17,500 by Mrs. A. S. Bushnell as 
a memorial to her husband, the late Gov- 
ernor Bushnell, for nearly half a century 
senior warden of Christ Church. 

The parish continued under the name 
of "All Souls" parish until 1842, when, 
by a legislative act, it was changed to the 
present name of "Christ Church." The 
Eev. A. Varian having resigned as pastor 
August 11, 1835, the position was then 
filled by Eev. Henry Payne, who con- 
tinued until December, 3839. The next 
rector was Eev. William Presbury, who 
resigned in 1843. 

The following is a list of rectors, or 
Ijastors, together with their terms of 
service: Eev. A. T. McMurphy, from 
LS43 to November 10, 1846. The pulpit 
was then supplied from the latter date to 
October, 1847, by Eevs. Edward H. Cum- 
mings and James Stephenson, when, on 
December 11, 1848, Eev. Chandler Bob- 
bins was elected rector and served until 
October 1, 1854. Then came Eev. Dr. 
John T. Brooke, formerly of Cincinnati, 
who served from April 2, 1855, to August 
19, 1861; Eev. H. W. Woods, 1861 to 
1862; Eev. Charles Mcllvaine, son of the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



491 



distinguished Bishop Mcllvaine, D. D., 
from June 8, 1863, to November 12, 1865 ; 
Eev. John C. Ames, from May 24, 1866, 
to December 7, 1869 ; Rev. C. B. Davidson, 
from November, 1870, to February, 1873 ; 
Eev. H. H. Morrell, May 3, 1874, to May 
1, 1879; Eev. John T. Eose, from Decem- 
ber, 1879 to July 14, 1887; Eev. William 
W. Steele, 1887 to 1891; Eev. Eayner E. 
W. Cosens, December 13, 1891, to May 31, 
1894; Eev., Alex. C. McCabe, from Octo- 
ber!, -1894 to April 3, 1904; Eev. Charles 
J. French, from January 1, 1905, to the 
present. The Sunday school was organ- 
ized in 1835. The church has now a mem- 
bership of 300. In the seventy-three 
years of this church's existence it has had 
seventeen pastors, whose terms of service 
averaged about three and three-fourths 
years each. 

The Heaa'eni.y Eest Protestant Episco- 
pal Church. 

The new Church of the Heavenly Eest, 
Protestant Episcopal Church, situated on 
South Plum Street, near Pleasant, was 
establishel in its present location largely 
through the whole-souled liberality of the 
late Mr. William Foos and his good wife, 
both of them now gone to their rest. 
These two persons donated the beautiful 
lot and the money to put up the building, 
and pay for most of the furnishing. The 
building, which is a neat, unique one-story 
brick, quite complete in all its appoint- 
ments and ornamental withal in its archi- 
tecture, was dedicated to the worship of 
God on Sunday morning, December 2, 
1888. The pretty and complete auditor- 
ium is capable of seating 300 persons, 
and is at times thoroughly tested as to its 
capacity. 



It was consecrated on Palm Sunday, 
the 14th of April, 1889, by the Eight Eev'. 
Boyd Vincent, assisted by the Eev. W. W. 
Steel, of Christ Church, Springfield, Ohio, 
and by the Eev. H. T. Cook, of Christ 
Church, Dayton, Ohio, and the Eev. C. M. 
Young. 

A Parish House was erected and pre- 
sented by Mr. William Foos during the 
summer of 1889. 

A rectory was bought by Mr. and Mrs. 
William Foos in June, 1889. 

The services of the consecration were 
concluded by Eev. C. M. Young, from 
G-reenville, assisted by the choir, consist- 
ing of Miss Bassett, organist, Misses 
Zutavern, Ferguson, Belle Albin, Mrs. 
Gillett, Messrs. T. J. Thomas, J. C. 
Brecht, John Comor and W. N. Davis. 
The vestrymen then consisted of Samuel 
Houghton, senior warden; C. A. Davis, 
junior warden ; William Foos, G. H. Coles, 
Thomas Irwin, A. J. Moyer and Thomas 
A. Davis. The following clergymen have 
served as pastors in the order here given : 
Eevs. C. M. Yoimg, Charles S. Walkley, 
W. E. Dakin, D. W. Wright, A. T. Wilder, 
T. K. Coolidge. 

Baptists. 

The First Baptist Church of Spring- 
field was constituted on the 29th day of 
January, 1836, with the following named 
persons as members : Edward Nugent, 
Peleg Cotes, William T. Young, William 
J. Card, Thomas J. Howard, Mary Jane 
Hill, Jane Marenes, Mary Steinbach, 
Sarah A. Dowling, Lydia Card, Eachel 
Young, Mary Ann Nugent and Sarah 
Howard. On May 7th of the same year a 
Sabbath school was established in con- 
nection with the church. A call was ex- 



492 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



tended to Rev. E. D. Owen for the pastor- 
ate, which was accepted, July 12, 1863. 
On the 23d of August following, the 
church was admitted into the Mad Eiver 
Baptist Association. 

By the wise foresight of Messrs. P. 
Cotes, E. J. Nugent, J. M. Gallagher, J. 
S. Halsey and others, a valuable lot on 
the northeast corner of High and Lime- 
stone Streets was secured March 4, 1844, 
upon which, soon afterward, a good, sub- 
stantial two-story brick house of worship 
was erected and finished, so as to be dedi- 
cated February 12, 1832. On January 17, 
1838, Eev. James Elliott, of New York, 
was called to labor half his time as pastor, 
and so continued to do for about two 
years. May 26, 1840, Eev. H. D. Mason 
became pastor and served but seven 
months. On June 26, 1841, Eev. Enos 
French was called to the pastorate at a 
salary of $400. On the 8th of September, 
1843, Mr. French resigned, to take effect 
at the close of the year. Eev. Mr. Syms 
was then chosen pastor, April 8, 1844, and 
served until the spring of 1848. 

After this date the following ministers 
have had the pastoral charge of this 
church, for the herein-mentioned terms: 
Eev. John S. Moore, from October 9, 
1848, to April, 1850 ; Eev. Joseph Brown, 
from November 5, 1850, to November 5, 
1860; Eev. William Allington was called 
and remained until March 15, 1862 ; Eev. 
Samuel Williams, from June 2, 1862, to 
July 1, 1864; Eev. J. E. Baumes, from 
November 4, 1864, to March 10, 1868 ; Eev. 
E. L. Colwell, from August 11, 1868, to 
July 1, 1873; Eev. A. L. Wilkinson, from 
December 8, 1873, to August 1, 1877 ; Eev. 
J. B. Tuttle, to August 1, 1880. lu April, 
1881,. this church sold its property on 



Limestone and High Streets to Eoss 
Mitchell for $25,000 in gold, and after- 
Avard erected its present building on the 
corner of South Fountain Avenue and 
Miller Street, at a cost of $15,000. 

The list of pastors may be continued as 
follows : Eev. F. B. Cressey, for two 
years, ending March 1, 1892; Eev. Q. 0. 
king, from March 9, 1892, to April 17, 
1893; Eev. A. S. Carman, from Decem- 
ber 3, 1893, to July 12, 1898, and Eev. W. 
J. Sly commenced his services here Jan- 
uary 14, 1899, and closed his work in 1906. 
The membership of the church now num- 
bers 508, and the enrollment of scholars 
in the Sunday school is 225. This church, 
in its existence of sixty-five years, has had 
sixteen pastors, averaging about four 
years each. 

The present pastor, Eev. Arthur J. 
Morris, was called to the pastorate in 
September of 1906 and commenced his 
pastoral duties on October 14 of the same 
year. The church is a vigorous and ag- 
gressive body, conducting an important 
mission in the western part of the city, 
and tlirough its active membership is 
pushing its woi'k along many lines of 
Christian activity. 

Tetnity Baptist Church. 

On the 6th day of April, 1868, fifty- 
two members withdrew from this church 
by letter and formed a new organization 
under the name of the Trinity Baptist 
Church of Springfield. April 9th the body 
was organized, having the following of- 
ficial board, with Eev. J. E. Baumes as 
pastor: J. J. Tuttle, clerk; McClung 
Huffman, Lewis C. Huffman, Jacob Gram 
and J, J. Tuttle, trustees. This church 



AND EEPRESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



493 



worshiped for a short while in the old 
City Hall, and subsequently in Union 
Hall, which was occupied until January 
22, 1871. Their new brick building on the 
corner of Limestone and Mulberry 
Streets, having been finished and in readi- 
ness, was dedicated on the 22d of Jan- 
nary, 1871, the Eev. Dr. H. F. Colby, of 
Dayton, preaching the dedication sermon. 
The pastors of this church were as fol- 
lows : Eev. J. E. Baumes, May 2, 1868, to 
November 19, 1872 ; Eev. C. M. Eupe, No- 
vember, 1872, to December 1, 1873; Eev. 
A. B. White, May 4, 1874, to December 1, 
1876; Eev. A. B. Jordon, July 1, 1877, to 
July 1, 1879; Eev. T. B. DePuoy, from 
March 22. January 1, 1882, Eev. J. C. 
Fernald became pastor, and after serving 
a little over three years, he was succeeded 
by Eev. J. H. Eoberts, September 1, 1885, 
and he in turn was succeeded in the pas- 
torate by Rev. G. E. Eichards, a recent 
graduate of Morgan Park Seminary, 
Chicago. He was one of the first to cham- 
pion the feasibility and advisability of an 
organic union with the First Baptist 
Church, holding that if such a union 
could be properly brought about, it would 
prove the beginning of a new and better 
era for the Baptist cause in Springfield. 
Mr. Eichards was pastor of the Trinity 
Church two years and three months, when 
he resigned, soon after which the contem- 
plated union with the First Baptist 
Church was formally consummated, on 
the 17th of August, 1891. 

The Blessed Hope Baptist Chuech. 

The Blessed Hope Baptist Church was 
formally organized August 11, 1898. 
Twenty-one charter members presented 



letters of admission from the First 
Baptist Church at this time. Eev. Albert 
Ehrgott, the first pastor, began his labors 
October 23, 1898, and closed them July 1, 
1900, to resume missionary service at 
Rangoon, Burma. Eev. C. M. Brodie, the 
present pastor, commenced his work Jan- 
uary 6, 1901. The membership is now 
165, and the Sunday school numbers 195, 
including officers, teachers and pupils. 

Eev. C. M. Brodie resigned his pastor- 
ate to go to Delaware, Ohio, October, 
1905. Eev. David Kerr, from Scotland, 
succeeded him in November, 1905. Mem- 
bership, 192; Sunday school, officers and 
teachers, 22 ; scholars, 240. 

St. John's Baptist Chuech (Coloeed). 

The St. John's Baptist Church was or- 
ganized by Eev. J. C. Taylor, of Toledo, 
on the 6th day of July, 1897, with the fol- 
lowing charter members: Eevs. Charles 
Orr and E. C. Clay, Y. W. Yates, Sarah 
Chapman, Cora Hooke, Nellie Martin, 
Elmer Spyglass, Elizabeth Keemer, Sarah 
Calvin, Sarah Chinn, John Maskell and 
others. A council of the Dayton and 
Western Union Association was called for 
the 23d of August, 1897, at which time the 
St. John's Baptist Church of Springfield 
was regularly organized with twenty-one 
members. Eev. Joseph Wilson, of Cin- 
cinnati, was called to the pastorate De- 
cember 1, 1897, and served two years; 
Eev. A. P. Eaton was called January 1, 
1899, and yet remains as pastor. The 
present membership is 125, with a flour- 
ishing Sunday school, numbering perhaps 
about fifty scholars. Having purchased 
the comparatively new and handsome 
brick edifice formerly owned by the Meth- 



494 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



odist Protestant Church, situated on West 
Pleasant Street, between Market and Cen- 
ter Streets, valued at $12,000, the church 
may now be regarded as established upon 
a permanent footing. Elder Eaton has 
been a zealous, woi'king jjastor. Eev. 
Boiling R. Reed is the present pastor. 

UwmiESAtilSTS. 

The first minister that ever preached 
the doctrine of Universalism in Spring- 
field was the Rev. M. Fisk, of New Jersey, 
in 1833. For three or four years after 
this date believers in the doctrine had no 
stated times or places of meeting, but oc- 
casionally had preaching services in the 
schoolhouses or at private homes by such 
ministers as happened to come along. In 
1837 Mr. John Winn entertained the idea 
of establishing a Universalist Church 
here, and with this object in view, he 
headed a subscription with $1,000, and 
proceeded to raise more money, and thus 
succeeded in getting enough to build a 
church, and in March of the same year, 
Mr. John Lowrey donated a lot situated 
on Washington Street, between Center 
and Factory Streets, upon which the so- 
ciety put up what was then regarded as 
the best church edifice in Springfield, at 
a cost of $4,500. Rev. George Messenger 
was chosen pastor and preached the ded- 
ication discourse, and in the summer of 
1837 the building was finished. Among 
the prominent families entering into this 
early organization were the Messengers, 
the Wynns, the Bancrofts and the Pierces. 

As the records of this church, if exist- 
ing, have not all been available, and as 
for much of the time the pastoral relations 
were, not very regularly kept up, we can 



at present barely give the names of the 
principal ministers and the order in 
Avhich they have served, as follows : Revs. 
George Messenger, Pingre, Emmet, Bid- 
dlecome, V/aite, Lionell, Weaver, Turner, 
Demorest, Carlton, Bosseman, Lowlinson, 
Henley, Carlton, Ashenfelter, Guthrie, 
Countryman. These all served previous 
to the year 1893, when the new building 
was erected on M^est Columbia street, and 
furnished for the day of dedication, June 
18th, of that year, at which time the Revs. 
Cantwell, Henley and Ira W. McLaugh- 
lin were present and assisted in tlie exer- 
cises. After that time the pastors suc- 
cessively were: J. R. Stoner, George L. 
Sias and Henrietta G. Moore, the latter 
having just completed her ninth, year with 
the church. The families having more or 
less representation with the church are 
sixty in number, while the number of ad- 
herents are placed at about 100 persons. 
The affiliated departments of the church 
are a Sunday school of 35 members, a 
Young People's Christian Union of '? 
members, a Missionary Alliance of 15 
members and a Cary Circle of 30. This 
church during the 70 years of its organi- 
zation has had twenty regular pastors. 

LXJTHEEAN. 

On the first day of May, 1841, the Rev. 
John Lehman, with about forty others, 
organized a Lutheran society, which, after 
Mr. Lehman's departure, became inoper- 
ative, but was reorganized in 1845, by Rev. 
Dr. Ezra Keller and three others, name- 
ly: Messrs. Kurtz, Filbert and Cook, who 
met in the house of Jacob Sehuman. The 
first communion was held on January 11, 
1846. For awhile the services were held 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



495 



in the Court House. A lot 100 feet front 
and 100 feet deep was purchased of Peter 
Murray, on the comer of High and Fac- 
tory Streets, for $250, and on the 14th 
day of June, 1845, the corner stone of 
their new church was laid, and the dis- 
course of the occasion was delivered by 
Dr. Keller. 

This building was remodeled in 1869 at 
a cost of $20,000. It is now a large and 
commodious house, with full equipments, 
including a fine pipe organ, and bell. It 
has also a neat little edifice, immediately 
adjoining the main building, which was 
recently put up for Sunday school pur- 
poses. The church property is valued at 
about $45,000. The auditorium is capable 
of seating 750 persons. 

The following is a list of their pastors, 
together with the terms of their services : 
Rev. Dr. Ezra Keller, from 1845 to 1849 ; 
Professor Diehl, from January to June, 
1849; Rev. Drs. Samuer Sprecher and F. 
W. Conrad, from June, 1849, to June, 
1854; Rev. A. Essick, from 1854 to 1856; 
A. J. Weddell, from 1856 to 1857; J. H. 
Heck, 1858 to 1861; M. Officer, 1861 to 
1862; M. Titus, from 1863 to 1867; J. B. 
Helwig, from 1867 to 1868; M. W. Ham- 
ma, 1869 to 1878 ; M. J. Firey, from Janu- 
ary, 1878, to June, 1883; Daniel Smith, 
from 1883 to 1886; Rev. Dr. Helwig, from 
1886 to 1891 ; E. W. Simon, from 1891 to 
1899. 

Rev. M. J. Firey, D. D., in his second 
pastorate, from 1899 to 1906. On Easter, 
1906, Rev. Clarence E. Gardner was called 
to become pastor of this church. The 
membership of the church is 888. A Lu- 
ther League was organized in 1907, with a 
membership of over one hundred, and a 



men's league several years prior, which 
has a membership of over two hundred. 

The present membership of the school 
is over 900 and steadily increasing and 
now gives evidences of surpassing any 
former enrollment. A notable feature of 
this school is the Young Men's Bible 
Class, taught by Hon. John L. Zimmer- 
man, which has an enrollment of 175 and 
an average attendance of more than 125. 

The Sabbath school of this church was 
organized November 12, 1845, with sixty- 
four persons. In 1866 it contained 300 
scholars; the average enrollment in 1880 
was 690. Owing to the heavy coloniza- 
tions going out from this church since the 
last mentioned date, the average attend- 
ance at the Sunday school has been re- 
duced to about 600. 

St. John's Gteeman Evangelical Luth- 
eran Chxjech. 

The German Lutherans, having previ- 
ously been holding meetings at the Court 
House and in different private rooms, 
finally, in 1845, organized themselves into 
a church with a membership of seventy- 
five, and having the Rev. Mr. Schladerm 
at their head. They assumed the name 
of St. John's Lutheran Church and re- 
tained Mr. Schladerm as their pastor un- 
til the time of his resignation, in 1849, 
when he was succeeded by Rev. J. C. 
Shulze. Then came Rev. Charles Stroud, 
who continued in the pastorate from 1857 
to 1870, when he was succeeded by Rev. 
Charles Betzler. The Rev. T. A. Polster 
was then called in 1873, after which Rev. 
C. "W. Knuth was selected as pastor, at 
which time the church had a membership 
of about 400, and property valued at 
$20,000. 



496 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



On tlie 17th of June, 1888, Eev. W. F. 
Werheim became pastor, and remained 
until 1905. During his charge the new 
and beautiful church on the comer of 
Factory and Columbia Streets was erect- 
ed. The corner stone of this fine edifice 
was laid November 3, 1895, and the con- 
secration took place April 26, 1897. The 
church property now is worth about 
$50,000. The membership now includes 
450 families, the Sunday school has 575, 
and the Ladies' Society has increased to 
263 members. Mr. Werheim is a scholar, 
and his large and intelligent congregation 
has now the benefit of both German and 
English preaching, well apportioned, ac- 
cording to their highest needs. In 1905 
Eev. Benj. F. Wulfman became the pas- 
tor. 

Zion's Lutheran Church. 

Zion's Lutheran Church went out from 
the St. John's German Lutheran Church, 
with twenty-three families, under the pas- 
toral charge of Eev. J. C. Schulze. After 
worshiping in several small chapels, suc- 
cessively purchased by them, they finally, 
in 1867, built their present seemly and 
commodious brick edifice on the corner of 
Plum and Columbia Streets, at a cost of 
$22,000. Eevs. Loy and Lehman, of Cap- 
ital University, Columbus, Ohio, con- 
ducted the dedicatory services. Eev. Mr. 
Schulze 's successor in the pastorate was 
Eev. L. H. Lorenz, and he again was suc- 
ceeded by Eev. H. Hinkle, in 1869. Rev. 
F. "W. Althoff came from the pastorate 
in 1872, and during his term the church 
had acquired a membership of 375, and 
the Sunday school had 150 scholars. Im- 
mediately after Mr. Althoff, came Eev. 



E. C. Lenski, from October, 1892, to Oc- 
tober, 1899; then came Eev. J. H. Kuhl- 
man, until 1906. The present number of 
communicants is 400, and the enrollment 
of the Sunday school, teachers and all, 
214. Since the building above mentioned, 
a parsonage, costing $3,000, has been 
added to the church property. 

Skcond Evangelical Lutheran Church. 

The Second Evangelical Lutheran 
Church of Springfield was organized Jan- 
uary 13, 1884, with forty-five charter 
members, who had previously received 
regular letters of dismissal from the First 
Lutheran Church of the city. Among 
those charter members were Mr. and Mrs. 
Boss Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Schind- 
ler, Mr. and Mrs. William Lupfer, Pro- 
fessor and Mrs. C. L. Ehrenfeld, C. N. 
Culp, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Post, Mr. and 
Mrs. Z. F. Post, and others. The build- 
ing was begun and finished in the year 
1886, and dedicated to God's service De- 
cember 19, 1886. Rev. Dr. John B. Hel- 
wig preaching the dedicatory sermon, and 
other Lutheran ministers participating in 
the exercises were Revs. C. L. Ehrenfeld, 
Ph. D., J. W. Richard, D. D., LL. D., 
G. N. H. Peters and W. H. Singiey, D. D. 
Addresses were also made during the day 
by Rev. Dr. W. C. Falconer, of the Pres- 
byterian Church, Dr. R. H. Rust, of the 
M. E. Church, and Rev. W. H. Warren, 
D. D., of the Congregational. 

The pastors who have served the church 
thus far were Revs. A. E. Wagner, Ph. D., 
D. D., from May 1, 1884, to July 26, 1885 ; 
L. A. Gotwald, D. D., from December 1, 
1885, to December 1, 1888 ; D. H. Bauslin, 
D. D., from December 16, 1888, to Novem- 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



497 



ber 1, 1893; Eev. E. H. Doolblaser, D. D., 
from December 15, 1893, to the present. 
The present membership of the church is 
about 400, and the enrollment of the Sun- 
day school is 390. 

The stringency of the times following 
the "Panic of '93," and other matters, 
hindered the redemption of the pledges 
made toward the payment of the new 
church building; so that in 1898 the un- 
paid part of this expense was over $8,000. 
The pastor and people rallied to the work 
of liquidating this debt, and on April 22, 
1906, a jubilee service was held celebrat- 
ing the church's freedom from financial 
incumbrance. During the summer of 1907 
great improvements were made to the 
church property, including new art glass 
windows, new paint within and without, 
new carpet, new fresco, and the installa- 
tion of a new steam heating system, cost- 
ing in all about $3,000. A new pipe oi'gan 
valued at $2,500 was purchased in 1904. 
The church is an important factor in the 
southeastern section of the city. 

Third Lutheran Church. 

In July, 1887, the Third Lutheran 
Church was organized by twenty-nine 
charter members, mostly persons from the 
First Church, of the same denomination, 
and among these were Mr. and Mrs. Chris- 
tian Hanika, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Eebert, 
Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Sise, Mr. and Mrs. 
J. P. Lyday, Mr. and Mrs. George H. 
Young. The church building was dedi- 
cated December 11, 1887, the sermon be- 
ing iDreached by Eev. J. C. Zimmerman. 
The pastors have been as follows : Eev. 
E. L. Fleck, July, 1887, to November 1, 
! ; Eev. L. S. Keyser, February 1, 1889, 



to February 1, 1895; Eev. John J. Hill, 
May 15, 1895, to December 11, 1898 ; Eev. 
C. E. Derr, March 1, 1899, to July 1, 1903 ; 
Eev. C. J. Kiefer, the present pastor, be- 
gan his work February 1, 1904. 

The church now enrolls in its member- 
ship 295, and the Sunday school 350. June 
1st, 1905, the church purchased the lot 
adjoining its present property on the 
south, .and is now engaged in raising a 
fund for the erection of a new church as 
soon as the fund reaches a sufficient size 
to justify it in proceeding with the work. 

Fourth Lutheran Church. 

The first meeting in the interest of the 
Fourth Lutheran Church was held May 
10, 1887. At this meeting a committee 
consisting of Dr. B. F. Prince, Messrs. 
C. P. Eemsberg and G. W. Billow was ap- 
pointed to secure subscriptions for the 
purchase of two lots on North Fountain 
avenue. On June 27th, a constitution was 
adopted and the first Board of Trustees 
elected, as follows : B. F. Prince, G. W. 
Billow, Eev. Dr. J. W. Eichard, C. P. 
and E. C. Eemsberg. The lots were pur- 
chased July 1, 1887, at a cost of $2,352. 
From that time until the organization of 
the congregation, in 1897, regular yearly 
meetings were held by the Board of Trus- 
tees for the election and the transaction 
of their business. 

The formal organization of the church 
occurred May 7, 1897, at which time a con- 
stitution was adopted and twenty-four sig- 
natures secured. This number was in- 
creased to eighty-five, who became char- 
ter members. On July 18, 1897, the con- 
gregation decided to erect a church build- 
ing. The corner stone was laid September 



498 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



5tli. From May 23, 1897, to January 23, 
1897, inclusive, services were held in the 
Chapel of Wittenberg College. The first 
service in the new building was on Janu- 
ary 30, 1898, the sermon being preached 
by Dr. B. F. Prince. On February 4, 1898, 
the regular dedication services were com- 
menced and continued three days. The 
first sermon of the occasion was by Rev. 
S. Gr. Dornblaser, of Columbus, President 
of Miami Synod. This was followed dur- 
ing the three days by various other re- 
ligious exercises in which Rev. B. F. 
Prince, Ph. D., D. H. Bauslin, D. D., S. F. 
Breckenridge, D. D., S. B. Barnitz, D. D., 
S. A. Ort, D D., LL. D., Professor F. G. 
Gotwald, Ezra K. Bell, D. D., of Cincin- 
nati, and others took part. The cost of the 
building was $6,000, all of which was 
promptly paid. 

From the organization of the congrega- 
tion, in May, 1897, until May 15, 1898, the 
Professors of Wittenberg College and 
Theological Seminary supplied the pulpit, 
up to the time that Mr. E. G. Howard, 
a student at the Wittenberg Seminary, 
was secured as regular supply. He served 
with great acceptability imtil the close of 
the year. On the first of January, 1899, 
Rev. C. F. Steck, of Louisville, Kentucky, 
who had some weeks before been called, 
assumed the duties of the pastoral office. 
He was formally installed February 5th, 
following Rev. F. G. Gotwald, Rev. Prof. 
D. H. Bauslin and others officiating. 

Duriag his pastorate an addition was 
built to the chapel for the use of the grow- 
ing primary department of the Simday 
school, at a cost of $800, while the congre- 
gation continued to increase in numbers 
and usefulness. Mr. Steck relinquished 
the Fourth Church on October 31, 1903, 



in order to take charge of the First Luth- 
eran Church of Frederick, Md. 

In November, the Rev. Arthur H. 
Smith, of Ashland, Ohio, was called to this 
pastorate, and having accepted the call, 
entered upon the field on February 1, 
1904. He was formally installed on April 
24, 1904, by the Revs. J. M. Bramkamp, 
president of the Miami Synod, and F. G. 
Gotwald. The congregation has continued 
to grow and to increase in good works, 
not ostentatiously but surely and steadily. 
A church building savings fund has been 
begun and already has a handsome sum. 
It is expected to build the church in the 
near future on the front of the lot where 
the chapel or Sunday school building al- 
ready stands. The Fourth Church, for its 
support, relies upon the freewill offer- 
ings of its members and has no debts or 
bills outstanding. At this writing, Au- 
gust 5, 1907, the confirmed membership is 
251 and the communicant membership is 
191, while the enrollment of the Sunday 
school is about 340. There is a very effi- 
cient Ladies' Aid Society. The Woman's 
Home and Foreign Missionary Society is 
very active and doing excellent work. 

Fifth Lutheran Chukch. 

In speaking of the tenth anniversary of 
the Fifth Lutheran Church, which was 
observed on the 7th of August, 1901, the 
following statements were made : 

On the third day of July, 1891, the Sun- 
day school and church was organized, and 
meetings were first held in a private resi- 
dence on Mound Street. At this time the 
congregation numbered twenty-five faith- 
ful workers in the cause of Christianity. 
Then a store-room at Mound and East 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



499 



Streets was rented, and church services 
were held there. 

Several months of worship were en- 
joyed in the old store room, when the 
members awoke one morning to find their 
goods stored in the street and the doors 
barred against them. The lease held by 
the gentleman from whom they were rent- 
ing had expired, and the owner had taken 
this method to have his property vacated. 
Not to be prevented from gathering to- 
gether in the name of the Master, the little 
band went just across the street and fitted 
up a chapel. Here peace and tranquility 
reigned. 

In 1893 the lot at High Street and 
Greenmount Avenue was purchased and 
the pretty church edifice which now graces 
it was erected. The house was dedicated 
in 1894. In the spring of 1898 the audi- 
torium was dedicated. 

Rev. Fred Gr. Gotwald, later the pastor 
of Calvary Lutheran Church, was the first 
pastor of the Fifth Lutheran. Rev. Baltz- 
ly was his able assistant, accepting the 
pastorate upon Rev. Gotwald's resigna- 
tion. . He continued the work until Decem- 
ber 1, 1899, when he resigned and took 
charge of a church at Mansfield, Ohio, 
where he is now located. Rev. Harvey 
S. Lawrence, the present pastor, was in- 
stalled on May 1, 1900. From the meagre 
beginning of twenty-five members the con- 
gregation has grown imtil over 350 souls 
are now identified with it. 

The charter members of this first be- 
ginning on July 3, 1891, were Mr. and 
Mrs. Philip Gerhardt, Mr. and Mrs. F. 
Danforth, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Gerhardt, 
Mr. and Mrs. S P. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. 
A. E. Colt, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Smith, Mr. 
and Mrs. Balser Yonker, Mrs. M. L. Sise 



and daughter, Addie Tice, Emma Catlin, 
Henry Yonker, L. E. Miller and F. G. Got- 
wald. At the end of the first year the 
membership reached 53, and has now in- 
creased to almost 250. A fine new pipe 
organ, costing $3,000, largely the gift of 
C. E. Patric, was installed last summer 
(1907). 

St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran 
Church. 

St. Luke's Evangelical •■ Lutheran 
Church, corner of North and Race Streets, 
was organized May 20, 1888, by Rev. C. W. 
Knuth. The church edifice was purchased 
of a sister denomination, and I do not 
know when it was erected. It was dedi- 
cated May 20, 1888, the dedicatory sermon 
being preached by Dr. J. D. Severinghaus, 
of Chicago, 111. This church has had the 
following pastors: Rev. C. W. Knuth, 
from 1888 to 1893 ; Rev. Arthur Gringel, 
1893 to 1894; Rev. C. A. Koenig, 1894 to 
1900; Rev. J. G. Trefz, from 1900 to Janu- 
ary, 1907. The membership numbers 140, 
and the Sunday school 138. 

On March 3rd, 1907, Rev. S. B. Stupp 
was unanimously elected pastor. The new 
pastor took charge of the work on May 1st, 
and was duly installed on June 2nd by 
Rev. W. G. Dressier, of Findlay, Ohio. 
Rev. Stupp is a General Council Lutheran. 
He was born in Eastern Pennsylvania, and 
was educated at Muhlenberg College, Al- 
lentown, Pennsylvania, and at the Luth- 
eran Theological Seminary at Philadel- 
phia, and was ordained by the oldest 
Lutheran Synod in this country, the Min- 
isterium of Pennsylvania, organized in 
1748. St. Luke's has taken a new lease 
on life since the arrival of the new pastor. 



500 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



A fine new cliurch, built of cement blocks 
at a cost of about $12,000, with the fur- 
nishings, is just beiug completed and will 
be ready for dedication by the first of 
September. The congregation expects to 
unite with the District Synod of Ohio at 
its next meeting ia June, 1908. The new 
church was dedicated October 6, 1907. 

Calvary Evangelical Lutheean Church. 

This congregation was organized April 
15, 1900, with twenty-eight charter mem- 
bers, among whom were Wilham H. 
Lohnes, Leroy E. Miller, G-eorge W. Glad- 
felter, H. L. Souders and Samuel P. Mil- 
ler. This action was taken in a small 
storeroom, No. 409 West Main Street, and 
was the outgrowth of an afternoon Sun- 
day school, which some of the Lutherans 
of the city and college had carried on for 
a number of years in the West End. After 
worshiping in this store room until De- 
cember 9, 1900, they took possession of 
their new building, on the southeast cor- 
ner of High and Shaffer Streets, Decem- 
ber 16, 1900. Services were held in the 
smaller room until March 24, 1901, when 
the entire building was completed, and 
finally dedicated in due form, the sermons 
for the occasion being delivered by Rev. 
David H. Bauslin, D. D., of Wittenberg 
Theological Seminary, and Rev. Charles 
F. Steck, President of the Miami District 
Synod. The act of dedication was per- 
formed by Rev. Prof. S. F. Breckenridge, 
D. D., then President of the General Synod 
of the Lutheran Church of the United 
States. 

From the organization of the congrega- 
tion, April 15, 1900, to July 29th, the same 
year, Rev. S. M. Lutz, a senior in Witten- 



berg Seminary, was acting pastor. July 
29, 1900, Rev. Frederick G. Gotwald be- 
came pastor, serving until June 1st, 1904, 
when he resigned to become General Sec- 
retary of the Board of Education of the 
General Synod. The total accessions dur- 
ing this pastorate (including the charter 
list) were 194, with losses of 41, leaving a 
membership of 153. Rev. Gotwald 's pas- 
torate was a very successful one, and he 
firmly established the church as a factor in 
the religious work of the city. 

June 1, 1904, Rev. William H. Shrock 
became pastor. Both he and his wife were 
students in Wittenberg College, and it be- 
came apparent that the combined duties 
were too great and he resigned, to take 
effect May 1, 1905, after only eleven 
months' service. Accessions during this 
pastorate were fifteen. 

Mr. H. W. Hanshue, a member of Wit- 
tenberg Theological Seminary, and a mem- 
ber of this church, and Superintendent of 
its Sunday school, acted as supply, until 
the coming of the third pastor. Rev. E. 
Luther Spaid, who assumed charge Au- 
gust 1, 1905. This pastorate continued 
until September 1, 1907, during which time 
there were twenty-five additions to the 
church. 

November 1, 1907, Rev. EU Miller, the 
fourth pastor, assumed charge. The pres- 
ent membership is 161. The Sunday 
school, in officers, teachers and scholars, 
numbers about 150. The church prop- 
erty is valued at $6,000, and is free from 
debt. While modest on the outside, the 
interior of the church is one of the pretti- 
est in the city. The church has a distinct 
and large field in the west end of the city, 
and the outlook is very promising. 




o 




J 




w 




^ 




^ 




2: 




ci 




m 


n 




J 


, - 


N 






( ) 


ti 


f^ 


o 


n 


2; 






-1- 


p', 


u 


^ 


CO 


C/J 


>^ 
















-^ 




2; 




^ 











o a 

< < 



7, 


Q 


<f 


J 


r^ 


W 








li 


Lu 


tT 


H 


g 


,.] 


« 




3-« 


en 


C/l 


2 






AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



503 



Catholics.* 

According to the best authority, there 
was not a single Catholic famUy living in 
Clark County before the year 1830, but we 
ascertain about the year 1835, and for ten 
years afterward, quite a number of Cath- 
olics located in Springfield and immediate 
vicinity. Among them were Patrick Rock- 
ett, William Giblenhoff, Francis Creigton 
and twenty others, most of whom had 
families. From 1845 to 1850 came the 
Hennesys, the Lynches, the McBreens and 
about fifty other families, and in the next 
five years, the Gallaghers, the Bolans, the 
Tenans, the Maddens and twenty-seven 
other families. The first priest was Eev. 
Henry Juncker, who afterward became 
the Bishop of Alton, 111. The Catholics 
had services at irregular intervals, but 
only averaging about once or twice per 
month, generally at private homes; and 
occasionally in some small public hall, 
when such could be had. The next priest 
coming to Springfield was Eev. Joseph 
O'Marley, who died here, and was suc- 
ceeded by his brother, Patrick 'Marley. 
The latter was followed by Eev. Father 
Cahill, who came here from Piqua, Ohio. 
In August, 1840, the Catholics of 
Springfield had their first resident priest, 
the Eev. James F. Kearney, who remained 
about one year, and then resigned, on ac- 
count of failing health. Some time be- 
fore Father Kearney's pastorate, the 
present central and in every way valuable 
lot was purchased, upon which was built a 
neat church, largely by the liberal aid of 
Mr. Michael Cassily, a wealthy Catholic 
of Cincinnati. Services were for a long 
time held in the basement of this build- 

*Corrected by Thos. E. McCormick, Esq. 



ing. The first parish register was opened 
in August, 1849, by Father Kearney. The 
last-named priest was followed by Eev. 
Maurice Howard, in May, 1850. He re- 
mained in charge for thirteen years. The 
Eev. T. J. Cogan became pastor in 1863, 
and remaining but a few months, was 
followed in January, 1864, by Eev. I. N, 
Thisse, a French priest. On the 10th of 
May, 1873, Father Thisse was instantly 
killed by a runaway team of frightened 
horses. Then the following priests came 
successively and officiated, each for a short 
while, to fill up intervals between the regu- 
lar pastors from 1847 to 1873: Eevs. 
Father Duffy, in 1848 ; Thomas Blake and 
Thomas Boulger, in 1850; C. A. Doherty 
and C. F. Shellhamer, in 1868; N. B. 
Young and J. H. Dutting, in 1869, and 
Eev. D. Carle, in 1873. 

In the year 1868, and from that on, the 
priests in charge of the St. Raphael Catho- 
lic Church have had necessarily a regular 
assistant, to aid in the work of the parish. 
Up to 1881, the assistant pastors have 
been the following, in their chronological 
order : Eevs. J. S. Mahoney, J. A. Burns, 
C. M. Berding, T. A. Conway, Francis 
Mallon, J. L. Dickhons, Michael Ahem 
and W. B. Miggeal. 

In June, 1873, Eev. W. H. Sidley, a 
native of Ohio, became the principal in- 
cumbent of the priestly office for St. Ea- 
phael's Church, and is reckoned as the 
fifth regular pastor. On taking this 
charge he found a debt of $7,000, a small 
frame school house and no residence for 
the priest. He commenced the erection of 
a priest's house, which was completed 
June 1, 1874, at a cost of about $7,000. 
In 1876 he began to build the present fine 
school house, which is 45x82 feet and three 



504 



HISTOKY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



stories Mgli, containing eight school 
rooms, besides a large hall in the third 
story, the full length and breadth of the 
entire building, for lectures and other pur- 
poses, to suit the wants of the congrega- 
tion. This school house was finished in 
September, 1877, and together with the lot 
upon which it was built, cost $19,000. 

In the spring of 1892, the work of taking 
down the old brick edifice was commenced, 
in order to erect their present splendid 
stone church building, which was finished 
and the joyous event signalized by a gol- 
den jubilee on the 17th day of July, 1898, 
in which Archbishop Elder, of Cincinnati, 
and numerous other clergy of various 
ranks from different cities took part. The 
principal tower is 184 feet in height, en- 
tirely of stone, the top being reached by 
156 steps. The tower containing the bell 
is 135 feet high. From either of these 
towers can be seen the whole city of 
Springfield and the entire surrounding 
covmtry for many miles in every direc- 
tion. This building, costing $75,000, is 
quite impressive on account of size and 
architectural beauty, and is a fine orna- 
ment to the city. 

During the last few years of Father 
Sidley's life, his friends, who included 
all classes, noticed with growing appre- 
hension that the arduous work to which he 
had so generously consecrated his life was 
telling on him, and, although he persisted 
in remaining at his post, they finally suc- 
ceeded in persuading him to take a much 
needed rest, which he spent with friends 
in some of the western states. When 
he returned to his charge, however, he 
took up his work with renewed vigor and 
gradually declined until on the night of 
October 30th, 1903, the community was 



shocked and grieved to learn that he had 
passed to the Great Beyond. His funeral, 
which occurred several days later, was 
the largest Springfield ever witnessed. 
It was not only attended by citizens gen- 
erally, but by several hundred dignitaries 
and priests of the church from all parts 
of the country. Most Eev. Henry Moel- 
ler, now archbishop of the archdiocese of 
Cincinnati, was the celebrant of the 
funeral mass, and the funeral oration was 
preached by the eloquent Father Leo, 
C. P. 

Father John F. Cogan assisted Father 
Sidley the last three years of his life ; and, 
aided by various other priests, from time 
to time, acted as temporary pastor of St. 
Eaphael's until January 21st, 1904, when 
Eev. Daniel A. Buckley, the present pas- 
tor of St. Eaphael's, who was formerly 
pastor of Holy Trinity Church, in Middle- 
town, Ohio, succeeded to this charge, and 
Eev. James E. Quinn and Eev. Joseph 
Michaelowski were appointed his assist- 
ants. On January 8th, 1908, Father 
Michaelowski succeeded to the pastorate 
of St. Benigus Church, in Greenfield, 
Ohio, and Father Edward Cleary, for- 
merly of Dayton, succeeded Jiim. 

Under the able guidance of Father 
Buckley, the church has experienced a 
wonderful era of prosperity. When he 
was appointed to the position of pastor of 
St. Eaphael's, he fotmd a debt on the 
church of thirty thousand dollars ($30,- 
000.00,) which he paid in thirty months, 
besides making numerous other improve- 
ments. The number of school children 
having increased to such an extent that 
the school was insufficient to accommo- 
date them all, and the property on Spring 
Street formerly occupied by the sisters as 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



505 



a Convent and School of Music, having 
been found insufficient, Father Buckley 
purchased the property on High Street 
known as the Foos property for $11,- 
000.00, which sum was paid by him within 
the next seven months. The Spring 
Street property having been acquired by 
the C, C, C. & St. L. Railway Company 
as a portion of its site for a freight sta- 
tion. Father Buckley purchased the Bliss 
property adjoining the Foos property for 
$12,000.00. During his pastorate, which 
has now continued for several years, and 
under his able g-uidance, St. Raphael's 
congregation has made wonderful strides 
in every direction until it has come to be 
recog-nized as one of the largest, if not the 
largest, and most influential congregation 
in the archdiocese of Cincinnati, in which 
diocese Father Buckley is not only rec- 
ognized as one of the most devout and 
solicitous pastors, but as one of the ablest 
financiers as well. 

Each of the Roman Catholic congrega- 
tions of this city has its own parochial 
school, and these schools, which are in 
charge of the Sisters of Charity, and are 
supported entirely by the voluntary con- 
tributions of the members, are not ex- 
celled either in their grammar grades or 
high school departments, by any public 
or parochial schools in the country. The 
number of pupils now attending these 
schools is 1,290. 

St. Beenaed's Catholic Chuech. 

In September, 1861, the Germans of 
Spring-field organized a congregation at 
166 and 168 East Main Street, and were 
ministered to for a few months by Rev. 
Messrs. Volmer and Manclerke, but the 



first regular pastor was Rev. William 
Deiters, who remained till 1866, and in 
February of that year was succeeded by 
Rev. P. J. Weissenberger. In 1868 Rev. 
J. H. Juetting became pastor, and was 
succeeded in 1869 by Rev. John M. 
Schuchardt, who immediately commenced 
building the present large and commo- 
dious edifice, which was finished in 1870, 
and was dedicated on July 4th, of that 
year, by the Right Rev. Sylvester Rosen- 
cranz, of Columbus, Ohio. This church 
is 60x130 feet, located on the corner of 
Columbia Street and Lagonda Avenue, 
seats about 900 persons and cost $24,000. 
In 1874 Father Schuchardt built a 
schoolhouse and pastor's residence, at a 
cost of $.3,000. In 1880 this congregation 
numbered about 800 members. After 
Rev. Mr. Schuchardt, who served from 
December, 1869, to January, 1882, then 
came Rev. John D. Kress, from January, 
1882, to September, 1887; A. J. Fischer, 
from September, 1887, to the present time, 
August, 1907. The church has now a 
membership of 250 families, with an 
average attendance of about 800 persons. 
The Sunday-school was organized in 
1863, wardens, teachers and scholars 
numbering in all 280. 

St. Joseph's Chuech (Catholic). 

To accommodate the Catholic residents 
of southeast Spring-field and to furnish 
greater facilities for the practice of their 
religion, it was evident that a new church 
and school were necessary. In 1881 three 
lots were purchased on the corner of 
Kenton Street and Central Avenue. In 
1882 was begun the erection of a large 
three-story school-house, the first story of 



506 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



whicli provided a commodious room, suit- 
able for cliurch service. 

In October, 1883, the school was opened 
and services held regularly in the church. 
St. Joseph's, as the new church was called, 
became independent in 1884, by which 
time the congregation had a perfect or- 
ganization, both in church and school, and 
were in all things able to work for them- 
selves. 

Eev. C. M. Berding was appointed first 
pastor January 1, 1884. During his pas- 
torate the erection of the present mag- 
nificent temple of St. Joseph's was begun 
in 1892. 

Father Berding was succeeded by Eev. 
W. C. Conway, who remained in charge 
from February 1, 1895, till June, 1901. 
During Father Conway's incumbency the 
sum of $45,000 had been taken in and ex- 
pended on the expenses and debt. Fur- 
nishings and improvements were $13,000, 
and interest on borrowed money $8,000. 
Father Conway raised sufficient money to 
complete the new church and left only a 
moderate indebtedness. Father Conway 
was succeeded by Eev. M. J. Loney, who 
took charge of the church June 14, 1901. 
Father Loney in his pastorate has 
brought the parish up to a very high 
standard. The sum of $76,000 has been 
taken in and expended on the debt and ex- 
penses, while the church debt itself has 
been reduced to a minimum. Many im- 
provements have been made tending to 
the interior perfection of the church, 
notable among Avhich was the installing of 
beautiful stained glass windows, which, 
for artistic merit, are unsurpassed in the 
state. A perfectly graded school also has 
been brought to a very high standard. It 
has connected with it a high-class conserv- 



atory of music and a perfectly equipped 
commercial college and school of teleg- 
raphy, graduates from which are holding 
many responsible positions in the city. 
St. Joseph's parish comprises 400 fam- 
ilies with about 450 pupils enrolled in the 
school. 

United Beetheen. 

The first and only United Brethren 
Church of Springfield, now situated in. 
the Lagonda addition to the city, was or- 
ganized in March, 1843, by Eev. Benjamin 
B. Wheat, with a membership of seventy 
persons. This organization was effected 
at Newcomer Chapel, a little north of the 
present city limits. The first building 
erected in Lagonda was in 1870, Eev. 
Bishop J. J. Grlossbrenner preaching the 
dedication sermon. It cost $3,500, but 
was remodeled and enlarged in 1883 at a 
further cost of $5,000. In regard to the 
list of pastors we find that the records be- 
fore 1861 are not available, but Eev. 
Jacob M. Marshall was pastor from 1861- 
1864; Peter H. Davis, from 1864 to 1866; 
E. A. Hubbard, 1866-67; E. West, from 
3864-68; defect in the record of 1868-70; 
Eev. William K. Albright, 1870-73 ; Ches- 
ter Briggs, 1873-74 ; Thomas J. Bushong, 
1874-77; William McKee, 1877-80; E. F. 
Powell, 1880-81; D. W. McCorkle, 1881- 
85; C. J. Burkett, 1885-89; E. W. Bowers, 
1889-91; Thomas J. Bushong, 1891-94; 
George W. Arnold, 1894-97 ; W. J. Primer, 
1897-1902; E. W. Bowers, 1902 to 1903-4; 
J. M. Eeplogle, 1903-4-1906-7; W. H. 
Klinefelter, present pastor. 

The present membership is 321. The 
Sunday-school was oi'ganized in 1845, and 
now has an enrollment of 275 scholars, 
with an average attendance of about 200, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



507 



including fifteen oflicers and twenty-four 
teachers. From this efficient church have 
been sent fortli thirteen ministers of the 
gospel, of whom Kev. Dr. W. Shuey, now 
of Dayton, and several other distin- 
guished embassadors of the cross might 
be noted. 

Lagonda Avenue Congregational, 
Chuech. 

A Mission Sunday-school from the First 
Congregational Church was organized on 
Lagonda Avenue, during the year 1883, 
and faithfully kept up by the labors of 
Edgar, Joanna and Lucy Fay, C. E. Fol- 
ger, the Danforths, A. D. Vischer, J. Ij. 
Nelson, E. J. Vose, Jessie Rowe, Emma 
Catlin and others. Preaching was en- 
joyed by the little colony from time to 
time by Rev. W. H. Warren, of the First 
Congregational Church, and Rev. William 
E. Fay, of the West African Mission, who 
was temporarily home in this city. The 
work of this Sunday-school culminated 
July 19, 1887, in the establishment of 
a regularly constituted Congregational 
Church. Soon after this W. W. Pierce 
was chosen pastor by a unanimous vote, 
with a salary of $800. Mr. Pierce served 
until March, 1890, nearly three years. 

The pulpit was then supplied for sev- 
eral months by Revs. W. B. Marsh and 
Talmadge and Mr. Quaife, of Toledo. 
The next pastor was Rev. Ralph Albert- 
son, who served from November, 1891, to 
November, 1895. Rev. A. E. Woodruff 
next served as pastor from April 1, 1896, 
to April 1, 1899. Rev. W. H. Baker be- 
gan his work in April, 1899. Their new 
and enlarged building on a new lot was 
erected in 1893, and dedicated in June of 
that year. 



About the beginning of Rev. W. H. 
Baker's pastorate the Sunday-school had 
grown to an average attendance of 130. 
This was maintained throughout the 
seven years of Mr. Baker's pastorate, 
which closed in February, 1905. During 
the following year the pulpit Was supplied 
by Prof. E. S. Todd, of the City High 
School. Considerable progress was made 
during this time. Rev. Charles J. Dole 
was called to the pastorate and began his 
labors in J'ebruary, 1906. In June of that 
year the largest attendance in the history 
of the Sunday-school at any one session, 
200, was recorded. In July the ayerage 
attendance had reached 167. On the 9th 
of June, 1907, there were present 226, 
the average for the half of 1907 being 
about 185. The church at this date, July 
1, 1907, has a membership of one hundred 
and sixty-five, twenty-six having been re- 
ceived since January 1, 1907. 

The church has paid off all of its old in- 
debtedness of $5,000, except $800, due the 
Congregational Church Building Society. 

CONGEEGATIOXALISTS. 

The next denomination to be noted in 
our general order is that of the Congrega- 
tionalists. In 1849 a few persons, mostly 
from the First Presbyterian Church, after 
many previous consultations, met at the 
home of Mr. Henry E. Smith on Wednes- 
day evening, February 28, 1850, and re- 
solved that it was expedient to organize 
a new church, to be called the First 
Orthodox Congregational Church of 
Springfield, Ohio. Within a few weeks 
they secured the services of Rev. J. C. 
White, a man of fine talents and deep 
piety, who was their first pastor. He re- 
mained with them till October, 1854. On 



508 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



the 27tli of April following, an ecclesi- 
astical council was called, and the church 
was formally organized on the next day. 

Early in 1851 a good, eligible lot had 
been dedicated to the church by W. M. 
Silencer, the same as now occupied by it, 
and upon this was erected a building at a 
cost of $3,700. The basement of this new 
edifice was first occupied October 31, 1851, 
the congregation having for a while held 
their meetings in the City Hall. The 
church was dedicated April 28, 1853, by 
Rev. Mr. Boynton, of Cincinnati. 

The entire debt of $3,500 was canceled 
in July, 1856. This was done during the 
pastorate of Rev. Hugh ]\IcLead, who 
served as pastor from May, 1855, to De- 
cember, 1857. His successor, Rev. Ed- 
ward Eoote, served from October, 1859, to 
1865. Rev. A. Hastings Ross then served 
from February, 1866, to January, 1873. 
During this time the building was remod- 
eled and in various ways improved, at an 
expense of $3,000. 

The subsequent pastors, with their 
terms of services, were as follows : Rev. 
Joseph L. Bennett, from April, 1873, to 
December, 1874; Rev. William H. War- 
ren, from September. 1875, to February 
22, 1887, at which time the church, which 
began with thirty -nine persons, had ac- 
quired a membership of 350. On March 
25, 1887, Rev. S. P. Dunlap, of Hannibal 
Mo., was called to the pastorate, and was 
installed on April 21st, following. Mr. 
Dunlap served imtil August, 1895, a 
period of eight years and five months. 
During this pastorate, besides the addi- 
tion of many good, strong and earnest 
persons to their membership, was the 
building and equipment of their present 
fine edifice, one of the most tasteful and 



convenient, in all its appointments, of any 
in Springfield. 

Rev. E. A. Steiner, Ph. D., a scholarly 
gentleman, a native of Austria, but more 
recently from St. Paul, Minn., was called 
as pastor in April, 1896, and served until 
December, 1898. Rev. C. H. Small be- 
came pastor in Api'il, 1899, and served 
until May, 1904. Upon his resigiiation 
he became state superintendent of the 
Ohio Home Missionary Society. Rev. 
Henry A. Atkinson, the present pastor, 
was called to the pastorate in June and 
began his ministry here in September, 
1904. In the latter part of December, 
1902, the church was burned. At once a 
movement was started looking to the re- 
building. The next summer the new 
building was dedicated, Dr. Washington 
Grladden preaching the dedicatory ser- 
mon. The church is steadily growing in 
influence and numbers. The membership 
has reached the four hundred mark. An 
increased activity is manifest in the Sun- 
day-school, Christian Endeavor, Men's 
Club and women's organizations. The 
small debt still remaining on the church 
building has been practically all provided 
for by the able efforts of the trustees. 

During the fifty-seven and a half years 
of the church's history there have been 
ten pastors, the average length of each 
pastorate being ten years and nine 
months. 

Jewish Congregations. 

The Jewish Congregation, or Ohev 
Zedukah, was organized November 25, 
1865, with about twelve male members, 
and worshiped iu the Follrath Building, 
on West Main Street, and after two or 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



509 



three removals, finally occupied their 
present position in the Johnson Building, 
on West Main Street. The growth of the 
congregation has been quite slow. Quite 
a number of Russian Jews arrived here 
in the early seventies, but finding this con- 
gregation "too advanced" they organized 
themselves into what is called the Old 
Orthodox Congregation, and they now 
worship in King's Building, on Limestone 
Street. 

The old Ohev Zedukah Congregation 
now have a male membership of about 
thirty-two, and an organized ^ Sunday- 
school with about twenty attendants. 
They employ no regular minister, but 
have divine services every Friday even- 
ing and Saturday morning, and also on 
holidays, led by L. Weixelbaum. They 
also have semi-monthly loreaching by a 
rabbi from Dayton, Ohio. The Sabbath 
school is conducted by Misses Birdie 
Schoental and Dora Levy. The present 
ofiicers of the congregation are. M. M. 
Kauffman, president ; A. Aron, vice presi- 
dent, and M. D. Levy, secretary. Among 
the prominent leaders of this congrega- 
tion in the past have been Rabbis Myers, 
Strouse, Freedman, Greenbaum and oth- 
ers. 

During the last five years the members 
have worshiped in the Union Hall, on 
Fountain Avenue. The want of a syna- 
gogue is greatly felt by this struggling 
congregation, but means are lacking for 
the accomplishment of that purpose, al- 
though the Ladies' Auxiliary Society of 
the congregation is working very hard to 
raise the money by fairs and sociables; 
but this will take years. The member- 
ship is not wealthy and the income and ex- 
penditures are each about $700 for rent. 



janitor and incidentals. There are now 
about ■fortj'' male members. 

Seventh-Day Adventists. 

In August, 1878, a series of tent meet- 
ings was held by the Seventh-Day Ad- 
ventist people, under the charge of Elders 
Wag-ner and Stone, at the close of which 
fifteen or sixteen persons formed a so- 
ciety for the purpose of keeping up reg- 
ular worship, and they generally met in 
private houses. On the 11th of December, 
1878, was effected an organization of the 
Seventh-Day Adventists of Springfield, 
with a membership of sixteen persons. 
They held their meetings for a while at 
Allen's Hall, on Miami Street, then at 
No. 251/0 East Main Street. 

The above organization has continued 
until the present time. They how occupy 
a church of their own near the corner of 
Clay and Catherine Streets, in the south- 
east part of the city. From October 2nd, 
1881, to June 23d, 1888, they met for 
worship in the Roth Building, 27% West 
jVIain Street.' June 23d, 1888, they re- 
moved, to a hall in George Krapp's Build- 
ing, corner of Plum and Main. March 1, 
1894, they rented and occupied the Trinity 
Bajjtist Church at a rental of ten dollars 
per month, located near the corner of Mul- 
berry and South Limestone Streets, until 
its sale to Mr. Rogers, the present oc- 
cupant, in October, 1903, which was done 
November 9th, 1903, on the time specified. 

At this juncture, with cold weather 
staring them in the face, and every hall in 
the city occupied to its fullest capacity, 
the Salvation xArmy granted them the 
temporary use, at a normal rent, of their 
hall, on the corner of Columbia and Fish- 



510 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



er Streets, until other arrangements 
could be made. 

"Few in nmnber as we were (about 
thirty or forty), with more women than 
men, all dependent on their daily labor 
for support, what could we do? As noth- 
ing suitable could be found for rent, we 
were forced to the one conclusion — that 
was, arise and build. In our extremity 
all sought the Lord most earnestly for 
His guidance. Money was soon collected 
to purchase the lot. Work was com- 
menced and money brought in sufficient to 
meet each and every bill when presented. 
Although somewhat delayed by the cold, 
vigorous winter, yet with the blessing of 
God a modest little church 28x46 was 
completed and dedicated to God's service 
free of debt Jime 26th, 1904." Elder J. 
G. Wood is now pastor. 

Christadelphians. 

The Christadelphian Society was 
formed in 1868, with a membership of 
about thirty persons. They met in vari- 
ous places, mostly in private houses, until 
they finally selected Central Hall, on the 
corner of Main and Center Streets. They 
have no regular pastors, but all are free 
to preach, pray, exhort or sing as they 
feel inclined, on occasions of public wor- 
ship. The principal leader of this little 
congregation for many years was Dr. 
William H. Eeeves, then an active practi- 
tioner of medicine in this city. These 
people laid great stress upon the literal 
second coming of Christ to this earth in 
order to establish a physical, as well as 
moral and religious government, and that 
not many, if any, outside of their order of 
faith, will ever he raised in the resurrec- 



tion of the dead. Owing to divisions 
among them, the number of persons be- 
longing to this society is less now than 
formerly. They have never had a church 
building of their own, but their meetings 
have been kept up at irregular intervals 
to the present time. 

Geace Reformed Chxjech. 

Among our most lately developed re- 
ligious organizations must be reckoned 
the Grace Reformed Church, which was 
formed in Temperance Hall, on West High 
Street, November 19, 1895, with forty-six 
charter members, including, among oth- 
ers, Alexander Baker, Mrs. Susan Printz, 
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Smith, Sarah Dar- 
ner, David Garlinger, Mr. and Mrs. Eufus 
Smith, Louisa Hardcastle, Harry Hard- 
castle, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Pemberton. 
They worshiped in Temperance Hall until 
November, 1896, when the old Trinity 
Baptist Building on the corner of Lime- 
stone and Mulberry Streets, was rented 
and used until December, 1898, when the 
present building on Plum Street was 
ready for use. This structure cost about 
$5,000, and was dedicated October 1, 1899, 
with all the money to pay for it amply 
provided for. The sermon for the occa- 
sion was preached by the general mission- 
ary superintendent, Rev. D. S. Fouse, of 
Lisbon, Iowa. Others who took part in 
the week's- special services were Rev. J. 
W. Burghalter, of Dayton, Ohio; Rev. 
J. W. Bechtel, of Northampton, Ohio; 
Rev. H. S. Goekler, of Xenia, and Rev. 
C. E. Miller, of Dayton, Ohio. 

Rev. J. C. Horning, then Sunday-school 
missionary, started the work at first, and 
remained with it until the final organiza- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



511 



tion in November, 1895. Eev. S. B. Yock- 
ey, D. D., served as supply from the last- 
named date until May, 1896; then Eev. 
Mr. Horning again supplied from the last 
date until September 1, 1896, when Eev. 
E. F. Shultz was commissioned by the 
General Board of Home Missions, to take 
charge of the church, and served until 
1906. F. W. Hoffman is the present pas- 
tor. The church has now a membership 
of over one hundred persons. There are 
enrolled in the Sunday-school, including 
officers, teachers and scholars, 147. This 
is the third effort to establish a Eeformed 
Church in this city, and seems to have been 
successful from the start. The organiza- 
tion is now thoroughly established, with a 
property worth at least $8,000, and all 
paid for. 

Church of Living God. / 

Impressive services were held for the 
first time in the Church of the Living God, 
a new church edifice almost completed 
in Maiden Lane by the congregation 
known as the Saints, on October 27, 1907. 

Eev. George Lorton is pastor of the 
new church. He was assisted in the serv- 
ices on Sunday morning by Andrew J. 
Byers, a prominent member of the con- 
gregation. The Saints do not hold regu- 
lar dedicatory exercises as is the custom 
with most churches when completing a 
new church edifice. When the work of 
building commences the Saints dedicate 
their structure to the living God, and 
this serves as the dedication. The congre- 
gation is composed of about ninety mem- 
bers, having been started in this city 
about five years ago. 

The new church was erected at a cost of 
$3,000, and is very plain yet substantial. 



It is constructed of cement blocks and 
contains a large auditorium, handsome 
vestibule, and when completed will have 
a large and commodious basement. The 
structure will be heated with a furnace. 

Young Men's Christian Association. 

Besides the religious work accomplished 
by the various churches mentioned in the 
foregoing pages, much good has also been 
done in a similar line, especially of late 
years, by Christian Associations, Epworth 
Leag-ues, Christian Endeavor Societies, 
most of which have been intimately, if 
not organically, connected with those 
churches. 

In August, 1854, but little more than ten 
years after George Williams led in form- 
ing the London (Eng.) Association, and 
less than three years after Montreal or- 
ganized one, Springfield, Ohio, joined this 
lay movement. Colonel E. M. Doty was 
the first President. Our Civil War was 
the occasion of merging many of these 
associations into the Christian Commis- 
sion Work of the army, and thus was ter- 
minated their careers as separate bodies. 

The reorganization was effected at the 
High Street Methodist Church in the year 
1868, when Dr. Isaac Kay was elected 
President, and in a year or two was suc- 
ceeded by Mr. E. W. MuUikin, and who 
in turn was succeeded by Prof. B. F. 
Prince. 

During this period the special outside 
work of the Association was to hold serv- 
ices at the jail and station house at stated 
times, and to secure public meetings in 
the summer months on Sunday afternoons 
in some one of the groves which at that 
day were found in the city. For three 
successive winters fine lecture courses 



512 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



were offered. Among those who appeared 
as speakers were John B. Gough, Wen- 
dell Phillips, Frederick Douglass, Rev. 
Stephen Tyng, Jr., George Kennan, 
Charles F. Hall, the Arctic explorer, and 
others of much reputation. There being 
no general Public Library in the city then, 
the Association made a collection of books, 
containing more than eighteen hundred 
volumes. 

In 1872, the Association being pressed 
for funds, decided to relinquish its work. 
Its indebtedness, $300, was assumed by 
the Board of the new Public Library, or- 
ganized that year, and to which Board 
the cases and books of the Association 
were assigned, the collection becoming the 
basis of our present magnificent Library. 

In 1879 another organization for young 
men was formed. From this time until 
1886 some important work was done by 
the Association, but owing to the ditfer- 
ence of opinion as to what the real work 
of the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion ought to be, and also to the compara- 
tively limited amount of financial support 
received, but little advance was made 
toward the last in furtherance of its high 
purpose. Messrs. Rev. Hastings, J. S. 
Crowell, E. M. Doty and Dr. Thomas King 
were among the prominent leaders for 
some years. 

On December 22, 1887, under advice of 
S. D. Gordon, Secretary of the State Com- 
mittee, enlarged plans were adopted for a 
four-fold work, $6,500 were raised, and 
thus a new period began in the history of 
the Association. Messrs. George H. Frey, 
H. S. Bradley, D. Q. Fox, T. J. Kirkpat- 
rick, Dr. J. H. Rodgers and Border Bow- 
man, successively have been President, 
and for, most of this time, W. J. Fraser 



was the industrious and efficient General 
Secretary. In 1892 the number of mem- 
bers reached 1,001. In 1895 the young 
men, themselves, gave $5,000 toward the 
purchase of a lot. In 1897 citizens com- 
pleted the purchase of the lot, raising 
$12,000. In 1899 another fund, $55,000, 
was pledged for the building, Ross Mitch- 
ell giving $5,000 ; Governor A. S. Bushnell 
$10,000, and E. S. Kelly $10,000. Over 600 
persons contributed the balance. 

Dr. J. H. Rodgers, Robert Johnson, 
John Foos, Charles H. Pierce, R. Q. King, 
F. E. Snypp and W. S. Frazer constituted 
the Building Committee. 

The Board of Directors at this time 
are J. H. Rodgers, J. S. Crowell, T. J. 
Kirkpatrick, 0. F. Hypes, H. S. Bradley, 
Jas. A. Myers, Geo. K. Sharpe, D. Q. Fox, 
James Carson and Wm. M. Rockel. 

In September, 1900, a fine four-story 
building costing approximately $75,000 
was completed and appropriately dedi- 
cated, the Association taking a standing 
in the city never before occupied. 

February, 1903, the building caught fire 
at the burning of Black's Opera House 
and was nearly destroyed. Unfortunately 
the insurance only partially covered the 
loss. Rebuilding operations were started 
after some delay and completed two years 
later. 

W. J. Fraser, for fourteen years gen- 
eral secretary, whose health continued 
bad, was compelled to resign. 

The Association from 1907 has been 
prospered, gaining in the respect of the 
community by its common-sense consist- 
ent work among the yoimg men under the 
splendid leadership of Border Bowman 
as president. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



513 



A. E. Flint is the present able and effi- 
cient secretary. 

The widow and heirs, in recognition of 
a desire of the late Amaziah Winger, have 
directed the executor to pay to the Asso- 
ciation the sum of $10,000, and an effort 
is now being made which promises to be 
successful in lifting the entire indebted- 
ness. The property is worth from $75,000 
to $100,000. 

Young Women's Christian Association. 

The Young Women's Christian Associa- 
tion was organized in 1896, and it was an 
outgrowth of work commenced several 
years before, known as the Deaconess 
Home. The workings of this association 
are very closely connected with Clark's 
Memorial Home. 

The regular work of this association 
was commenced in a house on the comer 
of Columbia Street and North Fountain 
Avenue. It was afterwards removed to 
Jefferson Street in what was formerly 
known as the Dr. J. Edgar Baker prop- 
erty. Some three or four years ago the 
association purchased the old Volney A. 
Farr property, from his son-in-law, Aaron 
Trout, adjoining the First Lutheran 
Church on East High Street. This is a 
large and commodious building, well situ- 
ated for the work. Afterwards a substan- 
tial gymnasium building was erected in 
the rear. Recently Mrs. Winger, the 
widow of Captain Amaziah Winger, gave 
a very substantial donation, she having al- 
ways been very much interested in its wel- 
fare. Mrs. Mary G. Keith is superinten- 
dent. 



Central Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation. 

The Central Y. M. C. A. is devoted to 
the colored people. Some ten years ago 
the need of such an institution was 
brought prominently before our people 
by some of our more progressive colored 
people, and the property was purchased 
from Mr. Ed. Simpson on South Center 
Street for $4,000. The payment for this 
home was guaranteed by Hannable Ham- 
lin, Amaziah Winger, Richard Rodgers, E. 
S. Kelly, R. Q. King, Charles H. Pierce, 
Wm. M. Rockel, and others. 

This indebtedness was carried on for a 
number of years. Substantial donations 
were received from Mr. E. S. Kelly, Rich- 
ard H. Rodgers, and others and upon the 
death of Mr. Winger, $1,000 was received 
from his estate, until the indebtedness is 
now reduced to $800. Substantial im- 
provements have been made in this prop- 
erty and many worthy young colored peo- 
ple have taken a commendable interest in 
its welfare. 

It has been considerable of a struggle, 
but as the property is now almost paid for 
and that burden is off of them, it is rea- 
sonable to hope that the institution will 
be kept up in the future. Considering our 
large colored population, perhaps there is 
no institution in the city that deserves 
more encouragement, or from which great- 
er substantial benefit could be derived in 
the way of increasing the general wel- 
fare of our city, Mr. William H. Jack- 
son has been the efficient and clever secre- 
tary for a number of years. 



CHAPTER XX. 



BENCH AND BAR.* 

Early Courts — Common Pleons — Common Pleas Judges — William A. Rodgers — Will- 
iam White — James 8. Good — Charles R. White — F. M. Hagan — John C. Mil- 
ler — Jacob Kreider Mower — A. R. Kunkle — Probate Cotirt Judges^— Circuit 
Court Judges — Police Court Judges — Early Lawyers — Members in 1852 — 
Samson Mason — Charles Anthony — Samuel Shellabarger — George Spence 
— Samuel A. Boivman — Members 1864 — Members 1881 — Sometime Members 
— Gen'l Keifer — A. P. Linn Cochran — Bar Association — Library — Members 
1908. i 



A distinguished lawyer, and a great 
statesman, who left the impression of his 
very great intellect in the Senate of the 
United States and on the bench of our Su- 
preme Court, Allen Gr. Tliurman, once 
said: "That without any boasting, and 
without any disposition to brag or boast, 
it is and has been for a great while my 
firm belief that, great as has been the bar 
of other states, there is no state in the 
Union that has had a bar of greater men 
than have appeared in the State of Ohio. 
That is my firm belief. I do not forget 
the great lawyers of Massachusetts, of 
Connecticut, of New York, of Pennsyl- 
vania, of Maryland, of Virginia, and of 
Kentucky. I do not forget any of them. 
Many of them I have seen and heard with 
great delight and with great instruction. 
And yet, I repeat the opinion I have had 
for many long years, that no state has 



*From a paper read by the editor at the Springfield 
Centennial, corrected to date. 



ever had within its limits an abler and 
better bar than the State of Ohio."' 

Having heard this great encomium on 
the bar of our state, it would be supreme 
arrogance in me to claim for the bar of 
the City of Springfield, that it was the 
equal or the greatest in the State of Ohio. 
I can say, however, that, taking into con- 
sideration the date of the city's organiza- 
tion, its population, and the character of 
its industries, that the bar of the City of 
Springfield and the County of Clark, com- 
pares favorably with any other city or 
county of the state. And in point of in- 
tegrity, honor, and high character of its 
members, and general standing in the 
community, it acknowledges a superior 
nowhere on the face of the earth. 

Early Couets. 

There is no record that anyone with- 
in the confines of our city or county lim- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



515 



its was ever questioned before a court 
organized under, territorial laws. Under 
the constitution of 1802, it was provided 
that there should be a Supreme Court 
of three or five judges, who were required 
to hold court once a year in each county 
in the state. This court had original 
and appellate jurisdiction, both at com- 
mon law and in chancery. By the rapid 
increase of population in the state, this 
court was soon greatly overtaxed; allow- 
ing the judges thirty days for court in 
bank at Columbus and one day for travel 
from one county to the other, making 
no allowance for sickness of the judges or 
any respite from labor, they had an aver- 
age of less than seven and one-half days 
for the annual business of each county. 
The records, however, disclose the fact 
that the cases were carefully considered, 
and the occupants of the bench were men 
of very great ability. The first session of 
the Supreme Court that was held in the 
City of Springfield was in 1805, the judges 
being Samuel Huntington, Chief Justice; 
and William Sprigg and Daniel Symmes, 
Associates. At this session three men 
were tried for shooting an Indian, whose 
name was Kanawa-Tuckow. The accused 
were Isaac Broken, Archibald Dowen 
and Eobert Eennick, who were acquitted. 
This was before the organization of our 
county. The first session of the Supreme 
Court that was held in our county began 
on July 10, 1819. Hon. Calvin Pease was 
the Chief Judge, and Hon. John McLean 
was associated with him. Of this first 
Chief Justice who graced the bench of our 
county. Judge Thurman once said, ' ' That 
he was one of the finest specimens of 
manhood that I ever saw, dressed in a way 
that would make a dude faint, the most 



perfect dress I ever saw on a man, and 
the nicest ruffles to his shirt bosom, look- 
ing the very beau ideal of a gentleman of 
the olden times." 

The other member of that court, John 
McLean, thought so much of his profes- 
sion as to decline a candidacy for the 
United States Senate, when his election 
was reasonably assured. He afterward 
became a member of the Supreme Court 
of the United States, and served with dis- 
tinguished ability for a period of thirty- 
two years. From this time on, until the 
constitution of 1852, the Supreme Court, 
with some of its members, gave an annual 
hearing to causes in the County of Clark 
and in the City of Springfield. 

Common Pleas Court. 

The Common Pleas Court, as organized 
by the constitution of 1802, consisted of 
three members, a presiding judge, and two 
associates. They were appointed by joint 
ballot of both houses of the General As- 
sembly, and held their offices for the term 
of seven years, "if so long they behaved 
well." The state was divided into dis- 
tricts or circuits. At first there were but 
three circuits in the state — these were aft- 
erward increased from time to time as 
business demanded. The composition of 
this court was very often criticised, and 
sometimes spoken of as a court of one 
hundred judges, that is, one judge and two 
ciphers. In jury cases, undoubtedly the 
associate judges, who were not men skilled 
in the law, were practically ciphers, but in 
the trial of causes to the court they 
brought to the aid of the presiding judge 
good common sense and business knowl- 
edge which was often an invaluable assist- 



516 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ance, and aided in making the finding of 
the court much more satisfactory than the 
verdict of a jury. 

The first Court of Common Pleas held 
in Clark County was on April 7, 1818, with 
Orrin Parish as presiding judge; Daniel 
McKinnon, Joseph Tatman and Joseph 
Layton, associates. At the August term 
of 1819, the record shows that Frederick 
Grimke was the presiding judge. At the 
March term of the Common Pleas Court 
in 1820, Joseph H. Crane was the presid- 
ing judge, with the same associates as the 
first term. At the March term of the 
court in 1822, Samson Mason was, by or- 
der of the court, appointed Prosecuting 
Attorney of the county. Judge Crane was 
presiding judge until the close of 1828, 
when he resigned, having been elected to 
Congress in the fall of that year. It is 
said that he was an able lawyer and an 
excellent judge. That his manners and 
his conduct on the bench were such as won 
for him the esteem of all who had trans- 
actions in the court during his presidency. 

He was succeeded by Hon. George W. 
Holt, who continued to hold the office un- 
til 18.34, at which time a new circuit was 
formed. Over this new cii'cuit, which 
embraced the counties of Franklin, Madi- 
son, Clark, Champaign and Logan, and 
for a short time Hardin County, Judge 
Joseph E. Swan was called to preside. 
He held the office from 1834 to 1845, when 
he resigned to return to the practice of 
law. Afterward Judge Swan served with 
distinguished ability on the Supreme 
Court. But he will no donbt be longer 
remembered as the author of an incom- 
parable volume on the practice in Justice 
of the Peace's Court, familiarly known as 
"Swan's Treaties," than as a lawyer or 



a judge. He was succeeded as presiding 
judge by the Hon. James L. Torbert, who 
occupied the position from 1846 until 
1852, when the new constitution went into 
effect. 

Common Pleas Judges. 

Judge Tokbeet was the first member se- 
lected from the Clark County Bar as 
a presiding judge on the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas. He was afterward elected 
judge of the Probate Court, and was a 
man of superior attainments and great 
literary taste. He was modest and unob- 
trusive. He was a man of strong convic- 
tions, and violentl}^ opposed to the institu- 
tion of slavery. He was born in Bucks 
County, Pennsylvania, 1796; came to 
Spring'field in 1824, and died very sud- 
denly on the 15th of May, 1859, on board 
a steamer on the Mississippi River. 

The associate judges of Clark County 
from 1831 to 1852 were Daniel McKin- 
non, William G. Serviss, Joseph Perrin, 
Ira Paige, John R. Lemon, John T. 
Stewart, Isaac Paint, John Hunt, Abra- 
ham D. Menness and Oliver Clark. The 
history of our county ?hows that these 
associate judges were men of honorable 
and respectable callings, and lived the 
liA^es of useful citizens. 

With the advent of the constitution of 
1852 came the reorganization of the judi- 
ciary of Ohio. The Supreme Court no 
longer traveled on the circuit. For a 
while after the adoption of the present 
constitution one member of the Supreme 
Court would sit in each county in what 
was then known as the District Court. 
The Siapreme Court held all its sessions at 
the City of Columbus. The Common Pleas 



AND EEPRES'ENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



517 



Court no longer had associate judges, and 
there was organized a new court which 
had jurisdiction in probate and testa- 
mentary matters, the appointment of ex- 
ecutors and guardians, and the settlement 
of accounts of executors, etc., and such 
other jurisdiction as may be provided by 
law. This court took away from the 
Common Pleas Court many of the duties 
that formerly devolved upon associate 
judges, and was known as the Probate 
Court. Under the new constitution, all 
the judges were made elective, not ap- 
pointive, as before. The first person to 
be elected as judge of the Common Pleas 
Court of this district was a distinguished 
member of the Clark County Bar. 

William A. Eogees — Concerning the 
character and qualifications of William A. 
Rogers no word of disparagement has 
ever been uttered. None of the present 
members of our bar ever practiced law be- 
fore him, and but few have any personal 
recollection concerning him. Those few 
who do remember anything about him 
have only words of praise in reference to 
his legal ability and general versatility. 
Judge W. H. West says: "He was a 
man combining both talent and genius, 
and certainly one of the best lawyers in 
the Mad Eiver Valley. ' ' He was born De- 
cember 13, 1809, in Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania; studied law in Pittsburg, 
and in the fall of 1834 removed to the city 
of Springfield. He became prominent as 
a Whig in politics and was a delegate to 
the National Convention which nominated 
General Harrison in 1840. In 1851, as be- 
fore stated, he was elected Common Pleas 
judge, which position he occupied until 
1855, when he resigned his office on ac- 
count of failing health. And on the 25th 



of May, of the same year, he died in the 
city of Springfield. One who knew him 
well says of him : "He was endowed with 
a brilliant intellect and with remarkable 
power of analysis; he possessed a spark- 
ling wit, was a logician of high order, and 
his eloquence was rich and impressive; 
these qualities made him an effective ad- 
vocate and formidable antagonist in any 
case which he espoused ; he was a man of 
broad culture, and of liberal and compre- 
hensive views." 

William White — The next person 
called from the bar of Clark County to the 
position of Common Pleas judge is justly 
entitled to be designated as the greatest 
jurist that ever came from this bar. Will- 
iam White was born in England on the 
28th day of January, 1822. He came to 
this country with an uncle in 1831. At 
twelve years of age he was apprenticed to 
a cabinet-maker for a term of nine years, 
but after serving six years of his ap- 
prenticeship, he purchased his time by 
giving his notes to his master. In 1846 
he was admitted to the bar. In 1847 was 
elected prosecuting attorney, and three 
times re-elected. In 1856 he was elected 
judge of the Court of Common Pleas. 
And in 1861 was re-elected. In 1864 he 
was appointed judge of the Supreme 
Court, and was three times re-elected. 
And in 1882 he was appointed by Presi- 
dent Arthur, United States district judge 
for the Southern District of Ohio, and 
was confirmed by the Senate, but died be- 
fore he could qualify for that high posi- 
tion. His death occurring as recent as 
1883, leaves a personal recollection of 
many of his distinguishing characteristics 
among the older members of our bar. 
But from the fact that his duties called 



518 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



him away from our city, since 1864, most 
of tlie present generation of our lawyers 
remember nothing more about him than 
having seen his striking, strong, pleasant 
face. For twenty-seven years he wore 
the judicial ermine, stainless and spotless 
as ever the mantle fell from a human 
judge. He was an affectionate and de- 
voted husband, a considerate, kind and in- 
dulgent father. His manners were mod- 
est, kind and unassuming ; to his brethren 
of the bar he was the personification of 
kindness and generosity. His popularity 
among all classes of people was evidenced 
by the fact that every time he was a can- 
didate for their suffrages, he led his 
ticket by many hundreds of votes. He 
was a man of very great industry. He 
may have had compeers on the bench who 
were more brilliant and quicker to grasp 
some intricate question of law, but none 
ever exceeded him in an industrious in- 
vestigation and firm determination to ar- 
rive at a right and just conclusion. .His 
life was no doubt shortened by his close 
application to the arduous duties devolv- 
ing upon him as a member of the Supreme 
Court. 

James S. Goode— From 1864 until 1875 
the Common Pleas Court was presided 
over by judges from other cotmties. In 
the previous year, an additional judge 
having been granted to this district, 
James S. Goode, a practitioner at this 
bar for nearly thirty years, was elected to 
that important position. Declining a re- 
election, he served for ten years, with the 
general approbation of all persons who 
had business with him in his judicial ca- 
pacity. James S. Goode was born in 
Warren County, Ohio, January 22, 1823, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1848. In 



the same year he opened an office in the 
City of Springfield. He was mayor of the 
City of Springfield and prosecuting at- 
torney for two terms. He died after an 
illness of but a few days, on April 10, 
1891. Judge Goode is remembered kindly 
by all the older members of the present 
bar, and by many of the younger ones. 
When he took his seat upon the bench, the 
docket was crowded by the accumulation 
of years, justice was tardily adminis- 
tered ; ' ' the law 's delays ' ' was much cause 
of dissatisfaction. He brought to the 
bench his well-known energy at the bar, 
and soon made order out of disorder ; and 
in a reasonably short length of time had 
the docket in such a condition that a suit 
could be brought and tried during the 
same term. He deservedly won a high 
and enviable reputation not only with the 
public, but with tlie bar of this and other 
counties. Imposing in appearance, quick 
of apprehension, learned and patient, he 
was an ideal on the bench, and many of 
the members of the bar have reason to re- 
member his extreme kindness to them in 
the earlier years of their professional life. 
After Judge Goode 's retirement from the 
bar, he practiced law with his son Frank 
until the latter 's death, in 1887. With the 
death of his only son, Judge Goode seemed 
to have lost much of his interest in the 
profession, and from that time until his 
death did not appear in court very fre- 
quently. His long and extensive practice 
at the bar, with his quickness of mind, 
made him an exceedingly good nisi prius 
judge. 

Charles R. White — Judge Goode was 
succeeded on the bench by Charles Rogers 
Wliite. Charles R. White was the only 
son of Judge William White. He was 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



521 



born in tlie City of Springfield, the 25tli 
day of May, 1849. Admitted to the bar 
1873, and in 1884 was elected judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas, and re-eleeted in 

1889. He died on the 29th day of July, 

1890, in the forty-second year of his age. 
Charles E. White was a worthy son of an 
illustrious father. He was quicker to ar- 
rive at conclusions, and therefore, in the 
opinion of some, was a better nisi prius 
judge than his distinguished father. He 
was studious, honest, and exceedingly sen- 
sitive to any act of his which might cause 
paia to the feelings of any member of the 
bar. His dealings with all persons were 
conducted with the sole purpose of justice 
and right. He revered the memory of his 
father, and it was the highest ambition of 
his life to follow in his footsteps; and 
should he have lived, no doubt high judi- 
cial honors would have fallen upon him. 
As it was, taken from the bench in the 
prime of life, he left behind him a mem- 
ory cherished by all who came in contact 
with him. 

F.M.Hagan — Upon the death of Charles 
E. White, Governor Campbell appointed 
Francis Marion Hagan to fill the vacancy, 
until the regular election. Judge Hagan 
was born June 10, 1844, in Mad Eiver 
Township of this county. By his own 
etforts he secured his education, and is in 
every sense of the term a "self-made 
man." He was admitted to the bar in 
1873, and in 1879 and again in 1883 was 
elected city solicitor. In 1887 he was ap- 
pointed postmaster. While Judge Ha- 
gan 's occupation of the bench was for the 
brief period of four months, yet it 'was 
sufficient to demonstrate the fact that he 
possessed exceptional judicial qualifica- 
tions; and no doubt were it not for the 



fact that his political belief is not in ac- 
cord with that of the prevailing party in 
this district, his judicial career would have 
been very much extended. Judge Hagan 
made a careful, painstaking, able, and con- 
scientious judge. Since his service upon 
the bench he has been engaged in the ac- 
tive practice of his profession, and is now 
the senior partner of the firm of Hagan 
& Kunkle. In all matters connected with 
the welfare of the City of Springfield he 
has always taken a prominent part; and 
is chairman of the committee having in 
charge this centennial celebration. 

John C. Miller — In 1890, John C. 
Miller was elected to fill the vacancy made 
by the death of Judge Charles E. White. 
In January, 1891, he relieved Judge Ha- 
gan, who had been appointed to fill the 
vacancy until an election. Judge Miller 
came to the Common Pleas bench with a 
long career in public life. His father, 
Eeuben Miller, likewise had a long pub- 
lic career in our city and county. He was 
bom in the City of Springfield, April 13, 
1834. He was apprenticed as a printer, 
afterward took up the study of law, and 
was admitted to the bar in 1855. In 1861 
he was elected Mayor of the City of 
Springfield, and in the fall of the same 
year was elected prosecuting attorney of 
the county, and several times re-elected. 
In 1869 he was chosen city solicitor, and 
held the office by repeated elections until 
1876, when he resigned to accept the posi- 
tion of Probate judge, to which office he 
had been elected in the previous October. 
This position he held until 1891, when he 
resigned to accept the position of Common 
Pleas judge, to which he had been elected 
in the previous fall. He was twice re- 
elected to this position. He died Septem- 



522 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ber 17, 1900, at his residence in this city. 
Judge Miller was a familiar character for 
many years to the people of the City of 
Springfield; he possessed great aptitude 
for politics, and had few superiors in the 
managing of men to secure official posi- 
tions. His learning of the law did not 
seem to come from books, but rather from 
strong common sense ; intuitively he 
seemed to correctly grasp the rights that 
ought to exist between man and man. He 
was quick and impulsive, possessed of a 
temper which at times made him disagree- 
able to do business with, yet much of this 
irascibility no doubt came from long and 
continual ill health. His convictions were 
strong, and no doubt expressions were 
sometimes made that carried him beyond 
his real' intention. He had a determined 
idea of justice and right. ■ Beneath an 
austere maimer and demeanor, was a 
heart as kind and open to a person in dis- 
tress as was ever possessed by man. With 
all his faults — and who has none? — he was 
a strong, able, conscientious judge, an ex- 
ceedingly good interpreter of the law, and 
an upright citizen. 

Jacob Kjreidee Mowek — Upon the death 
of Judge Miller the bar united in appoint- 
ing to fill the vacancy Jacob Kreider 
Mower. Judge Mower was born in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, April 4, 
1833, and was admitted to the bar in 1858, 
and the same year took up his residence 
in the City of Springfield. He was city 
solicitor from 1868 to 1870, and in the next 
two years served as a member of the leg- 
islature. He occupied no other positions 
prior to his appointment as Common 
Pleas judge, except member of the school 
board. At the time of his appointment to 
the bench he had been a member of the 



bar for forty-two years and past sixty- 
seven years of age. Judge Mower was an 
exceedingly kindly disposed man, honest 
and upright in his dealings. He had, how- 
ever, acquired some ideas throughout his 
life that verged close upon eccentricities. 
His long practice at the bar made him pei'- 
haps unconsciously take sides in the ease, 
so while everyone had the most kindly 
feeling for him, yet it can hardly be said 
that he filled the position up to the expec- 
tation of his friends. His only son, Cap- 
tain Carl Mower, died in the early part of 
1904 and this affliction, with those attend- 
ant to the natural infirmities of life, 
caused Judge Mower to decline in health 
and he died in the same year before he 
had completed his term. 

A. H. KuNKLE — Upon his death Albert 
H. Kunkle, who had received the nomina- 
tion for the succeeding term, was ap- 
pointed to fill the vacancy. Judge Kunkle 
has made a very good judge, expediting 
the business of the court as much as could 
reasonably be expected, and perhaps it 
can truthfully be said that the trial 
docket is in better condition now than it 
has been for years. 

Peobate CorET Judges. 

The constitution of 1852 gave to the 
Probate Court certain defined jurisdic- 
tion, and such other as may be provided 
by law. This provision allowing other 
jurisdiction to be conferred upon the Pro- 
bate Court has made it a court very little 
inferior in its importance to the people 
than the Court of Common Pleas. As first 
intended by many of the members pf the 
Constitutional Convention, it was to be an 
inferior court which might be presided 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



523 



over by men not learned in the law. With 
the extended jurisdiction that has been 
conferred, it is now universally believed 
that on account of its importance, its oc- 
cupant should not only be a lawyer, but a 
good lawj'er. The first person to fill the 
position of probate judge was not of our 
profession. 

James S. Halsey was born in Warren 
County, December 7, 1804; he came to 
Springfield in 1822, and served as auditor 
from 1826 to 1836 ; and from 1836 to 1852, 
clerk of the Court of Common Pleas. In 
the fall of 1851 he was elected probate 
judge and served one term. He died in 
' Plymouth, Ind., January, 1876. It has 
been said of him that "he had an innate 
scorn of meanness, mendacity and sham, 
which was as natural to him as it was to 
breathe the vital air. His charity was 
large, and while giving unostentatiously, 
he gave munificently; indeed, in every- 
thing he did there was an entire absence 
of ostentation, and, next to dishonesty and 
fraud, it was probably the object of his 
profoundest contempt." Such were some 
of the characteristics of the first probate 
judge. 

James L. Toebert — The next probate 
judge was James L. Torbert, of whom we 
have spoken heretofore as an occupant of 
the Common Pleas bench. Upon Judge 
Torbert 's death, in 1859, John H. Littler 
was appointed to the vacancy, and there- 
after elected for three full terms, going 
out of office in 1870. 

John H. Littler was born near Win- 
chester, Virginia, September 1, 1820. He 
came to Clark County in his youth. In 
1855 he was elected a member of the Legis- 
lature of the State of Ohio. In 1857 he 
was admitted to the bar; in 1881, twenty- 



six years from the time that he first en- 
tered the Genera] Assembly of Ohio, he 
was again elected a member of that body 
and re-elected in 1883. He died June 8, 
1885. Judge Littler was perhaps more of 
a politician than a lawyer, yet it may, 
however, properly be said of him that he 
was a faithful, honest public servant, and 
a good citizen. 

Enoch G. Dial — The successor of Judge 
Littler upon the Probate bench was Enoch 
G-. Dial, who was born in Clermont Coun- 
tj in 1817. He came to this county in 
1845 as a professor in the Springfield 
Academy. In 1849 he was 'admitted to the 
bar. He occupied the position of probate 
judge for two terms, from 1870 to 1876. 
In 1879 he was elected and served two 
terms in the Ohio House of Represent- 
atives. He was a man of scholarly attain- 
ments, possessed of fine literary taste and 
acquirements; active and industrious in 
promoting the interests of various char- 
acter' which atfected the welfare of the 
City of Springfield. He was careful and 
painstaking, and left the reputation of an 
able, cautious and conscientious judge. He 
died in 1896. 

Judge Dial was succeeded on the Pro- 
bate bench by John C. Miller, who oc- 
cupied the same until December, 1890, 
when he resigned to accept the position of 
Common Pleas judge. Madison Over was 
appointed to fill the vacancy of seven 
weeks, to February 9, 1891, when the 
writer of this paper assumed the position 
of judge of Probate Court. He occupied 
the same for two terms, and was succeed- 
ed in 1897 by James P. Goodwin, and he, 
in 1903, by Frank W. Geiger, the present 
incumbent. 



524 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ctkcuit Court Judges. 

In 1883 an amendment was passed af- 
fecting the judiciary of our state by the 
organization of a new intermediate court, 
known as the Circuit Court. Previous to 
this time, it was the practice for three 
members of the Common Pleas bench to 
sit as an Appellate Court and review ac- 
tions brought from the Common Pleas. 
As this court was composed of members 
who sat in the trial of the case below, it 
therefore made the judge review his own 
decision. It was not very satisfactory, 
and, besides, the Common Pleas Courts, 
by the increase of business, had so much 
of the time of their judges taken up that, 
as judges of the District Court, they could 
not give that consideration to the causes 
before them that was required. Any way, 
the people were satisfied to have a new 
intermediate court. At the first conven- 
tion to select judges for this new court, 
Clark County presented the name of 
Judge Mower, but was unsuccessful in hav- 
ing its candidate endorsed for the nomi- 
nation. Afterward, when Judge Williams 
was promoted to the Supreme bench, 
Clark County again presented a candidate 
in the person of Judge Charles R. ^Vhite, 
but was again doomed to the disappoint- 
ment of defeat. In 1894, upon the retire- 
ment of Judge Stewart, Clark County 
again presented a candidate in the person 
of Augustus N. Summers. This time 
carrying into execution the old adage that 
the third time brings success. Mr. Sum- 
mers received the nomination. He was 
elected in the fall of that year and again 
re-elected in 1900. Judge Summers was 
born in Richland County, June 13, 1856; 
admitted to the bar in 1881. His gentle- 



manly conduct, courteous bearing, and in- 
dustrious habits, have made him a wise, 
and successful judge. He was promoted 
to a Supreme Judgeship in 1904, which 
position he still occupies. ' 

Police Court Judges. 

Until the year 1887, the mayor of the 
City of Springfield performed the duties 
of a police magistrate. The Legislature 
of the previous year passed a law creat- 
ing the office of police judge. The first 
occupant of this position was Luther F. 
Young. He was succeeded in 1891 by 
Charles E. Morris, now a resident of 
Columbus. In 1893, 0. B. Trout became 
judge of the Police Court, and in 1895 he 
was succeeded by William R. Homer, who 
in turn was succeeded in 1899 by J. J. 
Miller, the present incumbent. All the oc- 
cupants of the Police Court bench were 
members of our bar and are still such 
with the exception of Charles E. Morris. 

"Great men die and are forgotten ; 
Wise men speak ; their words of wisdom 
Perish in the ears that hear tliem." 

Early Lawyers. 

This, no doubt, has been the penalty of 
a large portion of the members of our 
bar. The court records disclose the in- 
'dividual names of persons who had pro- 
ceedings there. But otherwise no record 
appears containing the names of the mem- 
bers of our bar, since the organization of 
our Common Pleas Court., In order to 
enable future generations to know who 
have been so fortunate or unfortunate as 
to expend their eloquence in our courts, I 
would suggest that a register be kept by 
the clerk of our court, in which every 
person practicing there should be required 
to register. The first attorney whose 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



525 



name appears upon our law record is that 
of Henry Bacon. Other names closely 
following are those of George W. Jewett 
and I. Cooley. In the Chancery Court, 
the first paper was filed by H. Flournoy, 
and soon thereafter the names of T. C. 
Flournoy and William Elseberry appear 
as attorneys. I am not positive that any 
of these, with the exception of Greorge 
W. Jewett, were residents of our city. 
Jewett combined the newspaper business 
with his law business, and was editor of 
the "Pioneer." The records of our court 
would not be an infallible guide to furnish 
a list of attorneys of our bar; for, in the 
earlier times, it was the custom of the 
lawyers to practice in various counties in 
the circuit. Throwing their saddle-bags, 
with a few books on their horses, they 
would follow the judges from county to 
county, either to try causes in each coun- 
ty, or in the hope of being retained in 
some one. Clark County being new, and 
the City of Springfield young, many dis- 
tinguished counsel came from distant 
parts of the state. From recollection, an 
early settler has given the names of the 
following lawyers who practiced law here 
prior to the adoption of the present con- 
stitution : George W. Jewett, Piatt, Hig- 
gins, Mott, A. G. Burnett, William A. 
Rogers, James M. Hunt, William White, 
J. B. Underwood, Joseph B. Craig, Joseph 
Anthony, James L. Torbert, Robert W. 
Carroll, William Cushing, Samson Mason, 
Charles Anthony and Harvey Vinal. 

Membees in 1852. 

In 1852, a directory of the City of 
Springfield gave the occupation of the 
fallowing persons as attorneys-at-law : 
Charles Anthony, J. R. Coverdill, John 



Foos (the directory was mistaken; Mr. 
Foos read law, but was never admitted 
to the bar), George Prey, J. S. Goode, 
Samson Mason, Rodney Mason, R. R. Mc- 
Nemar, A. D. Rogers, Samuel Shellabar- 
ger, George Spence, J. L. Torbert, Will- 
iam White, and H. Blair Wilson. 

General Samson Mason and General 
Charles Anthony were by far the most 
conspicuous members of our bar from 1824 
to 1860. While both were of the same 
political faith, yet they were rivals in poli- 
tics as well as at the bar. General Mason 
was more aristocratic in his bearing and 
deportment, and more scholarly in his at- 
tainments, and more popular with the 
learned and aristocratic element of our 
people, while General Anthony, of fine 
presence and agreeable manners, was 
more approachable and more popular 
with those who scorned to belong to what 
they termed the "cultured aristocracy." 
General Mason was born in New Jersey 
in 1793. He was the first prosecuting at- 
torney of Clark County, served a number 
of terms in the Legislature, was eight 
years in the United States Congress, and 
during the administration of Millard Fill- 
more was United States attorney for Ohio 
and was a member of the Constitutional 
Convention of 1852. As a lawyer he had 
a reputation which extended beyond the 
state. His professional circuit embraced 
the counties of Clark, Greene, Champaign, 
Union, Logan and Madison. He was an 
honest lawyer and faithful manager of all 
business intrusted to his care. His bear- 
ing was dignified, and his language that of 
a scholarly gentleman. He was in every 
sense of the term a true gentleman of the 
old school. He died in this city, February 
1, 1869. 



526 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



General Anthony was born in Eiehmond, 
Virginia, and came to Oliio in 1811, and 
to Springfield in 1824, and died March 31, 
1862. His popular manners soon gave him 
a practice and a prominence at the bar 
that established him as a worthy rival of 
General Mason. He was not so fortunate 
in being elected to public positions, but 
for a number of years was a distinguished 
member of the General Assembly. In 
1840 he was appointed by General Har- 
rison as United States attorney for Ohio, 
and held it for four years. Always active 
and enterprising, in all public measures 
he was foremost. He gave very great at- 
tention to the Masonic fraternity, and was 
elected grand master of the state. After 
his death a new lodge of Masons was or- 
ganized in our city which bears his name. 

Samuel Shellabaeger — A great lawyer 
who came upon the scene of action about 
the time that Mason and Anthony were 
drifting away by reason of old age, was 
Samuel Shellabarger. In many respects 
he was the most prominent and gifted of 
the lawyers that ever honored the bar of 
Clark County with his presence. He was 
born December 10, 1817, in Mad River 
Township, of this county, and died Aug- 
ust 7, 1896, in Washington, D. C. Ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1846, he came to prac- 
tice law in Springfield in 1848. He was 
elected to the General Assembly in 1852, 
and to the Congress of the United States 
in 1860, and served several terms until 
1873. In the United States Congress he 
was recognized as among the foremost of 
statesmen, and it was said by Blaine that 
"he was distinguished for the logical and 
analytical character of his mind. Without 
the gift of oratory, paying little heed to 
the graces of speech, Mr. Shellabarger 



conquered by the intrinsic strength of his 
argument, which generally amounted to 
demonstration. His mind possessed many 
of the qualities which distinguished Mr. 
Lincoln." After retiring fromCongress, he 
removed to Washington for the purpose 
of practicing his ^Jrofessiou, and was en- 
gaged in many of the most important mat- 
ters of litigation that apjDeared in the 
Supreme Court of the United States. His 
industry and faith to duty and to his coun- 
try were crowning virtues ; he was as good 
an example as the history of our profes- 
sion furnishes, of an able, learned and 
Christian lawyer. 

Geoege Spence — George Spenee's name 
appears upon the record about the same 
time as Mr. Shellabarger 's. He was born 
in Pike Township in 1828, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1850, died February 
6, 1895. He had the reputation of being 
the best jury lawyer that ever appeared 
in our court. Popular in his manner, he 
had a larger personal acquaintance in the 
days of his prime than any person in our 
county. Active in body, with a wonder- 
fully live and vigorous mind, he brought 
into the trial of his cases great vigor. His 
argument in a cause was sometimes com- 
pared to zigzag lightning — you never 
knew where it was going to strike, but it 
was sure to strike somewhere, and with 
great force. Mr. Spence had the mis- 
fortune of not receiving what might be 
termed a good education, and his environ- 
ments and associations in early life were 
not such as led him to the Mghest eleva- 
tion of a good citizen. Naturally, he had 
a mind which, perhaps, never was sur- 
passed by any member of our bar. He 
was active and energetic in matters per- 
taining to the welfare of our city. His be- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



529 



ing a Democrat in politics, prevented his 
acquirement of political positions. But 
for many years he was acknowledged as 
one of the wheel-horses of that party. He 
was a delegate to the celebrated Charles- 
ton Convention, in 1860, which adjourned 
to Baltimore and nominated Stephen A. 
Douglas for the Presidency, which pre- 
cipitated the terrible civil conflict of 1861. 
Large investments and loose business hab- 
its caused Mr. Spence to lose his prop- 
erty in his declining days. He possessed 
many excellent traits of character, and 
was very faithful to the interests of 
clients confided to his care. In his long 
active professional and business career he 
aided many persons needing aid and as- 
sistance. While he was not a great jurist, 
he was, in his palmiest days, an exceed- 
ingly good trial lawyer. 

Samuel A. Bowman — Purely as a law- 
yer — and he sought distinction in no 
other way, excepting that of good citizen- 
ship — Samuel A. Bowman had no peer at 
the bar of Clark County, and but few in 
the State of Ohio or the United States. 
He was born at Zanesville, January 13, 
1832, graduated from our own Wittenberg 
College in 1852, and commenced the prac- 
tice of law in the City of Springfield in 
1854, continuing in a large and lucrative 
practice until the day of his death, which 
occurred July 5, 1895. His early asso- 
ciations with General Mason gave him a 
large clientage in his younger days. He 
was purely a lawyer, and his profession 
was his only ambition. His practice ex- 
tended through all the courts of the 
United States, and he was able and worthy 
to meet any adversary in that broad field. 
He possessed a mind of great natural 
vigor, which was trained to its highest ca- 



pacity by methodical study, reading and 
thought. Often on the street his mind 
was engrossed with thoughts of matters 
pertaining to his profession, and he would 
pass a friend without recognizing him. 
This gave the impression to many people 
that he was aristocratic in his ideas and 
selfish in his disposition. It is true he 
was not a good "mixer" with the popu- 
lace ; as a politician he was not a success ; 
but as to all his dealings with man, he was 
just and generous. He had the power to 
grasp the salient features of his case to a 
wonderful degree, and could plan and for- 
mulate the method of action and execute 
a defense second to none. He was the 
originator of the beautiful Ferncliff Cem- 
etery, the Savings Bank, the Associated 
Charities, and other matters pertaining 
to the city's welfare. Three sons — Ed- 
mond 0., John E., and Border — continue 
in the practice and exhibit many of his 
distinguishing characteristics. Border giv- 
ing his attention chiefly to the practice of 
patent law, in which his noted father was 
an adept. 

Members in 1864. 

In 1864 the names of the following per- 
sons are given as practicing law at our 
bar : Aaron Cochran, A. P. Linn Cochran, 
David M. Cochran, John B. Hagan, D. 
A. Harrison, Saul S. Hinkle, Samson Ma- 
son, Samuel Bowman, T. J. Pringie, J. 
K. Mower, George C. Richardson, Joshua 
D. Sharon, Samuel Shellabarger, J. S 
Goode, George Spence, John McGaffey, 
and H. Vinal. David M. Cochran, a 
brother of A. P. Linn Cochran, died the 
latter part of the sixties. He was a very 
brilliant lawyer, possessed of many ex- 
cellent traits. 



530 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Members in 1881. 

In 1881, the following were enrolled as 
members of our bar: George Arthur, S. 

A. Bowman, A. T. Bjners, M. T. Burn- 
ham, W. F. Bevitt, A. G. Burnett, A. P. 
L. Cochran, C. W. Constantine, Milton 
Cole, B. Chinu, E. G. Dial, W. H. Dugdale, 
Charles Dunlap, Graham Deuwell, A. H. 
Gillett, Frank C. Goode, F. M. Hagan, E. 
0. Hagan, W. R. Horner, James Johnson, 
Jr., 0. B. Johnson, J. Warren Keifer, C. 
C. Kirkpatriek, John H. Littler, J. K. 
Mower, Oscar T. Martin, P. B. Martin, 

B. F. Martz, J. F. McGrew, J. J. Miller, 
Percy Norton, W. S. Newberry, James H. 
Piles, Thomas J. Pringle, George C. Raw- 
lins, J. H. Rabbitts, R. C. Rodgers, W. 
M. Eockel. C. B. Rockhill, D. S. Runyan, 
George Spence, W. A. Scott, Frank Show- 
ers, Joseph Tritt, E. S. Wallace, F. W. 
Willis, W. H. Willis, Charles R. White, 
Fletcher Wliite, Amos Wolf, Walter L. 
Weaver, C. F. Yakey. 

Some Time Members. 

There are other members of our bar 
whose names do not appear in the list 
above given, who died in early age or re- 
moved to other scenes of action. James 
Willis came within forty votes of being 
elected mayor, and died suddenly about 
the year 1870. He was a young lawyer of 
brilliant parts and promising future. Mil- 
ton Cole, a member of this bar, was born 
in 1848, elected Mayor of the city in 1875, 
and again in 1877; was a man of quiet 
demeanor, with considerable legal ability. 
For a number of years before his death 
he suffered from a paralytic stroke, which 
incapacitated him. He died in 1894. J. 



J. Hanna, a member of this bar and mayor 
of the city in 1870, removed from the city, 
and shortly thereafter died. J. F. Ogle- 
vee was a former member of this bar and 
partner of General Keifer, served as 
County Auditor from 1871 to 1874 ; there- 
after represented this county two terms 
in the Legislature, and was state auditor 
for a number of years, and is now a resi- 
dent of Columbus, engaged in manufactur- 
ing. 

Frank C. Goode, son of Judge James S. 
Goode, was born in this city in 1853, ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1875, and died in 
1887. He was a young man having many 
of the striking characteristics of his dis- 
tinguished father, and, had not death 
called him so soon, would no doubt have 
had a very distinguished legal career. 
Willis S. Walker, son of General Moses 
Walker, of Kenton, was for a short time 
a member of our bar. Afterward he was 
chief clerk in the secretary of state's of- 
fice under General Robinson. From there 
he went West, and died in the prime of 
young manhood. He was of studious 
habits, and, for his age, a very good 
lawyer. 

John T). Burnett, who died in January, 
1899, was a member of our bar, but for 
many years was not actively engaged in 
the profession. He is remembered as a 
kindly old gentleman who painstakingly 
and carefully looked after the interests 
entrusted to his care. John H. Thomas 
was admitted to the bar in 1851, but soon 
thereafter went into the manufacturing 
business, in which he acquired great 
wealth. In later years he mingled some 
in state politics, but held no important 
positions. Percy Norton, James Homan 
and Randolph Coleman, one time mem- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



531 



bers of our bai', are now also engaged in 
the more lucrative calling of manufactur- 
ing. G-eorge Frey, who was a member of 
the bar in 1852, and is yet alive and with 
us, was but a short time if ever an active 
practitioner. The venerable Thomas F. 
McGrew was for nine years an active 
member of the Steubenville bar, but never 
practiced here. 

William D. Hill, later a Congressman 
in Northern Ohio, was at one time a mem- 
ber of our bar and mayor of the city in 
the early sixties. Charles Evans, who 
was afterward a Common Pleas judge in 
Cincinnati, and now a practicing member 
of that bar, was a member of our bar 
during the latter part of the sixties. 
There was also about the same time an 
attorney by the name of Jacob R. Mc- 
(Jarry, a member of our bar, who after- 
ward went to Cincinnati. 

From the time of his admission, in 1868, 
until 1893, when he left for New York 
City, no one was better known at our bar 
than Edward S. Wallace, who was born 
in Kentucky in 1846 and came to Spring- 
feld in 1855. Mr. Wallace was a man of 
commanding presence, versatile in thought 
and action, popular in manner and de- 
meanor. His greatest force was in the 
criminal practice, where his fine appear- 
ance and great oratorical powers gave him 
more than ordinary success. He was a 
brilliant conversationalist, but not as care- 
ful and cautious in his habits as he might 
have been. He was at one time a Demo- 
cratic candidate for attorney general, aft- 
erward elected as an independent candi- 
date for mayor, and still later chosen by 
the Republicans of Clark County as their 
candidate for Congress. 

General Keifer — Of the present mem- 



bers of our bar in active practice, Gen- 
ei'al Keifer is the oldest as well as the 
most distinguished. He is strictly a prod- 
uct of Clark County, born in Bethel Town- 
ship, January 30, 1836. Admitted to the 
bar in January, 1858; entering the Civil 
War in 1861, he rose to the rank of brevet 
major general of volunteers in 1865. In 
1876 he was elected to Congress and there- 
after re-elected three times. In 1881 he 
was elected speaker of the House of Rep- 
resentatives. In 1898 he was appointed 
a major general of volunteers in the Span- 
ish War. While not engaged on the field 
of war or in the halls of Congress, Gen- 
eral Keifer was an active, energetic mem- 
ber of our bar, and still continues to be 
such. He never in his life knew what it 
was to be idle or take a vacation. A few 
years ago there was issued from the press 
a very creditable work of which he was 
the author, entitled, "Slavery and Four 
Years of War. " He was an excellent sol- 
dier, an energetic legislator, a good law- 
yer, and in all' respects ever was and still 
is a good citizen of our community. It is 
the wish of all that he may long continue 
to remain with us. On January 11, 1908, 
the bar gave a complimentary banquet to 
him on the fiftieth anniversary of his ad- 
mission to the bar. 

A. P. Linn Cochran — Among the older 
members of the bar, perhaps it would be 
not unjust to mention the name of A. P. 
Linn Cochran. Mr. Cochran was born in 
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 
1836, came to our bar in 1859 and con- 
tinued thereat until 1907, a space of forty- 
eight years. Exceedingly courteous and 
gentlemanly in all his conduct with the 
court and the public generally, it could be 
said that no one stood higher in public 



532 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



estimation ; and when it was rumored that 
his deahngs with his clients with respect 
to some estates that he represented had 
not been strictly according to legal ethics, 
everj^one who knew him was shocked. 
However, charges were made and pre- 
sented to the court, Judge AUread of 
Greenville hearing the same, and finally 
Mr. Cochran was suspended from practice 
for two years. Soon thereafter he re- 
moved to Cincinnati, where he is now 
located. No one has ever been able to ex- 
plain satisfactorily why one of such high 
standing should have allowed himself to 
get into such a position. 

T. J. Peingle was born in Clark County, 
near South Charleston, in 1838, was ad- 
mitted to our bar in 1864, and was prose- 
cuting attorney from shortly thereafter 
for seven years. No one was better liked 
by the members of the bar generally than 
Mr. Pringle. He was of fine appearance, 
affable and genial, and during his career 
at our bar was as well beloved for his 
kindly social qualities as any member who 
ever graced it by his presence. Mr. 
Pringle served two terms as State Sen- 
ator from our Senatorial District. He 
died in 1903. 

G-EOEGE C. Rawlins, a present, 'able, 
active, and energetic member of our bar, 
was prosecuting attorney from 1876 to 
1880, and thereafter served with distin- 
guished honor for two terms in the lower 
house of the General Assembly. "Walter 
L. Weaver served ten years creditably as 
prosecuting attorney, and from 1896 to 
1900 was an able member from this dis- 
trict to the United States Congress. 

Chase Stewaet served two terms as 
prosecuting attorney, from 1889 to 1895; 
and from 1895 to 1899 he served two terms 



in the General AssemblJ^ Horace W. 
Stafford and John B. McGrew each have 
served two terms as prosecuting attorney. 
M. T. Burnham and D. Z. Gardner have 
each abh^ served one term as city solicitor. 
Albert H. Kunkle creditably filled the 
position for four successive terms. He 
was followed by Y. Y. Smith for one term 
and he by Stewart L. Taytum two terms 
and he by Roger V. Smith, present in- 
cumbent. John L. Plummer very ably 
served one term as State Senator from 
this Senatorial District. 

Feank W. Geigee is now referee in 
bankruptcy. J. F. McGrew served two 
terms in the Legislature. He was a promi- 
nent member and came very near being 
elected Speaker. He is a good public 
speaker and now president of the Commer- 
cial Club. 

James Johnsok, Je., a good lawyer and 
good fellow, creditablj^ sei'ved one term as 
mayor. Lawrence Laybourne is the pres- 
ent prosecuting attorney. Oscar T. 
Martin and George Arthur, both eminent 
members of our bar, have never held pub- 
lie positions. Mr. Arthur has not, for the 
reason that he belongs to the party in the 
minority, and, further, that he thinks more 
of his profession than he does of political 
positions. Mr. Martin has not occupied 
public positions solely for the reason that 
he wishes to devote all his time and energy 
to the practice of his profession, and by 
doing so he has built up an enviable prac- 
tice and bids fair in the not far distant 
future to be the leading member of our 
bar. 

It is no fault of John L. Zimmerman's 
that he has not occupied public positions. 
He expects to be governor some day, and 
all join in wishing him success. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



533 



There are other members of our bar 
who, by their merit, are entitled to distinct 
mention in this paper, and some of whom 
no doubt have occupied positions of trust 
and honor. But these matters are com- 
mon to the knowledge of all, and the limits 
of my paper will not permit them to be 
individualized. 

Bar Association. 

On several occasions in the past the bar 
has organized for the purpose of advanc- 
ing the interests of its members and main- 
taining the dignity of the profession. But 
for various reasons about all that would 
be accomplished, would be a meeting, some 
strong speeches about maintaining the 
dignity of the profession, possibly an as- 
sessment for dues, an election, and then — 
a quiet, unobtrusive death. However, 
probably by reason of the interest that 
the bar has in maintaining an excellent 
law library, the present Bar Association 
has had a longer existence than any of 
its predecessors and bids fair to remain 
with us for some time to come. The pres- 
ent Clark County Bar Association was 
organized July 6, 1888, with Hon. J. K. 
Mower as president ; A. N. Summers, vice- 
president; W. M. Eoekel, secretary, and 
George S. Dial, treasurer. In March, 
1892, for the purpose of raising money to 
buy books for the library, it became in- 
corporated. An enjoyable feature of the 
meetings of this Bar Association is the 
custom that has come into vogue, of the 
new president, on his induction into office, 
annually, giving a spread to which all 
members of the bar are invited. 

"There St. John mingles with the friendly bowl, 
The flow of reason and feast of soul." 



The Bar Association formerly met 
monthly, and should do so now in com- 
pliance with its by-laws, but usually the 
meetings are only held annually, or at 
the call of the president. There is an 
annual fee of five dollars attached to the 
membership, which is applied to the fund 
for the purchase of books to keep up the 
library. The present officers of the as- 
."^ociation are: Chase Stewart, president; 
Clem V. Collins, vice-president; Arthur 
J. Todd, secretary, and Frank M. Krapp, 
treasurer. 

LiBRAEY. 

This sketch of our bench and bar would 
be incomplete did it not contain a word 
in reference to our present excellent li- 
brary. From the beginning of a few 
volumes, it has grown until it now num- 
bers nearly three thousand volumes at a 
total cost of about $10,000. For a consid- 
erable time the matter of a library had 
been a subject of speculation and discus- 
sion among the members of our bar, and 
when the ijew Court House was completed, 
a room was provided for that purpose. 
But, unlike many other things, it needed 
something to make the start in that direc- 
tion. In 1886 or 1887, in a casual conver- 
sation. Judge Charles E. White remarked 
that he had a fund in his hands as treas- 
urer of a defunct Bar Association, and 
that he would like to be relieved of his 
responsibility, but there was no knowl- 
edge of the persons who had contributed 
the fund, or to whom it should be re- 
turned. The writer suggested to him to 
invest it in books, for the nucleus of a 
library in the Court House. He respond- 
ed that if the consent of certain members 



534 



HISTOEy OF CLARK COUNTY 



of the bar, whom he presumed liad con- 
tributed the fund, would be secured, he 
would gladly turn it over for that pur- 
pose. The consent of sucli members of 
the bar having been obtained, and the 
fund turned over to the writer, it was by 
him invested in the West System of Re- 
porters. The bound volumes were jDlaced 
in the library and the advanced sheets 
were kejDt at the writer's office until a 
librarian was appointed. The fund 
amounted to $306. Afterward, upon the or- 
ganization of a Bar Association, a Board 
of Trustees was appointed for the library. 
This first board was composed of Judge 
C. E. White, Oscar T. Martin and W. M. 
Eockel. Afterward A. S. Rogers, Albert 
H. Kunkle, F. M. Hagan, with Eockel and 
White, constituted the board. By this 
time it was ascertained that the library 
of George Spence could be purchased for 
a very reasonable sum. A contribution 
was taken up among the members of the 
bar, and the library purchased. This wa^ 
the first substantial addition to the pre- 
vious purchase of the West Reporters. 
Judge Mower has been an active member 
of the Board of Trustees for the library 
for the past ten years. The Legislature 
having in the meantime passed a law per- 
mitting the court to appoint a librarian, 
Mr. Oliver H. Miller, a member of the 
bar, accepted the position for a number 
of years and turned the salary over to be 
apijlied in the purchase of books. Funds 
were also received from certain Police 
Court fines. In order to increase the use- 
fulness of the library and secure the pur- 
chase of more books, in 1892 the Clark 
County Bar Association was incorporated 
and shares of stock of fifty dollars each 
were issued. In these various ways, and 



from time to time, funds were secured, 
with which the excellent library now in 
the Court House was procured. A com- 
plete set of the reports of all the import- 
ant states of the Union are now on its 
shelves, together with modern digests and 
encyclopedias. A subscription has just 
been made for the English Reports. W. 
F. Bevitt and Charlotte Cross have been 
the accommodating librarian and assist- 
ant librarian for some time. The present 
trustees are : Judge A. H. Kunkle, Judge 
A. N. Summers, Judge F. M. Hagan, 
Oscar T. Martin, J. E. Bowman, J. F. Mc- 
Grrew and W. W. Keif er. 

Members in 1908. 

The following is given by our Court 
Docket as a list of the present practicing 
members of our bar : 

J. Fred Anderson, Edwin L. Arthur, 
George Arthur, Charles E. Ballard, 
George A. Beard, Carey Boggess, Border 
Bowman, E. 0. Bowman, J. E. Bowman, 
Harry A. Brenner, M. T. Burnham, Albert 
F. Busch, Wm. G. Campbell, Clement V. 
Collins, John M. Cole, George S. Dial, 
Walter N. Elder, Frank W. Geiger, Jas. 
P. Goodwin, Clifton P. Grant, Harry G. 
R. Gram, William H. Griffith, Ed- 
ward 0. Hagan, Francis M. Hagan, 
Francis M. Hagan Jr., Jacob M. 
Harner, Patrick J. Higgins, William R. 
Horner, Edwin S. Houek, James Johnson 
Jr., Sully Jaymes, Floyd A. Johnston, Hor- 
ace C. Keifer, J. Warren Keifer, William 
W. Keifer, J. Forest Kitchen, Frank M. 
Krapp, Albert H. Kunkle, A. C. Link, Law- 
rence Laybourne, Julius F. W. Lorenz, 
Edward J. Lynch, Thomas J. McCormick, 
J. F. McGrew, John B. McGrew, Howard 
McGregor, Elza F. McKee, William Y. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



535 



Mahar, James B. Malone, Oscar T. Mar- 
tin, Paul C. Martin, J. J. Miller, Oliver H. 
Miller, Seba H. Miller, Percy Norton, C. 
S. Olinger, John L. Plummer, George C. 
Rawlins, Walter E. Robinson, William M. 
Rockel, Robert C. Rodgers, Stewart L. 
Tatum, George W.Tehan, Arthur J. Todd, 
H. A. Toulmin, 0. B. Trout, Roger V. 
Smith, Horace W. Stafford, Paul A. 
Staley, Chase Stewart, Earle Stewart, 
James G. Stewart, Harry F. Summers, 
Walter L. Weaver, J. Jerome Welty, W. 
W. Witmeyer, L. F. Young, John L. Zim- 
merman, Albert I. Zimmerman. 

There have been few "Uriah Heeps" 



and ' ' Oily Gammons ' ' at our bar. It can 
be truthfully said that there is no class 
of persons in the community that stand 
higher than the members of the bar. In 
the last one hundred years but one mem- 
ber was disbarred from practice. Gen- 
erally, in all matters that pertain to the 
welfare of our city and county, they are 
found ever contending for that which will 
bring prosperity and honor to our city 
and its people. If the next hundred years 
can show as bright a history as the past 
one hundred, the bar of the City of Spring- 
field can indeed well be proud of its rec- 
ord. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION OF CLARK COUNTY. 



(By De. W. B. Patton.) 

Sources of Information — Medical Districts — Richard Hunt — William A. Needham 
Isaac Hendershott — Job Haines — Organization of Medical Society — Re-Or- 
ganized 1850 — Second Re-Organization — Robert Rodgers — Dr. Berkley Gil- 
lette — Dr. Andreiv Bruce — Benjamin Winwood- — Alexander Dunlap — Isaac 
Kay — John H. Rodgers — H. H. Seys—Buckinghams — Andrew McLaughlin 
— Present Society — Hospital. 



Sources of Information — Medical Dis- 
tricts — Richard Hu/nt — William A. Need- 
ham^ — Isaac Hendershott — Job Haines — - 
Organization of Medical Society — Re-Or- 
ganized 1850 — Second Re-Organization — 
Robert Rodgers — Dr. Berkely Gillette — 
Dr. Andrew Bruce — Benjamin Winwood 
— Alexander Dunlap — Isaac Kay — John 
H. Rodgers — H. H. Seys — Buckinghams 
— Andrew McLaughlin — Present Society 
— Hospital. 

Sources of Information. 

The history of the earliest practitioners 
of the healing art in Clark County is very 
meager. What is known of them has come 
from two sources; that which has been 
handed down from one generation to the 
nest in the memories of men, and that 
which has been preserved in the more or 



less incomplete records of the Clark 
County Medical Society. Some physi- 
cians, of course, were not members of the 
Society, and so nothing is known of them 
from that source. In the early days there 
was no elaborate system of registration, 
such as we have today, by means of which 
some record is kept of every legalized 
practitioner and will be preserved for fu- 
ture generations. 

Two physicians are still living whose 
lives span the greater part of the history 
of the county. For more than a half cen- 
tury they have been useful and honored 
members of the profession and of the 
County Society. These men are Dr. 
Isaac Kay and Dr. John H. Eodgers, both 
of whom read interesting and valuable pa- 
pers on medical history upon the occasion 
of the fiftieth anniversary of membership 
in the society of Dr. Isaac Kay and the 



AND KEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



537 



late Dr. H. H. Seys. These papers have 
been incorporated in the minutes of the 
society. 

The Clark County Medical Society has 
an ancient and an honorable history. The 
records of the society have been pre- 
served from its earliest infancy. They 
were well written and are of great inter- 
est, especially to physicians, as they show 
in a definite manner the progress of med- 
ical thought. One thing that is inclined 
to cause a feeling of sadness as they are 
read, is the fact that they contain the 
names of so many men who were evi- 
dently prominent members of the society 
and probably influential citizens of the 
community, who are practically unknown 
today only a few decades after they have 
gone to their rewards, so fleeting is hu- 
man memory, and so few men there are 
who succeed in making a secure place even 
in a local history. 

Medical District. 

In 1815 the Legislature divided the 
state into medical districts, the Seventh, 
which was composed of the following coun- 
ties: Montgomery, Champaign, Greene, 
Preble, Miami and Darke. The medical 
society organized in this district, licensed 
to practice medicine, among others. Dr. 
Isaac Hendershott and Dr. W. A. Need- 
ham, who located in this county and who 
were probably among the very earliest 
pioneers of the profession in the county. 

In 1824 the Legislature again divided 
the state into districts, this time twenty in 
niunber, of which the Seventh was com- 
posed of Montgomery and Clark Counties. 
The Clark County physicians who were 
members of the society organized in this 
district were as follows : Drs. "W. A. Need- 



ham, Eichard Hunt, Elijah Lawrence, Am- 
brose Blount, Job Haines, Thos. S. Towler 
and Eobt. Houston of South Charleston. 

De. Eichaed Hunt was probably the 
first physician to locate in Spring-field. 
He was born in Greenwich, Cumberland 
County, New Jersey, in 1780. He came to 
Cincinnati in 1807, and learning that there 
was no physician in Springfield, came here 
at once and began to practice, boarding at 
Griffith Foos' tavern. He is said to have 
been present at the Indian conference 
when Tecumseh refused to disarm his fol- 
lowers and it was he who offered the clay 
pipe which Tecumseh tossed away in dis- 
gust. In 1818 he wrote to a friend that 
Spring-field "had four public houses, 
eleven stores, three physicians, three at- 
torneys, and mechanics of every descrip- 
tion. ' ' He married Miss Frances Eeeder, 
then living on the Yellow Springs Eoad 
about three miles from town. His daugh- 
ter. Miss Sophia Hunt, is living here. He 
died in 1848. 

Dk. William A. Needham was born in 
Shoreham, Vt., in 1776, and came to 
Springfield in 1813. He first located near 
Lagonda, which for that reason was called 
' ' Pillville. ' ' He afterwards lived in a log 
cabin on the southwest corner of Columbia 
and Factory Streets until 1817, when he 
moved to his own frame house on the cor- 
ner of Main street and the first alley east 
of Limestone, where he died in 1834. An 
interesting fact in his history is that his 
last visit was made upon the occasion of 
the birth of William Needham Whitely, 
"The Eeaper King," the middle name 
of whom is thus accounted for. He, sick 
as he was, returning from this call, died 
in four days of some malignant epidemic 
fever. He' was buried in the old Colum- 



538 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



bia Street graveyard. Dr. Henry Bald- 
win, the city haalth officer, is a great- 
grandson of Dr. Needliam. 

De. Isaac Hendeeshott is another of 
the pioneers of special interest to present- 
day physicians, as he was the first Presi- 
dent of the Clark County Medical Society 
and one of the few physicians who have 
held an elective office in Clark County, ex- 
cepting that of coroner. Nothing is 
known of the date or place of Ms birth or 
of his coming to Spring-field. He was a 
cripple, walking with one cane, as the re- 
sult of hip-joint disease, and had a very 
beautiful daughter who became afflicted 
with and died as a result of the same dis- 
ease. He was at one time postmaster and 
twice was elected county recorder, from 
1835, and from 1856 to the time of his 
death, in 1862. 

De. Job Haines was born in New Jer- 
sey in 1791 and graduated from the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania in 1815. He 
practiced medicine in partnership with 
Dr. Hunt until 1817, when he removed to 
Dayton, where he practiced until he died 
in 1860. 

The above meager facts are about all 
that can be learned of the first generation 
of physicians, the real pioneers of the 
profession. There are no doubt jjersons 
living, who, if they were known, could 
give something of interest of others, espe- 
cially of those who practiced outside of 
the City of Springfield. If there be any 
such, the writer would be more than 
pleased to have them communicate with 
him in regard to the matter. 

County Medical Society. 

The Clark County Medical Society was 
organized on April 4th, 1838, at the Buck- 



eye Hotel. A preliminary meeting to ar- 
range for the organization had been held 
March 1st, 1838, in the office of Dr. Robert 
Rodgers. The following officers were 
elected: President, Isaac Hendershott, 

vice-president, Smith, secretary, 

Robert Rodgers; ti'easurer, William 
Murdock; Board of Censors, Berkley 
Gillette, E. W. Steele, and Robt. Rodgers. 
The constitution was sig-ned by the follow- 
ing: Isaac Hendershott, Benj. Winwood, 
Berkley Gillette, Elias Garst, Robt. Rod- 
gers, Wm. Murdock, Robt. Houston, John 
C. Stone, ' Michael Garst and James Rob- 
bins. In addition to these there appear 
in the minutes the names of Happersette 
and Towler. Two meetings were held 
each year: the annual meeting in April 
and semi-annual in November, somewhat 
in contrast to the present society, which 
metets twice each month. The first paper 
was read April 30th, 1838, by Dr. Win- 
wood on "Progressive Improvement of 
Medicine in America," and another at the 
same meeting by Dr. Garst on "The 
Mucous Membrane of the Alimentary 
Tract." The infant could not survive the 
second summer, and passed away after 
the election of officers, April 14, 1840. 

REOEOANIZATIOlSr. 

A meeting was held to reorganize in the 
office of Dr. Robt. Rodgers May 31, 1850, 
and elected the following officers: Presi- 
dent, Robt. Rodgers; vice-presidents, 
Berkley Gillette and Isaac Hendershott; 
secretary, E. M. Buckingham; treasurer, 
G. H. Bunyan; Board of Censors, B. Gil- 
lette, Jesse Cook, J. N. Stockstill, G. H. 
Bunyan and Robt. Rodgers. 

Wliile all of those who were present at 
the meeting to reorganize the society have 



^,:^;:T»?Ste- 



^4*MS:. 



\'M:^fi- 



'^mih.' -^Ae! 




RESIDENCE OF ^IRS. A. S. BUSHNELL, SPRINGFIELD 




RESIDENCE OF J. S. l"R. )\\"I-:LL, SI RI XGI' lELF 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



541 



.long since gone to their rewards, it is dur- 
ing this period that names begin to ap- 
pear that connect it with the present. At 
the May meeting, 1853, the late Dr. H. H. 
Seys was admitted to qiembership, and 
one year later the same honor was be- 
stowed upon Dr. Isaac Kay, who is the 
senior member of the present society. 
Dr. John H. Eodgers, tlie second member 
of the present society, in the point of 
age, and one of the first in interest, was 
admitted in 1856. 

Second EEORG/>LiNrizATioN. 

After five years of activity the society 
was again allowed to discontinue, this time 
for nine years, or until April 12th, 1864, 
when it was reorganized and again the 
meeting was held in the office of Dr. Eod- 
gers. Of the eight men at the meeting in 
May, 1850, Dr. Eodgers was the only one 
present at this one, the others having all 
died or moved away. The following were 
the officers elected at this meeting: Presi- 
dent, Eobt. Eodgers; vice-presidents, A. 
C. McLaughlin, and Edward Owen ; secre- 
tary, Isaac Kay; treasurer, A. Dunlap; 
censors, A. Duiilap, E. M. Buckingham, 
Geo. F. Kennedy, H. H. Young and Isaac 
Kay. Of the officers elected at this time. 
Dr. Kay alone survives. 

During the periods of the history of the 
medical society just passed over tbere 
appear the names of the truly great men 
of the profession, men whose lives and 
deeds were such that they deserve to be 
handed down to future generations as 
Clark County's examples of "The 
doctors of the old school," men who 
braved the perils of flood and storm, of 
pestilence and fever, just as real as those 



faced by that great creation of the novel- 
ist's imagination, Weelum MacClure of 
Drumtockty. All of them are worthy of 
mention, but space and available material 
, will permit of only the briefest mention of 
some of them. 

Dr. Egbert Eodgers was born in Cum- 
berland County, Pa., September 11, 1807. 
After graduating at the Uiniversity of 
Pennsylvania in 1828, he practiced in his 
home county for three years, moving to 
Portsmouth, Ohio, and two years later to 
Springfield, where he died in 1880. No 
name has been more intimately associated 
with medical history and but few with the 
history and progress of our city than that 
of Eodgers. Three times the society met 
in his office to organize and reorganize, 
twice he served as its president. He had 
a very extensive general practice, and had 
the reputation of being a skillful surgeon. 
He read a paper before the society giv- 
ing an account of ah operation which lie 
performed, being the only Caesarian Sec- 
tion ever performed in the county. Dr. 
Kay said of him in a memorial address, 
"Being sedulously devoted to the healing 
art, of indomitable perseverance and 
courteous in his manners, he attained to 
a high degree of influence among his pro- 
fessional brethren towards whom he con- 
ducted himself in accordance with the best 
requirements of ethical and Christian 
principles." 

Dr. Berkley Gtili^ette began to practice 
here about 1836. He had one of the larg- 
est surgical practices in this vicinity, and 
stood high as a member of the county and 
state society. Of him Dr. Kay said, "He 
was a man of firmness and practical skill 
in his profession, and despised quackery 
and sham of every kind. He was plain 



542 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and blunt in his manner and language, 
and scarcely ever dealt in flattery or 
blarney," all of wMcb goes to prove that 
he was one of the truly great. 

Dr. An^drew Bruce came here in 1849, 
having practiced previous to that time in 
Western Pennsylvania. He had a large 
general practice and died October 17, 
1873. He was at one time in partnership 
with Dr. Geo. P. Hackenberg, who at- 
tained some fame as a surgeon, in New 
York Stat«, where he located after leav- 
ing here. He was a surgeon in the Civil 
War and afterwards in the regular army, 
finally locating in Austin, Tex. He wrote 
largely for medical journals, and was the 
author of a pretentious work entitled the 
"Medical Consultation Book." 

Dr. Benjamin Winwood was born in 
1804, in Soho Square, London. His fam- 
ily came to Baltimore, Md., early in his 
life, where he received his medical educa- 
tion, having been a student of Prof. Davis 
Davvidge. He first located in Dayton, 
coming here in 1842, and practiced here 
until he was appointed to the Union Mil- 
itary Hospital at Nashville, Tenn., where 
he died in 1864. 

Alexander Dunlap, A. M., M. D., was 
the most renowned physician who ever 
practiced in this county, and but few in 
the state or nation have been any more 
widely known. He was born in Brown 
County, 0., in 1815, graduated from 
Miami University in 1836, and from the 
Cincinnati Medical College in 1839. He 
practiced with his brother at Greenfield, 
Ohio, until 1846, when he moved to Spring- 
field where he practiced until the date of 
his death. 

He -was pre-eminently a surgeon, and in 
this line of work achieved his great fame. 



He is known throughout the world as one 
of the first surgeons to operate for 
ovarian tumors. The first operation of 
this sort was performed by Ephraim Mc- 
Dowell of Kentucky in 1809. It was met 
with such opposition that it was aban- 
doned. Clary of England again tried it 
in 1842 and Atlee of Philadelphia in 1843. 
Two months after Atlee 's operation, and 
knowing nothing of it. Dr. Dunlap per- 
formed his. The woman had urged him 
repeatedly to do it, and finally told him 
she would cut it out with a butcher knife 
if he continued to refuse. In the presence 
of a few country physicians, without an 
anesthetic, he successfully removed a 45- 
Ib. tumor. The woman died a few weeks 
later of other trouble. Dr. Dunlap was 
denormced by the medical profession, the 
journals refusing to publish reports of his 
case, because it was an unsafe and un- 
justifiable operation. Time, however, 
demonstrated that he was right, and then 
the honors came thick and fast. He was 
elected president of the Ohio Medical So- 
ciety in 1868, and twice a member of the 
Judicial Council of the American Medical 
Association, which position he resigned, 
to become vice-president of the same in 
3877. He was a Fellow of the American 
Gynecological Association, with a mem- 
bership limited to sixty. In 1875 he was 
elected to the chair of surgical diseases 
of women in Starling Medical College. 
He was married in 1839 to Miss Maria 
E. Bell, of Highland County, and two 
children were born to them, a son and a 
daughter. The son. Dr. C. A. Dunlap, 
spent his professional career in this city 
within the memory of most of the physi- 
cians of today. 

Dr. Isaac Kay, the senior member of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



543 



the Clark County Medical Society and 
one of the most devoted members of the 
society and profession, was born in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in 1828, 
and moved to Preble County, Ohio, in 
1836. When eighteen years of age he be- 
gan to read medicine in the office of Dr. 
William Gray of Lewisburg, Ohio, and 
graduated from Starling Medical College 
in 1849. After practicing a few years in 
Lewisburg he came to Springfield in 1853. 
He was secretary of the medical society 
for twenty-six years and his minutes of 
the society meeting during those years 
are interesting and valuable documents. 
He has written a number of articles, both 
for lay and medical publications, all of 
which are interesting, couched as they 
are in beautiful diction. 

John H. Rodgeks^ Another of the pio- 
neer physicians, whom the present also 
claims, is Dr. John H. Rodgers, who was 
born here August 19, 1834, the son of Dr. 
Robert Rodgers, whose name is so inti- 
mately associated with medical history in 
this county. He received his literary de- 
gree from Miami University and his med- 
ical from the University of Pennsylvania 
in 1856. He answered his country's call, 
enlisting in 1861 as assistant surgeon to 
the Forty-fourth Regiment, 0. V. I., and 
after eighteen months' service, was pro- 
moted to the position he held until 1865, 
since which time he has followed his 
chosen calling in this city, although of 
recent years he has been living a retired 
life, so far as active practice is concerned. 

Dr. H. H. Seys was born in Ogdensburg, 
N. Y., October 13, 1830. He was the son 
of Rev. John Seys, a Methodist mission- 
ary, and was one of a family of twelve. 
Dr. Seys graduated from the University 



of Maryland in 1853, locating here the 
same year. He served in several impor- 
tant positions during the Civil War, where 
he gained a wonderful store of experience, 
both surgical and general, and it was 
always a pleasure to hear him relate some 
of his experiences, which he could do both 
eloquently and graphically. However 
great the value of Dr. Seys' services to 
his country in time of war, they could 
not possibly compare with those which he 
rendered this community in times of peace 
as city health officer. He was appointed 
to this position in 1888 and still retained 
it at the time of his death, June 17, 1904. 
Single-handed and alone he has more than 
once in the face of criticism and opposi- 
tion stood between this city and positive 
disaster. By reason of his overpowering 
personality, his habits of discipline incul- 
cated during his army life, and his strenu- 
ous methods of dealing with dangers, seen 
and unseen, he has saved this community 
many precious lives and untold treasure. 
Nature certainly did unite in him all of 
the qualities that made an efficient health 
officer. 

Des. Buckingham — Time and space will 
permit only the briefest mention of such 
splendid representatives of the profes- 
sion as Drs. Buckingham, senior and 
junior. The former had one of the larg- 
est practices "of any Clark County phy- 
sician, especially in obstetrical work. 
The latter succeeded Dr. Seys as health 
officer, and his untimely death but a few 
months later came as a great shock to the 
community. Dr. John Buckingham was 
a typical professional gentleman, well 
worthy of the respect of all who knew him. 

Des McLaughlin and Senseman — Of 
the men outside of the city who have 



544 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



been prominent members of tlie county 
society, Drs. McLaughlin and Sense- 
men of Tremont are the most conspicuous. 
The former was six feet and one inch tall 
and weighed over 300 pounds. He was at 
one time president of the society and vice 
president of the Ohio State Society. The 
minutes of the society show that these 
two men were frequently appointed dele- 
gates to both the state and national asso- 
ciation meetings. 

There are now in Springfield about 
eighty-five physicians, and in the county, 
outside the city, about twenty-five more. 
Peesent Society. 

The county society is now in the most 
prosperous condition in its history, hav- 
ing about seventy-two members. The- 
change in the spirit of the profession is 
shown in the fact that graduates who are 
reputable men, of all schools of medicine, 
are eligible to membership. The present 



officers are : President, C. M. Heistand ; 
first vice president, A. H. Mclntyre; sec- 
ond vice president, D. K. Gotwald; sec- 
retary, Thad McLaughlin ; treasurer, S. R. 
Hutchings; executive committee, E. F. 
Davis, H. H. Austin and R. B. House. 

Hospital. 

Perhaps the greatest impetus the pro- 
fession of this community has ever had 
has been in the establishment of the City 
Hospital, one of the most complete and 
best equipped general hospitals operated 
by any city in the state. The capacity of 
the hospital, including the "contagion" 
building, is 100 beds. There is in con- 
nection a training school for nurses, un- 
der the direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Hart- 
sock. There are at present twenty-two 
pupil nurses, and three graduate nurses 
connected with the institution. 



Representatioe Citizens. 



GOV. ASA SMITH BUSHNELL, who 
was once the chief executive of the great 
Commonwealth of Ohio, in passing out of 
life left behind him a record of public serv- 
ice and private virtue which places his 
name among the distinguished citizens of 
the state. 

Mr. Bushnell was bom September 16, 
1834, at Eomo, Oneida County, New York, 
and Avas a son of Daniel and Harriet 
(Smith) Bushnell. He belonged to one of 
the prominent colonial families of New 
England and was descended from Rev- 
olutionary stock. His grandfather, Jason 
Bushnell, a native of Connecticut, served 
in the War of the Revolution, and died at 
Lisbon, Connecticut, full of years and 
honors. Daniel Bushnell, father of the 
governor, was born at Lisbon, February 
7, 1800, and died at Oberlin, Ohio. For 
a number of years he resided in New 
York, but came to Ohio in 1845, settling 
first at Cincinnati and later at Oberlin. 
On March 9, LS25, he married Harriet 
Smith. 

The only college from which Governor 
Bushnell graduated was the common 
■ school, and he was sixteen years old when 
he began his business career in Spring- 
field. After an experience of three years 
as a salesman in the mercantile establish- 



ruent of a local firm, he became bookkeeper 
for Leffel, Cook and Blakeney, and was 
later with Warder, Brokaw and Child. In 
the fall of 1858, he entered into partner- 
ship with Dr. John Ludlow, in the con- 
duct of a drug store, and for the succeed- 
ing ten years continued to be interested 
in that business. Subsequently he became 
a partner with Warder, Mitchell and 
Company, which later became the Warder, 
Bushnell & Glessner Company, manu- 
facturers of mowers and reapers. In 
1886 Mr. Bushnell became president of 
that company and to his business ability 
has been attributed much of its remark- 
able success. He was financially inter- 
ested in many other large business en- 
terprises and was president of the First 
National Bank at Springfield and of the 
Springfield Gas Company. If he had no 
other claim to fame, his success in busi- 
ness life would have made him notable, 
even in the day when the captains of in- 
dustry are numerous. He was a man of 
great decision of character, combined with 
a quickness of comprehension that made it 
possible for him to view a business field 
and realize its possibilities with a quick 
understanding that inspired confidence in 
his associates. 

Politically he had long been a Republi- 



548 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



can leader before lie was lionored with 
election to the chair of governor of Ohio. 
In 1885 he was made chairman of the Re- 
publican State Executive Committee; in 
1886 he was appointed quartermaster gen- 
eral on the staff of Gov. J. B. Foraker; 
and in 1887 he was nominated as a candi- 
date for lieutenant governor, an honor he 
declined, as he did a nomination for gov- 
ernor in 1889. In 1891, Mr. Bushnell 
ardently supported McKinley, and in 1892 
he was sent as a delegate to the Republi- 
can National Convention, sei'ving subse- 
quently many times as such. In May.. 
1895, the nomination for governor came 
to him Avithout solicitation on his part, 
and his election by a larger majority than 
was ever before given a candidate for the 
office, with one exception, was a grand 
testimonial to the confidence felt in him by 
his fellow-citizens. As the fortieth gov- 
ernor of Ohio, he was inaugurated Jan- 
uary 18, 1896, and was re-elected in 1897. 
History records the achievements of his 
administration and it accords him a lead- 
ing place among a long line of brilliant 
statesmen and true patriots. 

In September, 1857, Mr. Bushnell was 
married to Ellen Ludlow, daughter of Dr. 
John and Elmina (Getman) Ludlow. The 
late Dr. John Ludlow, who for many years 
was president of the Springfield Bank, 
was one of the valued and honored citi- 
zens of Spring-field. He was born in 
Clark County, Ohio, in 1810, and was a 
son of Cooper Ludlow, who was a pioneer 
from New Jersey. In 1835 he married 
Elmina Getman, who was bom in Herki- 
mer County, New York, and they had 
three children, namely : Ellen, who is the 
widow of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; 
Frederick, who died January 18, 1906; 



and Charles, who resides at No. 148 East 
High Street. His son, Charles R. Lud- 
low, is connected with the First National 
Bank at Springfield. An extended sketch 
of Dr. John Ludlow will be found in this 
work. 

Governor Bushnell and wife reared two 
daughters and one son, viz: Fanny (Mrs. 
John F. McGrew), Harriet E. (Mrs. H. 
C. Dimond), and John L. Mrs. Bushnell 
occupies one of the most beautiful homes 
of Springfield, her residence being sit- 
uated at No. 838 East High Street. 

John L. Bushnell, the only son of the 
late Governor Bushnell, is one of Spring- 
field's most prominent citizens. He is 
president of the Champion Construction 
Company, and of the Springfield, Troy 
and Piqua Railway Company, and second 
vice president of the First National Bank, 
and attends to his large business interests 
at offices located in the Bushnell Block, 
which is the finest office structure in this 
city. 

During a period of the Civil War the 
late Governor Bushnell saw hard service 
in the army, and was captain of Company 
E, One Hundred and Fifty-second Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, leading it on many 
victorious fields. He subsequently became 
a comrade in the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, and its interests always com- 
manded his attention. He belonged to the 
higher branches of Masonrj', had at- 
tained the 32nd degree, and was one of 
the few who have received the 33rd de- 
gree of the Scottish Rite. He was noted 
for his abundant charities, which were the 
natural outcome of a kind and generous 
nature. The needs of the poor and 
aflQicted always appealed to him and, both 
as a high public official and as a private 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



549 



citizen, it was his pleasure to ligiiten bur- 
dens and to give comfort and cheer in 
every possible case. 

For many years he was a communicant 
and for forty years a vestryman of Christ 
Episcopal Church, and probably within 
that body alone was known the extent of 
his private benevolence. The beautiful 
Parish House that was presented to the 
church as a memorial of her husband by 
his devoted widow, Mrs. Asa S. Bushnell, 
was thus a most appropriate gift, and it 
was given and received as a fitting tribute 
to one who, as the rector of the church de- 
clared, "drew to himself the love and 
friendship of a whole city; who knew no 
class distinction, and who was the friend 
of every man, irrespective of his worldly 
possessions." 

This chapel was dedicated by Right 
Eeverend Bishop Vincent, bishop of the 
Southern Diocese of Ohio, and was pre- 
sented by Mrs. Bushnell to the vestrymen 
of Christ Church on April 24, 1907, the 
touching presentation speech being made 
by John L. Bushnell, the only son of the 
late Governor Bushnell. The cost of this 
chapel was $15,000. It is designed for the 
use of the pastor, the Women's Guild and 
the Sunday school and is elaborately fitted 
with every modern comfort and conven- 
ience. 



HON. JOHN H. THOMAS. The death 
of John H. Thomas, which took place at 
his home on East High Street, Springfield, 
January 23, 1901, removed from this city 
a man whose business success, public 
spirit and sterling character, identified 
him for all time with the agencies which 
contributed largely to the upbuilding of 



this section. Mr. Thomas was born Oc- 
tober 4, 1826, at Middletown, Maryland, 
a son of Jacob and Sophia (Bowlus) 
Thomas. 

After satisfactorily completing the pub- 
lic school course, Mr. Thomas entered 
Marshall College, at Mercersburg, Penn- 
sylvania, where he was graduated with 
the class of 1849. He then turned his 
attention to the study of law, entering the 
office of Hon. S. W. Andrews, at Colum- 
bus, Ohio, and, in 1851, that of William 
White, then the leading attorney at 
Spring-field. For two years after admis- 
sion to the bar, he continued to practice 
law at Springfield, and was then chosen 
county recorder, a rather unusual token 
of appreciation, as Mr. Thomas had so re- 
cently become a resident of Clark County. 
In the meanwhile this section was just 
awakening to the possibilities afforded in 
the direction of manufacturing, and Mr. 
Thomas was one of the first to take ad- 
vantage of the situation. He entered into 
partnership with P. P. Mast and they 
founded the well known agricultural im- 
plement firm of Thomas and Mast, and 
upon so sound a foundation, that it weath- 
ered the storms of financial depression in 
1857, continued to grow in importance, 
and within a few years ranked with the 
largest in the state. Mr. Thomas re- 
mained a member of this firm until 1872. 
In 1874, after two years of rest, Mr. 
Thomas re-entered the manufacturing 
field in partnership with his two sons, 
WiUiam S. and Findlay B. They erected 
the large plant which stands on South 
Limestone Street and there The Thomas 
Manufacturing Company began, which 
still continues the extensive manufacture 
of all kinds of agricultural implements. 



550 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



having established a reputation second to 
none in the specialties of hay machinery, 
harrows and grain drills. William S. 
Thomas is president of the above men- 
tioned company, as well as its treasurer, 
and Findlay B. is also associated in the 
business of manufacturing farm imple- 
ments. 

For very many years, the late John H. 
Thomas stood as one of Springfield's 
most public-spirited citizens. He served 
on the City Council with marked useful- 
ness and was chosen a member of various 
civic boards, at the time of his death be- 
ing a member of the Snyder Park Board. 
He was a stanch member of the Demo- 
cratic party and was held in such esteem 
by its leaders that in 1868 he was nomi- 
nated for Congress and still later was 
made the Democratic standard-bearer for 
the United States Senate against Hon. 
Calvin S. Brice. The duties of every 
office he held were performed with the 
ability and capacity which marked the 
management of his private affairs. 

In 1854, Mr. Thomas was married to 
Mary Bonser, who was the youngest 
daughter of Hon. Jacob Bonser, of Chilli- 
cothe, Ohio, and they had four children, 
namely: William S., who is president of 
the Mad River National Bank of Spring- 
field and of The Thomas Manufacturing 
Company; Findlay B., who is prominent 
also in the business life of Springfield; 
Nellie, who is the wife of Judge A. N. 
Summers; and Mabel, who is the wife of 
L. P. Matthews. Mr. Thomas was a 
member of the Presbyterian Church and 
was always a liberal supporter of its 
many charitable enterprises. His private 
philanthropies were numerous and one of 
these, a notable one, may be mentioned — 



the Mitchell-Thomas Hospital, which was 
a joint gift to the city for the benefit of 
its sick and afflicted, from Eoss Mitchell 
and John H. Thomas. 



CHAELES NELSON LEFFEL, pro- 
prietor of the C. N. Leffel saw-mill of 
New Carlisle, has been a resident here 
since 1899, and is recognized as one of the 
substantial business men of the village. 
He was born December 24, 1869, on a farm 
in Champaign County, Ohio, and is a son 
of Frederick and Elitha (Long) Leffel. 

Frederick Leffel, a native of Clark 
County, was the eldest child of William 
Leffel, who settled near the Black Horse 
Tavern at a very early period. His early 
boyhood days were spent on the farm and 
he later operated a water-power saw-mill 
and also a threshing machine. He was 
first married to Mary Slusser, also a na- 
tive of Clark County, who died in Cham- 
paign County, Ohio. Six children were 
born of this union, but one of whom is 
living, Margaret Ann, who is the wife of 
David Poorman. His second marriage 
was with Elitha Long, a daughter of John 
Long, who came to Ohio from the east. 
Three children wei'e born of the second 
union, namely: Carry, who married 
Charles Berry, of St. Paris, Ohio ; Charles 
Nelson, subject of this sketch; and George 
Franklin, of New Cai'lisle. The second 
wife died in Champaign County, Ohio. 
Frederick Leffel sold his mill in Cham- 
paign County and, coming to New Car- 
lisle, purchased the mill which our sub- 
ject now operates. His death occurred 
here in 1906, when he was seventy-five 
years of age. 

Charles N. Leffel was educated in the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



551 



public and high schools of St. Paris. At 
the age of nine years he began devoting 
his spare time to work in his father's mill 
and has since made milling his life occupa- 
tion. He operated a saw-mill in Memphis, 
Tenn., for about ten months, and in 1889 
he came to Clark County and operated his 
father's mill at New Carlisle until 1906, 
when he purchased it and has since been 
engaged in business for himself, employ- 
ing eight men in the mill, which is sit- 
uated on the P. & E. division of the Big 
Four Eailroad. 

Mr. Leffel was first married in 1888 in 
Champaign County, Ohio, to Elizabeth 
Apple, a daughter of James and Susan 
Apple, and to them was bom one child, 
Blanche May. His second marriage was 
with Pearl Mitchell, a daughter of Wal- 
ker and Sallie Mitchell, and of this union 
were born three children — Catherine, 
Charles Frederick, and Marietta. Mr. 
Leffel and family reside in their com- 
modious home on Church Street. Politi- 
cally. Mr. Leffel is a Democrat; frater- 
nally he is connected with the I. 0. 0. F. 
No. 505, of New Carlisle. 



THOMAS WILLIAM EUNYAN, one 
of Pleasant Township's prominent citi- 
zens, has resided on his present farm of 
427 acres, situated three and one-half 
miles south of Catawba, since 1871. Mr. 
Eunyan was born in Pleasant Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, May 26, 1837, and is 
a son of George and Catherine (Jones) 
Eunyan. 

The Eunyan family is one of the old 
and substantial ones of this section. It 
was established here by Joseph and Eliza 
Eunyan, the grandparents of Thomas W., 



who came to Ohio from Kentucky and set- 
tled near Asbury Chapel. The country 
was still full of Indians and they were 
actively hostile, the settlers frequently 
having to seek safety in the block-house 
which had been erected for that purpose. 
George Eunyan, father of Thomas W., 
was born in Kentucky in 1808. He was 
about eight years oid when his parents 
came to Clark County, and here he was 
reared. He married a daughter of 
George Jones, of Pleasant Township, and 
they had the following children: Ann, 
Elizabeth, Eli, Josiah, Thomas, William, 
Lucinda, George Washington and John 
W. The eldest daughter of this family 
married Michael Wiet and their surviv- 
ing children are: James, Mary, Cather- 
ine, Frank, Lucinda, Asa and Millie. 
Elizabeth, the second daughter, was mar- 
ried March 25, 1852, to John Page and 
their children are: Joseph, Charles, 
Isaac and John W. Eli Eunyan married 
Jane Wilkinson and their surviving chil- 
dren are: Jane, Mary Ann, Lizzie, 
Ella and Georgia. Georgia Eunyan mar- 
ried Ashby AUender and they have five 
children and reside at Springfield. Josiah 
Eunyan, who was born in 1834, died July 
31, 1907. He married Elizabeth Hend- 
ricks and they had two children, Oscar 
and George. Oscar married Alice Smith 
and they have one daughter, Glennie. 
George married Carrie Patterson and they 
had two children, Bruce and Lewis, who 
were reared by their grandfather, their 
father having died when they were young. 
Lucinda Eunyan was born March 20, 1840, 
and resides at Catawba. George Wash- 
ington Eunyan was born February 17, 
1843, and died January 13, 1862, from the 
results of an accidental burn. John Eun- 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



yan was born April 16, 1849. He mar- 
ried Frances Eopp, a daughter of Jacob 
and Isabel Eopp, of Pleasant Township, 
and they had two children, twin sons. 
Forest M. and Foster M., the latter of 
whom survives. He was accidentally pois- 
oned. 

Thomas William Eunyan attended the 
district school in his boyhood and has al- 
ways taken a prominent place in his com- 
munity. He was reared on the home farm 
but also learned the blacksmith trade. In 
a shop which he has near his home, all 
the large amount of blacksmith work re- 
quired to be done on his large estate, is 
attended to. He continues to be actively 
engaged in general farming and is assisted 
by his son, Charles E., and his son-in-law. 
Minor Hardman. 

Mr. Eunyan was married February 25, 
1858, to Phoebe Ann Demory, and they 
had two children, Charles E. and Hattie. 
Charles E. Eunyan married Luella Mc- 
Clintock, and they have had four children, 
Stella, Ethel and Eussell still surviving. 
Stella married Edward McCuUough. 
Ethel married William Sanders, and they 
have had three children, Helen L., Maurice 
C, and Martin Lee, deceased. Eussell 
Eunyan lives at home. Hattie, the ouly 
daughter of Thomas W. Eunyan, was born 
May 29, 1863. On December 29, 1881, she 
was married to Minor N. Hardman, and 
they have three children, Charles 0., who 
was born November 19, 1882, holds a re- 
sponsible position in the Mad Eiver Bank 
at Springfield ; Annie M. ; and Ealph 0., 
who was born December 25, 1894. 

Thomas William Eunyan is the oldest 
member of Catawba Lodge No. 349, Odd 
Fellows, to which Minor N. Hardman and 
Charles E. Eunyan also belong. The lat- 



ter is also a member of the Knights of 
the Golden Eagle No. 4, at Catawba, and 
also of the Eebecca organization. The 
whole family is more or less identified 
with the leading interests of this com- 
munity. 



HON. FEANCIS M. HAGAN, an emi- 
nent member of the Springfield Bar, for- 
merly judge of the Common Pleas Court 
of this county, was born June 10, 1844, in 
Mad Eiver Township, Clark County, Ohio. 
His parents were Hugh and Ann Furay 
Hagan. The Hagan family has been 
known in Clark County since the days of 
Denny Hagan, the grandfather of Judge 
Hagan, who was of Scotch-Irish blood 
and came from North Ireland to Amer- 
ica in 1798, settling first in Pennsylvania, 
in 1815, and afterwards in Clark County, 
Ohio, where he resided until Ms death in 
1825. . 

Hugh Hagan, father of Judge Hagan, 
was born June 3, 1803, in Northumberland 
County, Pennsylvania. He was twelve 
years of age when he accompanied his par- 
ents to the great wilderness which oc- 
cupied almost all of Southern Ohio. He 
married Ann Furay, who was born in 
Eoss County, Ohio, October 3, 1816, and 
died September 22, 1892, Hugh Hagan 
having died November 5, 1879. They 
were people of sterling character, intelli- 
gent far beyond their neighbors, and with 
them it was a duty to give to their children 
all the educational opportunities the un- 
settled condition of the country at the 
time afforded. Through the maternal line 
Judge Hagan traces his ancestry to both 
Ireland and France, with a strain of Ger- 
man blood. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



553 



The early education of Francis M. Ha- 
gan was the best offered by both public 
and select schools in his locality, supple- 
mented by attendance at Antioch College. 
He was a bright, ambitious student, but 
ill health interferred with Ifis collegiate 
career, and he was forced to give up his 
books before graduation. For a number 
of years his occupation was teaching in 
the public and select schools, and he at- 
tained a high rank as an instructor. Dur- 
ing this period he prepared himself for 
the bar, to which he was admitted in 1873. 
In the spring of 1874 he opened up an 
office at Springfield, and this city has been 
his home ever since. 

In 1879 he was elected city solicitor of 
Springfield, and was re-elected to that 
office in 1883, although the city has always 
been strongly Eepublican in state and na- 
tional elections, his administration of that 
office proving to be most acceptable to all 
classes of his fellow-citizens, irrespective 
of party. In 1890 he became judge of the 
Common Pleas Court of Clark County, 
Ohio, succeeding the Hon. Charles R.White, 
and serving with the greatest efficiency 
until the election of his successor, the 
Hon. John C. Miller. Upon his retirement 
from the bench he resumed his private 
practice. During a period of some years 
he was a partner in the practice of law of 
Hon. A. H. Kunkle, now judge of the Com- 
mon Pleas Court of this county. Judge 
Hagan has always been a zealous and in- 
fluential Democrat. In 1887 he was ap- 
pointed postmaster at Springfield, Ohio, 
by President Cleveland, and served in 
that capacity for several years. He 
has been called to fill many other 
offices of trust and responsibility. 
He has long been a member of the 



Clark County Historical Society. From 
1885 until 1890 he served as a trustee of 
the Mitchell- Thomas Hospital of Spring- 
field, and in the latter year was elected 
president of the Springfield Board of 
Trade. From 1892 until 1893 he was 
president of the Clark County Bar Asso- 
ciation, and for a number of years was 
one of the trustees of the Associated Char- 
ities. In collaboration with Judge A. N. 
Summers, Judge Hagan prepared the spe- 
cial civic code under which the City of 
Spring-field was governed for more than a 
decade, and from 1904 to 1907 was one of 
the trustees of the sinking fund of said 
city. 

He was chairman of the general com- 
mittee having in charge the centennial of 
the City of Springfield in the year 1901. 
At all times he has b»en a progressive, 
public-spirited citizen, ready to lend as- 
sistance and encouragement to all and 
every laudable movement for the general 
welfare. 

Mr. Hagan is a man of wide and exten- 
sive reading and has carefully studied so- 
cial, economic and political questions. He 
has made many addresses along these 
lines and at pioneer meetings. He has 
been a leading member of the Literary 
Club of Springfield since its organization, 
about fifteen years ago, and in that period 
has prepared and read to the club papers 
on various subjects, among which were : 
"Influence of the Dutch on American Civil 
and Eeligious Liberty"; "Alexander 
Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, a 
study"; "The Single Tax"; "American 
and European Municipal Government 
Contrasted"; "Balzac"; "James Madi- 
son"; "The Striker and the Law." 

May 21, 1881, Judge Hagan was mar- 



554 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ried to Justina Bevitt, who was a daughter 
of Dr. Bevitt, of St. Charles, Missouri. 
Mrs. Hagan is one of the leaders in the 
social, educational, and religious life of 
the City of Springfield. They have three 
children, Francis M., Hugh, and Margaret. 
Judge Hagan and family belong to the 
Second Presbyterian Church of Spring- 
field, Ohio, of which he is an elder. The 
family reside at a beautiful home known 
as Oak Place, in the city of Springfield. 



JESSE STROUP, a venerable and 
honored citizen of Madison Township, re- 
siding on a tract of fine farming land lo- 
cated just beyond the limits of the city of 
South Charleston, was born March 1, 
1828 on a farm in Madison County, Ohio, 
and is a son of T3avid and Mary (Ray) 
Stroup. 

John Stroup, grandfather of Jesse, was 
one of the early settlers of Pennsylvania. 
He served throughout the entire Revolu- 
tionary War and was a valiant and dar- 
ing soldier. At one time he was taken 
prisoner and wounded while resisting an 
officer, who endeavored to place him in 
the dungeon, but after a desperate strug- 
gle was finally released because of his 
pluck and valor. Later he became a 
farmer. He was married in Madison 
County, Ohio, his wife having been a na- 
tive of Chillicothe, and they reared a fam- 
ily of five sons, and two daughters. 

David Stroup, the father, was born in 
Pennsylvania, but was reared near Chil- 
licothe, Ohio. He moved to Madison 
County and located in what was called 
"The Barrens." He always followed 
farming and acquired a large amount of 
land, having at one time 500 acres. David 



Stroup died April 30, 1876, and was sur- 
vived by his widow until June 28, 1881. 
He married Mary Ray, a native of Clark 
County, and they reared a family of nine 
children, five boys, and four girls, all be- 
ing now deceased except Jesse and a 
sister, Mrs. Rebecca McCollum, a resident 
of South Charleston. 

Jesse Stroup spent his early life in 
Madison County, and attended the district 
schools. Upon starting out in life he first 
could earn but fifty cents per day, but by 
much hard work, combined with good man- 
agement of his business affairs, has be- 
come possessed of large landed interests, 
having during his life time acquired over 
1,300 acres and has given to each of his 
sis children, a tract of 150 acres, as well 
as $500 in cash. Although an octogena- 
rian, being now in his eighty-first year, 
Mr. Stroup is still actively engaged in 
managing his business affairs, and is one 
of the influential and most highly respect- 
ed citizens of the township. In politics 
he is a Republican, and his religious con- 
nection is with the Methodist Church. 

Mr. Stroup was united in marriage with 
Lavina Woosley, who was born in 1842, 
in Clark County, Ohio. Her parents were 
Benjamin and Keturah (Hunt) Woosley. 
Benjamin Woosley was a man of ample 
fortune, owning over 1,000 acres of land 
at one time. Mr. and Mrs. Stroup had 
the following children: Keturah, Mary 
Ellen, Rebecca, Emma L., Jesse and Lulu, 
the latter of whom resides with her 
parents. Keturah married Lewis Hunter, 
of Madison County and they have five 
living children: Carl Edgar, Jessie, 
Clarence, Louise and Harold. Mary 
Ellen married George Clemans, of Madi- 
son Township, and they have seven chil- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



555 



dren: Foster, Florence, Esther, Gladys, 
Hazel, Grace and Geneva. Rebecca mar- 
ried R. M. Bennett of Madison Town- 
ship, and they have one child, Rodger. 
Emma L. married James G. Lewis, of 
Madison Township, and they have one 
child, Margaret Lavina. Jesse married 
Grace Herrick and they live in Madi- 
son Township. Their children are': 
Harry, Alice, Helen, Florence and an in- 
fant son. 



JAMES H. KITCHEN, who comes of 
a prominent old Clark County family, is 
a prosperous farmer residing on a tract 
of 185 acres about- one mile south of 
Pitchin, in Green Township. He was 
born on the old homestead, located about 
eight miles southeast of Springfield on 
the South Charleston traction liije, Sep- 
tember 7, 1875, and is a son of Erasmus 
Jones and Lavina M. (Hatfield) Kitchen. 

Stephen Kitchen, paternal great-grand- 
father of James H., was born in Gettys- 
burg, Pennsylvania, in 1785, and on com- 
ing to Ohio in 1818, he located in Clark 
County. His father, Richard Kitchen, 
was the first *of the family to leave Eng- 
land for America, settling in Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania, about 1750. The latter 
married Margaret Vorhees, who was of 
the family from which Senator Vorhees, 
of Indiana, was descended. Abraham 
Kitchen, grandfather of James H., was 
united in marriage with Matilda Jones, 
and of their children one was Erasmus 
Jones Kitchen. 

Erasmus Jones Kitchen was born on 
the same farm as was his son James H., 
his natal day being August 11, 1836, and 
he was educated in the district schools. 



He engaged in farming on the home place 
until 1861, when, in answer to President 
Lincoln's call to arms, he responded by 
enlisting in Company F, Forty-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. 
After the expiration of his term of en- 
listment, he re-enlisted as a member of 
Company M, Eighth Ohio Cavalry. With 
his command he was sent to aid in the 
capture of Floyd at Cotton Mountain, in 
AVest Virginia, and was at Lewisburg 
when his regiment was driven back to the 
Ohio River, fighting all along the way. 
He subsequently participated in many im- 
portant engagements, among them But- 
ton Hill, Cumberland Gap, Siege of Knox- 
ville and battle of Bristol. In January, 

1864, he returned home on a thirty-day 
furlough, at the end of which time he 
went to the front with the Eighth Ohio 
Cavalry, participating in the battles of 
Lynchburg and Bristol. At the time his 
regiment was captured, he escaped by re- 
.maining in his bunk until daylight. He 
then went out to give himself up, but as 
none of the enemy remained in sight, he 
started on a weary march of three days 
for the Union lines, sutfering much from 
cold and hunger. He spent a day and 
night in the snow on the mountains, and 
but for an exceptionally hardy constitu- 
tion would have fared badly from the ex- 
posure. He continued in the service until 

1865, when he was honorably discharged 
and returned home. He shortly after- 
ward bought a farm of eighty acres, and 
operated it successfully the remainder of 
his days, adding to his holdings from time 
to time until he was possessed of some 615 
acres of valuable land. 

On October 12, 1865, Erasmus J. 
Kitchen was joined in marriage with 



556 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Lavina M. Hatfield, a daughter of James 
and Margaret (Kitchen) Hatfield, and 
they became parents of the following 
children : Joseph L. ; Abraham, who died 
at the age of twenty-two years; James 
H. ; Stephen; Erasmus J., Jr., and 
Wayne, who died at the age of ten years. 
Mr. Kitchen was a member of the Free 
Will Baptist Church. He was a Repub- 
lican in politics, and although he held a 
position on the School Board several 
years, was never an office seeker. He 
was one of the charter members of 
Mitchell Post, G. A. R., Springfield. 

James H. Kitchen attended the schools 
of his home district, and then assisted his 
father on the farm until the latter 's 
death. He continued on the home place 
four years afterward and then located 
upon his present farm of 185 acres near 
Pitchin. He has demonstrated superior 
business ability and is making a success 
of his work. He is a Republican in poli- 
tics and takes an earnest interest in the 
success of the party and the principles it 
stands for. 



HON. J. WARREN KEIFER, presi- 
dent of the Lagonda National Bank, at 
Springfield, and one of the oldest and 
ablest members of the National Congress, 
has long been one of Ohio's honored and 
distingniished citizens. He was born on 
Mad River, Clark County, Ohio, January 
30, 1836, and is a son of Joseph and Mary 
(Smith) Keifer. 

Joseph Keifer was born at Sharpsburg, 
Maryland, December 28, 1784, and died 
in Clark County, Ohio, April 13, 1850, 
having come to this county in 1812. He 
had qualified himself for the civil en- 



gineering profession, and while the main 
occupation of his life was farming, his 
professional knowledge was of use in the 
development of these then wild regions, 
the construction of highways, and other 
work of a civilizing tendency. He mar- 
ried Mary Smith, who was born January 
31, 1799, in Losantiville (now Cincinnati), 
and died at Yellow Springs, Clark Coun- 
ty, March 23, 1879. Through his mother. 
General Keifer traces his ancestral line 
to England. The Smith family was one 
early established in New Jersey, and in 
1790, a branch removed to Ohio. 

J. Warren Keifer was educated in the 
public schools and at Antioch College. 
Upon completing his collegiate course, he 
returned to the home farm and between 
the intervals of agricultural labor he de- 
voted himself assiduously to the study of 
law. After further student work in the 
law office of Anthony and Goode, he was 
admitted to the bar in 1858, at Spring- 
field, Ohio. 

Almost before the young lawyer had an 
opportunity to prove his ability, the Civil 
War was precipitated upon the country 
and his ambitions, like those of hundreds 
of his fellow-citizens, fell into abeyance 
before the great wave of patriotic enthus- 
iasm that then swept Ohio. He no longer 
saw before him forensic triumphs and the 
judicial toga, the picture of a disrupted 
coimtry filling his whole vision. He en- 
listed in defense of the Union on April 19, 
1861, being among the first to proffer his 
services. They were so prolonged and of 
so distinguished a character that their 
records appear in every contemporary 
history of Ohio. On April 27, 1861, he 
was commissioned major of the Third 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a period of 




HON. J. WARREN KEIFER. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



559 



three months, and before the expiration 
of that time was commissioned for three 
years. He participated in the battle of 
Rich Mountain, July 11, 1861, and in the 
same year was on the field at Cheat Moun- 
tain and Elk Water, West Virginia. On 
February 12, 1862, he was commissioned 
lieutenant-colonel of the Third Ohio In- 
fantry regiment and was present at the 
capture of Bowling Green, Kentucky; 
Nashville, Tennessee, and Huntsville and 
Bridgeport, Alabama. In April, 1862, he 
led an expedition into Georgia and per- 
formed an important service in destroy- 
ing the saltpetre works at Nickajaek Cave. 
On September 30, 1862, he was commis- 
sioned colonel of the 110th Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and being as- 
signed to General Milroy's division in 
West Vii'ginia, was placed in command 
of a brigade and the post at Moorefield. 
On June 13th, 14th and 15th, 1863, was 
fought the battles of Winchester, in which 
Colonel Keifer was twice wounded. 

On July 9, 1863, Colonel Keifer was as- 
signed to the Third Army Corps, Army 
of Potomac, which pursued General Lee's 
army and fought at Wapping Heights. 
In August, 1863, Colonel Keifer was dis- 
patched with his command to New York 
City to suppress riots and enforce the 
draft. This work successfully accom- 
plished, in September he rejoined the 
army and November 27, 1863, he took part 
in the battle of Mine Run. On March 24, 
1864, he was transferred to the Sixth 
Ai'my Corps. At the battle of the Wilder- 
ness, May 5, 1864, he was seriously 
wounded, but in August following, in 
spite of his disability, he resumed com- 
mand of his brigade. His adoring 
soldiers saw their commander, with his 

31 



wounded arm still in a sling, fighting at 
their head under Generals Sheridan and 
Wright through the battles of Opequon, 
Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, down to 
Shenandoah Valley, having his horse shot 
from under him in the first named battle. 
Recognition of his bravery and indomit- 
able courage was shown by President 
Lincoln, who brevetted him a brigadier- 
general. 

In December, 1864, with his own corps. 
General Keifer rejoined the Army of the 
Potomac in front of Petersburg, and 
March 25, 1865, he led a successful assault 
which received commendation in general 
orders; on April 2, he charged with his 
division in the final assault which carried 
the main works and resulted in the cap- 
ture of Petersburg and Richmond : Quot- 
ing from an authority: "April 5, his 
command aided in cutting oft the retreat 
of Lee's army and forced it to give battle 
on the 6th at Sailor's Creek, the wings 
of the army (General Keifer commanding 
the left) being forced forward, surround- 
ed and effected the capture of above 6,000 
of the enemy, including Generals Ewell, 
Kershaw, Custis Lee, Barton, Corse, 
Hunton and other officers of high rank." 

General Keifer again distinguished 
himself. On information reaching him, 
at this time, that a body of the enemy was 
concealed in a dense forest to the right, 
he rode in person to find out if the infor- 
mation was correct and came suddenly 
upon the Confederate troops. The shades 
of night were fortunately falling and the 
air was clouded with the smoke of battle 
and when he shouted to the waiting 
troops the command "forward," they 
followed after him, suspecting nothing. 
The great moment came when the iedge of 



560 



HISTORr OF CLARK COUNTY 



the wood was reached and discovery was 
made that thej" had been obeying the com- 
mands of a Union officer. It probably 
has never yet been thoroughly explained 
why he was not pierced then by a Imndred 
Confederate bullets, but possibly his un- 
flinching courage and cool presence of 
mind so excited the admiration of the 
Confederate officers that they permitted 
him to escape to his own troops. The 
latter soon surrounded the Confederate 
body, capturing them all. Later, General 
Keifer used his influence in having the 
Confederate officers paroled from John- 
son's Island. His corj)s was later sent to 
aid in the capture of G-eneral Johnston's 
army in North Carolina, and he was pres- 
ent at the capitulation of General John- 
ston, as he had been at that of General 
Lee. Thus was ended a military service 
scarcely equalled by any other officer in 
detail. In 1866 he was tendered a com- 
mission as lieutenant-colonel of the Twen- 
ty-sixth United States Infantry, but this 
honor he declined. 

Many years after General Keifer added 
another page to his military career. In 
April, 1898, when war with Spain was 
declared, he was again ready for serv- 
ice, although sixty-two years of age. Ap- 
])ointed a major-general by President Mc- 
Kinley, he served in command of the 
Seventh Army Corps at Miami and Jack- 
sonville, Florida, and embarked at Savan- 
nah, with 16,000 xnen for Cuba, establish- 
ing his headquarters at Buena Vista, just 
outside the ancient city of Havana. He 
was in command of the United States mil- 
itary forces which took possession of that 
city, January 1, 1899. In May, 1899, he 
was mustered out of the military service, 
and quietly resumed his interrupted law 



practice at Springfield. This practice has 
covered a period of fifty years and at 
present General Keifer is associated in 
law partnership with his two sons, Will- 
iam W. and Horace C. 

The political life of General Keifer 
also covers a long period, and as a states- 
man he has won the commendation and 
admiration of his fellow-citizens in equal 
degree as a soldier. From 1868 until 
-1870, he served with marked efficiency as 
a member of the Ohio State Senate, and 
he is the author of many of the most im- 
portant laws adopted during that period. 
In 1876 he was sent as a delegate to the 
Republican National Convention and in 
the same year was elected to Congress, 
where he served continuously from 1877 
until 1885. In December, 1881, he was 
chosen speaker of the House, which posi- 
tion he filled with his usual distinction, 
enjoying the prestige of being the first 
and only Ohio man who was selected for 
this office, until March 4, 1883. The pub- 
lic records show how untiring were his 
labors for the welfare of his county. Fol- 
lowing his service in the Spanish- Ameri- 
can War, General Keifer was again 
called into public life, and in 1904 he was 
again elected to Congress. He was re- 
elected again and again and still, like a 
sturdy oak, stands as the representative 
of his district at Washington. As a mat- 
ter of fact there are few members of the 
House of Representatives who can trace 
their service back so far as can Ohio's 
favorite son, Joseph Warren Keifer. 

On March 22, 1860, General Keifer was 
married to Eliza Stout, who was born in 
Springfield, Ohio. He and his wife have 
been the parents of three sons and one 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



561 



daughter, namely: Joseph Warren (now 
a member of the Nebraska Legislature), 
who resides in Nebraska ; William W. and 
Major Horace C, both of whom are as- 
sociated with their father in the practice 
of law; and Margaret E., who is now de- 
ceased. Major H. C. Keifer is a member 
and officer of the Ohio National Gruard. 

General Keifer has served almost con- 
tinuously as president of the Lagonda 
National Bank, at Spring-field, since 1873. 
From 1870 to 1878 he served as one of 
the trustees of the Soldiers' and Sailors' 
Orphan Home, at Xenia, he having or- 
ganized its Board of Control in 1868. As 
a member of the Grand Army of ,the Re- 
public, he has done much for the interests 
of the soldiers and has been honored with 
official position. So full has been his life 
of active participation in public matters 
that it is remarkable to find that beside 
his close study in connection wth an im- 
mense legal practice, he has found the 
time to turn his attention to literature. 
He wrote his political history, "Slavery 
and Four Years of War," in 1895-6, but 
interesting addenda was made after the 
Spanish- American War, prior to the issu- 
ance of the book, in 1900. The work is 
comprehensive and convincing. 

Since beginning public life. General 
Keifer has been noted for his oratory and 
he has not yet ceased gathering laurels. 
At the annual banquet of the Pittsburg 
Board of Trade, held at Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania, March 26, 1907, he delivered an 
eloquent address on "The Panama 
Canal," having recently returned from a 
trip to the canal zone. He resides in a 
beautiful home which stands at No. 1220 
East High Street, Springfield. 



STEWART FAMILY. The ancestral 
line from John Stewai't is as follows : 

I. John Stewart moved from Scotland 
to the North of Ireland, locating in Dru- 
more Township, Coimty Down, twelve 
miles from Belfast, during the reign of 
Charles II. of England, shortly after the 
commencement thereof (his reign extend- 
ing from 1660-1685). 

II. Robert Stewart was the son of 
John, who was born in 1665, near Glas- 
gow, Scotland, but who also went to the 
North of Ireland. 

III. Samuel Stewart was the son of 
Robert, who was born in 1698 near Glas- 
gow, Scotland. He moved to the North of 
Ireland, and died in 1770 in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania. In 1735, accom- 
panied by his youngest brother, Hugh, he 
crossed the ocean, landing in Philadel- 
phia, and settled in Drumore Township, 
Lancaster County, Province of Pennsyl- 
vania, near Chestnut Level, a Scotch- 
Irish settlement, where had been estab- 
lished a Presbyterian meeting-house. In 
person, Samuel Stewart was large and 
well proportioned, six feet in height, 
Roman nose, bluish-gray eyes,, brown 
hair and ruddy complexion. He married 
in Ireland, Mary McClay, who was noted 
for her very dark complexion and large 
person. There was bom to them ten chil- 
dren. 

IV. The second son was Samuel, who 
was born in County Down and was 
brought to Pennsylvania in the emigra- 
tion of his father's family in 1735, and, 
on coming of age, settled as a farmer in 
Hanover Township, Lancaster County, 
now West Hanover, Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania, about 1750. In the book 
published by William H. Egle, State 



562 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Librarian of Pennsylvania, entitled 
"Pennsylvania Genealogies" in refer- 
ring to Samnel Stewart, among other 
things the author uses the following 
language: "A public meeting of the cit- 
izens of Hanover Township, June 4, 1774, 
has gone into history, showing the earliest 
recorded movement toward independence, 
and, when the Revolutionary War began, 
the liberty-loving and patriotic Scotch- 
Irish of Hanover were found faithful and 
active participants. Samuel Stewart en- 
tered as a private, serving in Colonel 
Timothy Green's battalion for the de- 
fense of the frontier, and on June 6, 1776, 
in Captain James Eodgers' Lancaster 
County Associators, 'destined for the 
camp in the Jerseys.' His first wife was 
Nancy Templeton, and his second wife, 
Agnes Calhoun. Children were Sarah, 
Robert Templeton, Samuel Elder, James 
B., Charles, John Templeton, Mary Mc- 
Clay and xlgnes. Sarah married Joseph 
Stewart; Joseph and James moved to 
Butler Coimty, Ohio, in 1805. Robert 
Templeton Stewart was admitted to the 
bar in Center County, Pennsylvania. 
Samuel Elder Stewart, James B. Stewart 
and John Templeton Stewart moved to 
Clark County in 1806, locating on the Mi- 
ami. John T. Stewart married Ann Elder 
on March 2, 1815; she was a daughter of 
Robert Elder, of Hanover, of Dauphin 
County, Pennsylvania. They had issue: 
Julianna, who married David Anderson; 
Perry, who married Rhoda Ann Wlieeler ; 
Elder R., who married Rachel E. Jacoby; 
Samuel, who married Mary Ann Mar- 
shall ; Charles, whose first wife was Isabel 
Nicholson; James M., who married Re- 
becca C. Jacoby ; Thomas Elder, who mar- 
ried Delilah A. Marshall; Oscar Nesbit, 



who married Rachel Nicholson; William 
C. Stewart, who married Elizabeth T. 
Sellers." 



CHASE STEWART was born in Yel- 
low Springs, Ohio. His grandfather, John 
T. Stewart, located on the Miami River 
in what is now Green Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, in 1806. His father, Sam- 
uel Stewart, was born in Clark County, 
Ohio, in 1823, and his mother, Mary Ann 
Marshall, was born in the same county in 
1825. 

Mr. Stewart attended law school for two 
years in Washington, D. C, having prior 
thereto studied in the office of Judge Will- 
iam Lawrence for a short period. On his 
return from Washington he commenced 
the practice of law in Springfield, Ohio, 
and has continued as an active practi- 
tioner in the courts of Clark County and 
elsewhere. 

He served as prosecuting attorney of 
Clark County for six years, and was a 
member of the Ohio House of Representa- 
tives for two terms. He was chairman 
of the Judiciary Committee of the House. 



AMOS SMITH, whose valuable farm of 
250 acres lies partly in Harmony and 
partly in Pleasant Township, is one of 
the leading citizens of this section of Clark 
County, where he is a prosperous agri- 
culturist and also a successful inventor. 
Mr. Smith was born in Clark County, 
Ohio, June 16, 1848, and is a son of Eli 
and Minerva (Shaw) Smith. 

A large part of Mr. Smith's splendid 
estate descended from his great-grand- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



563 



father, Petei' Arbogast, who entered this 
land from the Grovernment, in 1812. He 
came overland across the mountains from 
Crab Orchard, now in Lee County, Vir- 
ginia. He was accompanied by his fam- 
ily, who were compelled to utilize the big 
emigrant wagon as a place in which to live 
until their cabin could be erected. The 
land has never gone out of the possession 
of the family. The Smiths are of English 
extraction and when the great-grandfather 
Smith came to America he settled first in 
Pennsylvania. Prior to 1823 he came to 
Clark County, accompanied by his son 
Jacob and the latter 's wife, Priscilla. 

Their son, Eli Smith, father of Amos, 
. was born in 1823, in Clark County, and 
died December 22, 1891. In 1846 he mar- 
ried Minerva Shaw, who was born in 1821 
and died in 189§. They had three chil- 
dren, namely: Amos; Mianda, who died 
in 1871, married J. W. Wright, who sur- 
vives her, but their children, Bertram and 
Ella, are both deceased; and Alice, who 
was born July 3, 1858, married Oscar 
Runyan, residing in Clark County, and 
they have one child, Glennie. 

Amos Smith grew to manhood on the 
home farm and during boyhood he at- 
tended the district schools. He inherited 
123 acres of land from his father and to 
this he added sixty acres, bought from 
the estate of Henry Jones, and sixty-five 
acres, from Samuel Melvin. In addition 
to this he owns two other properties at 
Vienna and two and one-half acres near 
Springfield, at Bird's Crossing, which is 
very valuable, being already laid out in 
town lots. From boyhood, Mr. Smith has 
been interested in mechanics and has made 
many experiments which have resulted in 
the invention of innumerable farm imple- 



ments in which the moving principle 
makes the invention superior to any other 
of the kind on the market. His invention, 
a clover buncher, was considered so valu- 
able that it was gladly purchased by the 
Champion Machine Company. On this ho 
has secured an improved patent, a buncher 
that will deliver at the side instead of 
behind. Mr. Smith has also an improved 
drill on the market, together with other 
inventions. He is a man of progressive 
and up-to-date ideas and was the first 
farmer in Clark County to invest in an 
automobile. 

In 1872, Mr. Smith married Catherine 
Wiet, who was born in Clark County, Feb- 
ruary 10, 1853, and is a daughter of Mich- 
ael and Ann (Eunyan) "Wiet. Mr. and 
Mrs. Wiet had nine children, namely: 
James, Eli, Mary, Catherine, Sarah A., 
Asa, Lucinda, Millie and a babe that died 
in infancy. The father of Mrs. Smith 
was a soldier in the Civil War and died 
in 1864, at New Orleans. Mrs. Wiet, who 
was born in 1827, still survives. Mr. and 
Mrs. Smith have had six children, name- 
ly: Clifford, Sylvia, Leona, ^Tina, Fos- 
toria and Kate. The eldest, Clifford, was 
born April 7, 1873, and died December 12, 
1898. Sylvia was born November 24, 1875, 
married Noah Jones and they have one 
child, Gladys. Leona was bom December 
18, 1878, in 1899 was married to Charles 
Patterson and they have one son, Eobert. 
Nina was born May 27, 1883, married Dr. 
E. A. Dye and they have two children, 
Max and Mildred. Fostoria was born 
March 13, 1891, and attends the Platts- 
burg High School. The youngest, Kate, 
was born January 8, 1893, and resides 
with her parents. 



564 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



JOHN A. YEAZEL, who was one of 
Moorefield's leading citizens for many 
years, was born on the old Jacob Yeazel 
farm, in Moorefield Township, October 10, 
1837, and died August 3, 1907. He was 
a son of Jacob and Ellen (Foley) Yeazel. 

Jacob Yeazel was born November 10, 
1809, near Todd's Fork, Clinton County, 
Ohio, and was a son of Abraham and Mary 
(Curl) Yeazel. He married Ellen Foley, 
who was born January 14, 1810, a daugh- 
ter of John and Jane (Reiser) Foley. The 
Foleys were very early settlers of Moore- 
field Township, locating here when the 
country was a wilderness and Indians 
were numerous. The paternal grand- 
father of John A. Yeazel, Abraham Yea- 
zel, was born in Virginia, April 29, 1774, 
and in October, 1794, was married to Mary 
Curl, who was born October 30, 1776. It 
will be seen that this family can be easily 
traced for several generations, and its 
members have always been people of high 
character and useful lives. 

The late John A. Yeazel followed agri- 
cultural pursuits, a large portion of his 
life having been spent in Moorefield Town- 
ship. After his first marriage he settled 
in Madison County, Ohio, but after the 
death of his wife, several years later, he 
sold his farm in Madison County and re- 
turned to Moorefield Township, where he 
lived for the remainder of his life with 
the exception of about four years spent 
in Harmony Township. There he owned 
283 acres. 

John A. Yeazel was married (first) to 
Mary A. Baird, who died in Madison 
County, leaving three children, namely: 
Sarah, who is the wife of Joseph W. Page ; 
Walter D., who married Lura Snaufer; 
and Fannie, who married Henry Otstot. 



Mr. Yeazel was married (second) to An- 
geline Hodge, March 14, 1872. Mrs. Yea- 
zel was bom and reared in Pleasant 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a 
daughter of Samuel E. and Sevina (Spen- 
cer) Hodge. Samuel E. Hodge was born 
in Virginia and was a son of Andrew 
Hodge, who was the pioneer who came at 
an early date to Clark County and settled 
on the farm which has never since been 
owned by other than a Hodge, it now 
being the property of Matthew Hodge, 
the brother of Mrs. Yeazel. When the 
grandfather came to this section of coun- 
try and selected the land he wished to 
enter, he started back to Virginia to bring 
his money in order to make a payment. 
He placed the wallet in his saddle-bags, 
on the back of his trusty horse. When 
he reached the Ohio River it was in a 
swollen condition and when Mr. Hodge 
attempted to swim his horse across, the 
rapidly flowing current overturned the 
saddle-bags and the heavy wallet went to 
the bottom. Many experiences had be- 
fore this tested the traveler's bravery 
and ingenuity, and without the loss of a 
moment he was equal to this call on his 
powers, and diving to the bottom he se- 
cured the precious purse which repre- 
sented, probably, the savings of years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Yeazel had one child, 
Claret B., who married Walter Snaufer. 
Mr. and Mrs. Snaufer have six children, 
namely : Blanche B., Ruth E., Sevina E., 
Edith M., Carl D. and Hazel M. 

Sevina (Spencer) Hodge, the mother of 
Mrs. Yeazel, was a daughter of Matthew 
Spencer, who was a native of New York. 
He came with his family to Clark County 
before any divisions of land had been 
made and settled before the building of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



565 



the old National Turnpike road. Mrs. 
Hodge remembers it being constructed 
when she was a girl. 



EGBERT JOHNSON, the subject of 
this sketch, was born January 20, 1832, 
in Springfield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of James and Helen 
(Johnston) Johnson. 

James Johnson was born in County 
Donegal, Ireland, and in 1824 he emi- 
grated to America, bringing with him his 
family. His objective point was Clark 
County, where he bought a farm of 100 
acres of wild land, south of Springfield. 
The remainder of his life was taken up 
with clearing, developing and improving 
this farm, on which his wife died in 1869 
and his death occurred in 1872. They 
were the parents of eight children. 

Eobert Johnson attended the district 
schools of Springfield Township until 
1849, when he came to Springfield, leav- 
ing his brothers to assist his father in 
operating the farm. He had a natural 
aptitude for carpenter's and joiner's 
work, to which he served an apprentice- 
ship, and later he engaged with his brother 
in building and contracting at Spring- 
field until 1865. The oil industry was 
then springing up in Pennsylvania and 
he went to that state and became finan- 
cially interested in the oil fields there. 
In 1867, Mr. Johnson returned to Spring- 
field, where he became associated with 
Amos Whiteley, J. W. Taylor, W. W. 
Wilson, Walter Craig and others in the 
organization of The Champion Machine 
Company, which with added capital and 
wider trade relations, was to succeed the 
Whiteley, Fassler and Kelly firm, which 



was then manufacturing the Champion 
reapers and mowers. 

Mr. Johnson was made secretary and 
superintendent of the Champion Machine 
Company and served as such for fifteen 
years. When the Champion Malleable 
Iron Company was formed in 1873, Mr. 
Johnson became its secretary and a mem- 
ber of its directing board. In the follow- 
ing year the Bar and Knife Company was 
organized by the above concerns, which 
continued successfully to carry on busi- 
ness until 1884, and until 1881 Mr. John- 
son was a member of its board of directors 
and its secretary. In 1882 Mr. Johnson 
built a fine block on West Main Street, 
which has ever since borne his name. 

In 1883 Mr. Johnson again became con- 
nected with large industrial enterprises, 
acquiring an interest in the manufactur- 
ing concern of Mast, Foos and Company, 
of which he was chosen vice-president, 
and he also later associated himself with 
the capitalists who organized the Superior 
Drill Company. This company was in- 
corporated with a capital stock of 
$250,000, and Mr. Johnson has served 
during its existence as its vice-president. 
The first board of directors of this com- 
pany were: E. L. Buchwalter, Eobert 
Johnson, C. E. Patric, Thomas F. Mc- 
Grew and Charles S. Kay. This corpora- 
tion was a few years ago taken into the 
American Seeding Company, and forms 
the Superior Drill division of that com- 
bination of manufacturing plants, Mr. 
Johnson retiring from active service 
therein. In 1892 he acquired an interest 
in the Hoppes Manufacturing Company, 
of which he is vice-president, and is also 
a large stockholder in the Foos Gas En- 
gine Company, of which he was formerly 



566 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



vice-president. He has been more or less 
concerned in the growth and success of 
many other lesser concerns. He is a di- 
rector and stockholder in the Springfield 
Coal and Ice Company, which manufact- 
ured the first artificial ice used here. Mr. 
Johnson owns a large amount of real es- 
tate and he has done much to improve the 
city and add to its business facilities. In 
1902 he built the first steel skeleton struct- 
ure in Spring-field, a magnificent brick 
structure on High Street, between Lime- 
stone and Fountain Avenue, five stories 
high, with a frontage of 100 feet and a 
depth of 145 feet, which is utilized as the 
Edward Wren department store. He 
owns a beautiful home at No. 580 East 
High Street. 

Mr. Johnson was married to Adelaide 
T. Humphreys, and they have the follow- 
ing children: EfSe, who married K. M. 
Burton; Nellie, who became the wife of 
Randolph Coleman; Frank C, who is vice- 
president of the American Seeding Com- 
pany; Clara, who married A. M. Mc- 
Knight; Jessie, who married Luther L. 
Buchwalter ; and Benjamin P., who is con- 
nected with the American Seeding Com- 
pany. The family belong to the High 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church. For 
many years Mr. Johnson has been a trus- 
tee of the church and of Ferncliff Ceme- 
tery. He has always been prominent in 
the city's benevolent work and in spite of 
his absorbing business interests, has 
never neglected civic duties or evaded a 
citizen's responsibilities. 



GEORGE DEAN, one of Harmony 
Township's best-known citizens, residing 
on his well-cultivated farm of twent^'^-one 



and a half acres, was born in New Jersey, 
April 11, 1847, and is a son of Alexander 
and Ellen (Eobbins) Dean, and a grand- 
son of Alexander and Lydia Dean. 

The Dean family came to Clark County 
in 1859. There were nine children born 
to the parents of George Dean, as fol- 
lows: Clorinda, Lydia, William, Mary, 
Charlotta, Rachel, George, Alice and 
Emeline. Clorinda married Edward 
Shreeves and they had five children. 
Lydia married Thomas Way and they had 
three children. William married Sarah 
Hahnley, who at death left a family 
of children. Charlotta is the widow of 
John Smith and the mother of seven chil- 
dren. Rachel, deceased, is survived by 
her husband, Bruce Reese, and several 
children. Mary married Harry Walker 
and they have twelve children. Alice 
married James Todd. Emeline married 
John Thompson and they have five chil- 
dren. 

George Dean was twelve years old when 
his parents came to Clark County and 
here he obtained his education. In 1906 
he purchased his present propertJ^ In 
1874 he was married in Clark County to 
Phebe Hatfield and they have two chil- 
dren, namely: John H., who was born 
October 12, 1876, resides in Oregon; and 
E. Luella, who was born in 1880. In 
1904 she was married to Thomas N. 
Jones. 

Mrs. Dean was horn in Clark County, 
Ohio, August 11, 1843, and is a daughter 
of John and Eva (Garlough) Hatfield. 
John Hatfield was born April 3, 1798, and 
died June 16, 1883. His wife was born 
January 24, 1801, and died June 25, 1881. 
They were married in 1821 and had the 
following children : John G., Samuel C, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



567 



James T., Margaret, Nathaniel, William, 
Nancy, Marj^ E., Martin, Augustus, 
Michael and Phebe. John Gr. Hatfield was 
born in 1821 and died February 15, 1908. 
He married Anna Strong and they had 
the following children : William, George, 
Martin, Jefferson, Malissa and Sarah E. 
Samuel, deceased, mai'ried Elizabeth 
Hause and they had children as follows : 
John, Frank, Scott, James, Sarah, Ida 
and Ella. Augustus Hatfield enlisted as 
a sharpshooter, in 1861, in the Sixty-sixth 
Eegiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
a7id remained in the service until he was 
mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, in 
1865. He participated in many important 
battles, including Fort Donelson, Chatta- 
nooga, Shiloh, Lovejoy Station, and was 
with General Sherman's forces in the 
March on Atlanta and participated in the 
grand review at Washington City. Mar- 
tin Hatfield married Delilah Webb and 
they have two children, Frank and 
Charles. Michael Hatfield was also a 
soldier in the Civil AVar. He married 
Mary E. Carroll and they have two chil- 
dren, Nancy Eva and Minnie. The other 
members of the family, with the exception 
of Mrs. Dean, died when young. 

In 1864 Mr. Dean enlisted for service in 
the Civil War as a member of the Seven- 
ty-first Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, and before he was discharged, in 
1865, at San Antonio, Texas, he saw some 
very hard fighting, taking part in the bat- 
tles of Nashville and Franklin. He and 
his wife are members of the M. P. Church 
in Pitch in. 



SAMUEL H. PENQUITE, proprietor 
of the Hill Top Stock Farm in Pike Town- 



ship, Clark County, Ohio, is a well known 
resident of Dialton, where he has lived 
for the past thirteen years. He comes of 
an old established family in America, 
both paternal and maternal ancestors 
having come to this country during Colo- 
nial days. He was born on the home farm 
in Warren County, Ohio, July 4, 1856, 
and is a son of William and Julia Ann 
(Ford) Penquite, and a grandson of 
James and Elizabeth (Urton) Penquite. 

James Penquite was bom October 7, 
1782, in Virginia, to which place his 
father had come from England at a very 
early day. In the fall of 1816 he moved 
with his wife and two children to Warren 
County, Ohio, where he settled in the 
woods. He died there December 15, 1835. 
He was married to Elizabeth Urton, who 
was born in Virginia, January 9, 1787, 
and died in Warren County, Ohio, July 2, 
1871. They had the following children: 
William, an unnamed infant, Nancy, 
John, Thomas, Andrew Jackson, Eliza- 
beth, James and Alexander, all now de- 
ceased. 

William Penquite was born in Shenan- 
doah County, Virginia, October 12, 1811, 
and was about five years of age when 
brought to Ohio by his parents, who lo- 
cated in Warren County at a time when 
the country was still wild. Deer and 
other wild game abounded, and were 
often seen from their cabin, which was 
erected in the woods. Being the eldest of 
the children, and left fatherless while still 
young, the burdens of the head of the 
house fell on his shoulders. He worked 
liard to clear up the farm, which he de- 
veloped into a good property, and resided 
in Warren County the remainder of his 
life, except the last two years, which were 



568 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



spent in Clarksville, Clinton County. He 
was married April 18, 1839, to Julia Ann 
Ford, who was born February 24, 1817, 
and was a daughter of Elijah arid Jerusha 
(Kibby) Ford. Her mother was a daugh- 
ter of Captain Ephriam Kibby, the noted 
Indian fighter about Cinciimati, who was 
located at Ft. Washington during the 
war with the British. Mrs. Penquite died 
December 20, 1888, and was survived a 
few years by her husband, who died No- 
vember 4, 1891. Eleven children blessed 
their union: Frank, Jerusha, Nancy E., 
one who died in infancy, John W., 
Nathaniel P. and Mary M., twins, Elijah 
F.. Alexander M., Samuel H. and Anna 
M. The survivors are : Jerusha. John 
W., Samuel 11. and Anna M. 

Samuel H. Penquite was born on the 
home farm in Warren County and re- 
ceived a liberal education in the district 
school and through night study at home. 
He afterward taught school for nine 
years in his home county. He then turned 
his attention to agricultural pursuits, at 
which he has made a success. In 1895 he 
moved to Dialton, Pike Township, where 
he and wife have twenty-five acres, which 
place is known as the Hill Top Stock 
Farm. Together they own 225 acres sit- 
uated in Pike Township, Clark County, 
and in Jackson Township, Champaign 
County. Mr. Penquite has raised stock 
extensively in the past, making a special- 
ty of Poland China hogs. He is a man 
with numerous other interests, being a 
notary public, a representative of the 
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insixrance 
Company, and agent for monuments for 
D. M. Bunnell & Company, of Urbana. 

On November 24, 1883, Mr. Penquite 
was married (first) to Matilda Orndorff, 



who was born in Virginia and was a 
daughter of Elisha F. and Margaret (Mc- 
Elwee) Orndorff, both of Virginia. She 
died July 5, 1892, leaving a son. Pearl, 
who is a graduate of the Lawrenceville 
High School. JNfr. Penquite was married 
(second) December 1, 1895, to Mrs. Emma 
Frances (Michael) Callison. She was 
born in Dialton and is a daughter of 
William and Catherine (Friermood) 
Michael, both natives of Clark County. 
William Michael was born October 2, 
1828, and spent all but four and one-half 
years here, that time being passed in In- 
diana, and died in Clark County in 1885. 
He was married June 22, 1851, to Cathe- 
rine Friermood, who was born near Tre- 
mont City, Clark County, Ohio, and died 
at Dialton in 1900. They had but one 
child, Emma Frances. The latter was 
first married October 4, 1881, to George 
Callison, who died January 1, 1889, leav- 
ing two children: William C, who died 
at eighteen months, and Glenna C, wife 
of Earl D. Covell, a civil engineer in the 
service of the United States Government, 
who is stationed at Ft. Thomas, Ken- 
tucky. 

Mr. and Mrs. Penquite are members of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which 
her father was a local preacher for many 
years, and of which Mr. Penquite is sec- 
retary, treasurer and trustee. She is an 
active worker in the AV. C. T. U. Fra- 
ternally, Mr. Penquite is a member of the 
Urbana Lodge No. 764, I. 0. 0. F. ; Mad 
River Council No. 56, Junior Order 
United American Mechanics; Logan 
Castle No. 1, K. of G. E., at Springfield. 

In his views on public matters, he is a 
Prohibitionist. 




HEZEKIAH R. UBIGBR, PH. D., D. D. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



571 



HEZEKIAH E. GEIGER, Ph. D., 
D. D., was one of the founders of Wit- 
tenberg College, at Springfield, a member 
of its first faculty, and for many years 
he was recognized not only as a power in 
the Lutheran Church, but as one of the 
leading men of literary and scientific at- 
tainment in Ohio. 

Dr. Geiger was born January 10, 1820, 
at Greencastle, Montgomery County, 
Pennsylvania, and was a son of Henry 
and Julia (Eheubush) Geiger. Charles 
Geiger, the paternal grandfather of Dr. 
Geiger, was born in Germany and became 
a resident of Montgomery County, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1772. He served, from Phila- 
delphia, in the Eevolutionary War. 

Henry Geiger, father of Dr. Geiger, was 
born in 1789, in Montgomery County, 
where he resided until the War of 1812, 
when he joined General Scott's division, 
and participated in the battles of Chip- 
pewa Plains and Ltmdy's Lane. He was 
with Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, 
being aboard one of the ships which an- 
chored at Put-in-Bay, and assisted in 
burying the dead whose dust lies there. 
After an honorable discharge, Henry Gei- 
ger settled in Franklin County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he remained until 1833, when 
he removed with his family to Columbiana 
County, Ohio. In 1834, he migrated to 
Holmes County, and in 1851 to Cham- 
paign County. He died at the home of his 
son in Spring-field, in 1861. 

In 1815 Henry Geiger married Julia 
Eheubush, who was born and reared at 
Hagerstown, Maryland, and died in Cham- 
paign County, August 31, 1854. They had 
twelve children, eleven of whom were 
sons. Seven of the latter became eminent 
in professional life, the last survivor of 



these being Eev. Andrew Geiger, who died 
on Palm Sunday, 1905, at Kansas City, 
Missouri. 

Dr. Hezekiah E. Geiger accompanied 
his parents to Ohio but completed his col- 
legiate course in the Pennsylvania Col- 
lege, in 1846. After coming to Spring- 
field, he became associated with Eev. Ezra 
Keller, D. D., and Michael Diehl, and tkey 
founded that institution of learning, Wit- 
tenberg College, which has since been an 
important adjunct of the Lutheran 
Church. He filled the chairs of Latin, 
natural science and mathematics in the 
new college during its earlier years, but 
subsequently confined his instruction to 
natural science alone, and from 1873 until 
his death, which occurred July 18, 1899, 
he remained interested in scientific inves- 
tigations. In 1882 he resigned his posi- 
tion as a member of the faculty at Witten- 
berg College, so as to have more time in 
which to pursue his favorite work. In 
1874 he had visited the Pacific coast and 
the Sandwich Islands, as a scientist, and 
after accepting a position on the United 
States Geological Survey, in charge of the 
Blue Eidge Division, in 1883, he pursued 
his investigations through Maryland, 
West Virginia and Virginia, and through 
his careful, painstaking, thorough work, 
prepared data which have been the basis 
for subsequent geological work in these 
regions. He made many important liter- 
ary contributions to the secular, as well 
as religious press and ably edited the 
Lutheran Evangelist for a protracted 
period. 

Dr. Geiger was married December 14, 
1854, to Nancy Melvina Hartford, who 
was born in West Virginia, and who died 
September 30, 1900. She was a lady of 



572 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



high mental attainments and was well 
qualified to be the companion of her 
learned husband. They had seven chil- 
dren, namely : Alice M., who was the first 
woman graduated at Wittenberg College, 
completing the course in 1879; Charles 
A., who is manager of the Troy Wagon 
Works, at Troy, Ohio; Lizzie Gr., whose 
husband, A. D. Hosterman, is ijresident 
and general manager of the Poultry Suc- 
cess Company and also conducts an in- 
surance business at Room 39, on the north- 
west corner of Main and Limestone 
Streets, residing at No. 312 Woodlawn 
Avenue ; Anna L., who is the wife of J. N. 
Garver, who is engaged in a real estate 
business at Springfield, residing at No. 
206 Fernclitf avenue; Harry M., residing 
at Canton, Ohio; Ella L., who occupies 
the old family home, with her sister 
Alice, which was built in 1853 by their 
father, at No. 3 Ferncliff Avenue; and 
Hon. Frank W., who is sei'ving in his sec- 
ond term as probate judge of Clark 
County. 

While Dr. G-eiger accepted no political 
office, he served on many civic and edu- 
cational boards. Education, charity,, re- 
ligion, all found a place in his heart and 
life. 



ENOS WILLIAM XANDERS, resid- 
ing in the village of Lawrenceville, Clai'k 
County, Ohio, has been identified with the 
farming interests of German Township 
during the greater part of his life and for 
twenty years has been a member of Clark 
County Board of Agriculture, during two 
years of which he was president of that 
body. He was born August 8, 1861, on 
his father's farm in German Township, 



south of Lawrenceville, and is a son of 
William and Susanna (Baker) Xanders. 

William Xanders was born in German 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, May 7, 
1824, and was a son of John and Magda- 
lena (Baker) Xanders, his father having 
come to Clark County at a very early 
period. Amid the hardships and trials 
of pioneer life, he grew to maturity, re- 
ceiving but a meager educational train- 
ing in the primitive schools of that period. 
After his marriage he rented a farm for 
a few years, and then, with the capital 
which had been acquired through the 
labors of himself and wife, 130 acres of 
land, upon which he thereafter made his 
home until his death, on January 4, 1878. 
A man of ability and good judgment, he 
acquired other properties, some of which 
he afterward sold, and at the time of his 
death owned 320 acres in Carter County, 
Missouri, which still remains in the fam- 
ily name. 

On August 9, 1849, William Xanders 
was joined in marriage with Susanna 
Baker, who was born in German Town- 
ship June 18, 1828, and was a daughter of 
John and Susanna (Nawman) Baker, 
early settlers here. They became parents 
of the following children : Sai'ah, wife of 
Taylor Seifert of Springfield ; Isabella C, 
wife of Edward M. Patterson of Spring- 
field; Mary E., wife of Daniel F. Shafer; 
Enos William; Emma A., wife of John H. 
Foreman of Springfield; and Susanna J., 
wife of 0. W. Flick of German Township. 
Mr. Xanders was always a Democrat in 
politics, but never held nor sought office. 
His death was mourned as a sad loss to 
the community where he had always lived. 

Enos W. Xanders was reared on the old 
homestead and attended the common. 



AND BEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



573 



schools of his home district. At the age 
of eighteen years he began teaching school 
in District No. 7, German Township, and 
continued for three years. After his mar- 
riage, in 1882, he engaged in farming the 
home place until 1887, then moved to Law- 
renceville, where he conducted a general 
store for ten years. During the adminis- 
tration of President Cleveland he was ap- 
pointed postmaster of that village, serv- 
ing in that capacity until the office was 
abandoned to make way for the rural free 
delivery which had been established. 
Finding his health was failing because of 
too close confinement, he sold out his store 
and for a period of five years traveled in 
the interests of a fertilizer company, 
after which he returned to the farm. He 
farmed in a most successful manner until 
1907, when he again moved to Lawrence- 
ville, where he now lives. 

Mr. Xanders was married September 
21, 1882, to Anna C. Ballentine, daughter 
of James V. and Rosanna (Domer) Bal- 
lentine, and they have five children: 
Blanche, born August 19, 1883, married 
Jerome Michael and has two children: 
Mabel and Edith; Clyde, who graduated 
from Wittenberg College in 1906, was 
born March 21, 1885, and is teaching Ger- 
man and Latin in German Township High 
School; Claude, born June 1, 1887, re- 
sides in Bay City, Texas ; Ruth, born April 
20, 1893 ; and Cleon, bom March 7, 1889. 
Mr. Xanders is a Democrat in politics 
and has served eight years as a member 
of the Board of Education. In 1888 he 
was elected a member of the Clark County 
Board of Agriculture, and has been re- 
elected each succeeding year. He has done 
much to advance the agricultural interests 
of this section of the State, and to im- 



prove the condition of farm life. He is a 
man of recognized ability and enjoys the 
higliest respect and esteem of his fellow 
citizens, among whom he has lived for so 
long a time. Fraternally he is a member 
of Springfield Lodge No. 33, L 0. 0. F., 
and Donnell's Creek Council No. 121, 
J. 0. U. A. M. 



P. P. CRABILL, president of the Cen- 
tral Brass and Fixture Company, one of 
the prominent manufacturing concerns of 
Spring-field, has been a resident of Clark 
County, Ohio, all his life. He was born 
in Springfield Township, in 1879, and is a 
son of John Crabill. 

John Crabill, an influential farmer and 
landowner of Springfield Township, was 
also born in Clark County, in 1848, and 
is a son of Thomas V. Crabill. The lat- 
ter was born in Virginia and in 1816, dur- 
ing his boyhood days, came west to Clark 
County, Ohio. He farmed and dealt ex- 
tensively in stock, becoming one of the 
largest landowners in the county and a 
man of prominence. 

P. P. Crabill was reared on the old 
home place in Springfield Township, and 
after completing the prescribed course in 
the public schools pursued a course of 
study in mechancial engineering in the 
Ohio State University at Columbus, from 
which institution he was graduated in 
1900. Immediately thereafter he became 
identified with the Foos Gas Engine Com- 
pany, remaining with them for seven 
years. In February, 1907, he, in connec- 
tion with James Turner, organized the 
Central Brass and Fixture Works of 
Spring-field, which in September of that 
year was re-organized and incorporated 



574 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



as the Central Brass and Fixture Com- 
pany with a capital stock of $10,000. Mr. 
Crabill was elected presideilt, with Mr. 
Turner as treasui'er and manager. They 
manufacture all kinds of brass castings 
and finished work, making a specialty of 
the Puritan Bath Cock, and have built a 
large and remunerative trade. Our sub- 
ject is also a stockholder in the Foos Gas 
Engine Company. 

In October, 1906, Mr. Crabill was joined 
in marriage with Miss Bertha Jones, 
daughter of C. M. Jones, a well known 
citizen of Union County, Ohio. Frater- 
nally he is an Elk. He and his wife are 
members of the High Street Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 



MAJOR WILLIAM HUNT was for- 
merly one of the leading men of Clark 
County, Ohio. He was the first president 
of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, 
now known as the Sandusky branch of 
the Big Four Railroad, was the first presi- 
dent of the Clark County Agricultural So- 
ciety, and was identified with improve- 
ment and progress during the whole of his 
active life. Major Hunt was born in 
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, October 
25, 1797, and died while on a visit to a 
daughter at Springfield, Ohio, May 17, 
1867. 

The parents of Major Hunt were Ralph 
and Lydia (Eyre) Hunt. Prior to coming 
to Clark County, Ohio, Ralph Hunt op- 
erated Hunt's Mills in Hunterdon Coun- 
ty, New Jersey, and after reaching this 
section he bought, in association with his 
sons, about 600 acres of land. The Hunts 
soon began the building of a fine resi- 
dence, which was completed in 1830, and 



at the time was the best house in Clark 
County. In early manhood he married 
Lydia Eyre, who was a daughter of Man- 
uel Eyre, who was an officer in the War 
of the Revolution. He was born in Phila- 
delphia and was a ship builder by trade 
and testified to his loyalty not only by 
serving as a soldier but also by contribut- 
ing to Y>aj war expenses. There were five 
sons and one daughter born to Ralph and 
Lydia Hunt, namely: William, Manuel 
Eyre, Ishi Van Cleve, Daniel and Frank- 
lin Eyre. The youngest son was a student 
at the military post at West Point when 
his father came to Ohio. The eldest son" 
had preceded his father and the two next 
in order accompanied him. These two 
sons never married but remained in Ohio, 
where they acquired large tracts of land 
in Clark and Champaign Counties. The 
other son, Daniel, came also to Clark 
County, where he married but did not re- 
main in Ohio, his record being lost. Ralph 
Hunt died in 1838. 

Major William Hunt probably acquired 
his title through service in the New Jer- 
sey militia and in the War of 1812. He 
was afforded educational opportunities 
and in young manhood came to Ohio in 
search of a business opening, which he 
found at Urbana, in Champaign County, 
where he entered into a mercantile busi- 
ness and was subsequently made post- 
master. It was during his residence at 
Urbana that his father and brothers came 
to Clark County. Several years after his 
marriage, when his father died, William 
Hunt left Urbana and came to Moorefield 
Township, Clark County, and took posses- 
sion of the home farm and he continued 
to reside in Clark County during the re- 



AND BEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



575 



mainder of his life, which was one of great 
activity and usefulness. 

At Urbana, Ohio, Major William Hunt 
was married to Mary McCord, a most es- 
timable woman, who survived until De- 
cember 25, 1881, having outlived her hus- 
band for fourteen years. They had born 
to them six sons and six daughters, the 
sons, Ralph, Samuel, William, Robert, 
George and Edward, all having passed out 
of life. Ralph and William were soldiers 
in the Civil War. All the daughters of 
the family survive, as follows : Kate, who 
is the widow of E. B. Cassilly; Mary, who 
IS the widow of William H. Tiers, resid- 
ing at Philadelphia; Meta, who married 
Chandler Robbins, residing at Spring- 
field; Eleanor, Rose and Virginia, resid- 
ing on the homestead in Moorefield Town- 
ship. 

Major Hunt took a deep interest in pol- 
ities and public matters prior to the Civil 
War and was a zealous supporter of 
Stephen A. Douglas. He remained a 
Democrat in his convictions but never 
voted the ticket after the defeat of his 
chosen candidate. 



GUSTAVUS S. FOOS. The late Gus- 
tavus S. Foos was one of Spring-field's 
representative men, one who, through 
public spirit, progressive business meth- 
ods and exemplary personal life, deserves 
to have his name remembered among 
those who have contributed largely to 
this city's prosperity. He was the foun- 
der and for many years the able presi- 
dent of the Foos Manufacturing Com- 
pany, one of Springfield's leading in- 
dustries. Gustavus S. Foos was born in 
Franklin, now West Columbus, Ohio, July 



8, 1818, and died July 11, 1900, rounding 
out a useful life. of eighty-two years. He 
was a son of General Joseph Foos, who 
was once prominent in the military af- 
fairs of this section, and later served as 
a statesman, for twenty-one years, being 
a member of the Ohio Legislature. 

Gustavus S. Foos obtained his educa- 
tion in the Springfield schools, leaving the 
High School in his second year, when he 
went to Illinois, where he remained three 
years. Upon his return to Ohio he en- 
tered the employ of his brother, the late 
William Foos, as a salesman, and after 
some mercantile experience, in partner- 
ship with another brother, the late Levi 
Foos, he purchased the business of Will- 
iam Foos and it was successfully con- 
tinued for several years. In 1848 Gus- 
tavus S. Foos again became associated 
with his brother William, and they be- 
came jointly interested in mercantile, real 
estate and banking enterprises. In this 
year the brothers bought a large tract of 
land at Springfield, which they laid out in 
town lots, and these now form the best 
residence sections of the city. In 1858 
they embarked in a brokerage business, 
and two years later they established a 
private bank, this subsequently develop- 
ing into the Second National Bank. Of 
this institution William Foos became 
president and Gustavus S. Foos cashier, 
a position he filled until his resignation, 
in 1862. Prior to this Mr. Foos disposed 
of large farming interests which he had 
OAvned in Illinois, and after freeing him- 
self from the bank, entered extensively 
into the wool business and rapidly be- 
came prominent in that industry. 

The panic of 1 873 fell upon the country 
and manv of the leading business men in 



576 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



every section saw the fortunes that they 
had accumulated swept away, as it were, 
in a night. Among these was Grustavus 
S. Fogs, who found himself, at the age of 
fifty-five years, forced to begin life anew. 
He turned his attention at first to the 
manufacture of that humble but useful 
household article, a kitchen clothes- 
wringer, associating with him his two 
sons. From the very bottom they built 
up a business which became one of impor- 
tance. In 1884 Mr. Foos saw that it 
would be the part of wisdom to dispose of 
the enterprise in which he was then en- 
gaged and to widen his field of operations. 
AVhen he again entered the manufactur- 
ing field with his sons, the business was 
the making of special grinding and pul- 
verizing oil-mill machinery and forges. 
He then organized the Foos Manufactur- 
ing Company, taking the duties of presi- 
dent upon his experienced shoulders, and 
making his son, Robert H. Foos, vice 
president, and his other son, William F. 
I'oos, treasurer. The business prospered 
and the time came when the name of Foos 
was held in esteem in every trade center. 
Near the close of his life it contributed 
great satisfaction to the venerable foun- 
der, that the same old standards of 
business integrity which he had estab- 
lished were continued by those who fol- 
lowed him. 

In early life Mr. Foos was a Whig in 
his political views and later became an 
active Republican and zealous supporter 
of the policies of this party. During the 
Civil War Mr. Foos on many occasions 
demonstrated his loyalty and true patriot- 
ism, contributing both time and money 
and giving generously to those benevolent 
agencies which took care of the families 



of the men who were fighting at the front. 
During the Morgan Raid he was a mem- 
ber of the famous "Squirrel Hunters' 
Brigade. In times of peace he also was 
large-hearted in his charities and was ex- 
ceedingly liberal-minded on many sub- 
jects. 

Mr. Foos was married June 28, 1849, to 
Elizabeth Houston, who was a daughter 
of Dr. Robert Houston, of South Charles- 
ton, Clark County, Ohio, and they had 
two sons, Robert H. and William F. 
William F. Foos is president of the 
Springfield National Bank and is receiver 
for the Springfield Malleable Iron Com- 
pany. For the past five years the Foos 
brothers have not been connected with the 
Foos Manufacturing Company. Their 
handsome residence is located at No. 560 
East High Street, Springfield. 



JOSEPH MILTON YEAZELL, who is 
well known throughout Clark County as 
a prosperous retired citizen, and formerly 
as an extensive breeder of and dealer in 
tine sheep and other stock, was born in 
this county October 5, 1847, son of George 
and Nancy Ann (Wilkinson) Yeazell. 

He traces his ancestry in the direct 
paternal line back to Abraham Yeazell, 
and then, indirectly, through the Brown 
and Ball families, to William Ball, of 
Berks, or Berkshire, England, the name 
of whose wife is not known, but who died 
in the year 1480, in the reign of Henry 
VII., the first of the Tudors. The line 
from this William Ball to Abraham 
Yeazell is as follows: 

Robert Ball, son of William, of Berk- 
ham, died in 1543. The name of his wife 
is not known. He was father of William 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



577 



Ball (wife unknown), who died in 1550. 

John Ball, son of the second William, 
died in 1599. He was twice married, first 
to Alice Haynes, by whom he had four 
children, and secondly to Agnes Hollo- 
way, of which union also there were four 
children. 

John Ball, son of John and Agnes 
(Holloway) Ball, died in 1628. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Webb, who bore him ten 
children, among them William, better 
known as Colonel William Ball, who died 
in 1680. Colonel William Ball married 
Hannah Atheral, of which union there 
were three children, the one to continue 
this line of descent being William, or 
Captain William Ball, who married 
Margaret Doiraman and died in 1699. 

The next progenitor in the Ball line was 
William, who died in 1740 and who by 
wife Mary, had, besides other children, 
William, who died in 1809. It is in this 
generation that w-e find the Ball family 
intermarrying with the Browns, and the 
line to the subject of this sketch is now 
continued through the latter family. It 
is thus traced: 

The brothers and sisters of the Will- 
iam Ball last mentioned were: Samuel, 
Joseph (died 1821), Mary (died 1816, 
married Thomas Brown) and Ann (mar- 
ried John Gibson). 

Thomas and Mary (Ball) Brown had a 
large family, consisting of ten children, 
and including Sarah (born 1758; died 
1828), who married William Curl. The 
family of William and Sarah (Brown) 
Curl was also large and included Mary, 
who married Abraham Yeazell, great- 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch. 
Abraham Yeazell (or Yeazel, as the 
name was sometimes spelled) came to this 

32 



country from Germany and settled at an 
early date in Moorefield Township, Clark 
County, Ohio. By his wife Mary, above 
mentioned, he had thirteen children- 
Mary Ann, Sarah, George, William, Caro- 
line, David, Jeremiah, Adam, Jacob, 
Elizabeth, Abraham, Sidney, James and 
Isaac. 

George Yeazell, of the above-mentioned 
family, married Elizabeth Jones, and 
their children were George, Mary Ann, 
Jeremiah, John W., Eliza, Caroline M., 
Isaac, Angeline and Frances M. 

George Yeazell, son of George and 
Elizabeth (Jones) Yeazell, and father of 
J. Milton Yeazell, married Mary Ann 
Wilkinson, and their family was as fol- 
lows: Joseph Milton, James W., Retta, 
Anne Belle, Mary, Ellen, Thomas, Eliza- 
beth, Angle and Mabel Estella. James 
W., the second child, married Amanda 
Neer, and he and his wife are the parents 
of four children, all sons— George, Clay- 
ton, Fred and Lawrence, all of whom are 
living. Retta is the wife of John Conley, 
and has three children— Blanche, Harry 
and Robert. Anne Belle married Nathan 
Baumgartner, and has two children, 
Agnes and Wilmette, of whom Agnes be- 
came the wife of Dr. Deman and resides 
in Mechanicsburg, and Wilmette married 
M. C. Houston. 

Mary, fifth child of George and Nancy 
Ann Yeazell, married Samuel Prugh, who 
is now deceased. She has one child — 
Earl. Ellen Yeazell married Jacob Baum- 
gartner and has two children — Alice, who 
is the wife of Forest Tavemer and Nathan, 
all living. Thomas Yeazell, of the above- 
mentioned family, and seventh in order 
of birth, was killed on the railroad. 
Elizabeth died at the age of two years. 



578 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Angie, the uintli child, married Newton 
Jones and is now deceased. Her chil- 
dren are Walter and Thomas, both of 
whom ai-e living. Mabel Estella, the 
tenth child, married Arthur Taverner; 
she has no children. 

Joseph Milton Yeazell, whose nativity 
has been already given, has resided in 
Clark County all his life, unless we ex- 
cept the period of his service in the Civil 
War. He enlisted at Columbus, Ohio, 
September 16, 1864, in the Sixteenth Ohio 
Light Artillery, and was stationed for a 
while at New Orleans. On the close of 
the war he returned to Clark County, and 
settled on his father's farm, and was for 
some years engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits. In 1874 he entered into mercantile 
business at Catawba Station, Champaign 
County, Ohio. He continued thus occu- 
pied, however, but for a short time. 

On February 15, 1875, he married, and 
in the same year bought a farm of 345 
acres in Pleasant Township. Here he 
went into the business of raising grain 
and live stock, giving special attention to 
the breeding of sheep. It was also his 
practice to buy trainloads of sheep in 
Montana, ship them to his farm and here 
fatten them for the Buffalo market, sell- 
ing them there at a good profit. Though 
now retired from active pursuits, he fre- 
quently contributes valuable articles to 
agricultural papers, among them the 
American Agriculturist, the Ohio Farmer, 
the Pittsburg Stockman, the Breeders' 
Gazette and the Chicago Drovers Journal. 
He is regarded as an authority of stock 
matters, especially on sheep, and has re- 
ceived m.any offers to become a salesman 
at the Buffalo and Chicago sheep markets, 
but prefers to remain on his farm. He 



has served the town as trustee, being 
elected on the Republican ticket, and held 
that office for six years. A member of the 
Gr. A. R., he has served as commander of 
N. M. McConkey Post No. 391, was ad- 
jutant for ten years and was a member of 
General Townsend's staff, with the rank 
of major, for two terms. He is a promi- 
nent member of the Catawba Methodist 
Episcopal Church, which he has served 
ten years as trustee, having also been 
school director a number of times. 

Mr. Yeazell has had the misfortune to 
lose his wife, who passed to the higher 
life May 19, 1900, after a happy married 
life of twenty-five years. She was just 
two years his senior. She had borne him 
four children, whose record, in brief, is as 
follows : Leon Howard married Josephine 
Campbell, daughter of the Rev. Samuel 
Campbell, and' they reside in Spring-field, 
this countj^. Florence is the wife of 
Herbert Loveless, of this township, and 
has one child — Phelma. Grwendoline, who 
is now deceased, was the wife of Van C. 
TuUis, of Champaign County, Ohio. 
Wendell, born in 1885, died in Los An- 
geles, Cal., in April, 1906, at the early age 
of twenty-one years. 



HON. JAMES HATFIELD, who ca- 
pably represented Clark County in the 
Ohio State Legislature, is a veteran of the 
Civil War and a prominent farmer of 
Green Township. He was born in Spring- 
field Township, April 12, 1844, is a son 
of James and Margaret (Kitchen) Hat- 
field, and a grandson of Nathaniel and 
Nancy (Judy) Hatfield. 

Nathaniel Hatfield, the grandfather, 
was one of the pioneer farmers of what 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



579 



is now Clark County, coming with his 
family as early as the year 1808. He lo- 
cated about one and a half miles north- 
east of Pitchin, in Springtield Township, 
where he became owner of several hun- 
dred acres of land. His death resulted 
from milk sickness while he was in the 
prime of his life. James Hatfield, father 
of our subject, was born in 1803, and was 
five years of age when brought to this 
country by his parents. He followed 
farming until his death, which occurred 
at the age of fifty-two years. He was 
joined in marriage with Margaret Kitch- 
en, who was born in Pennsylvania and 
was a small girl when her .parents moved 
to Clark County, Ohio. They were par- 
ents of fourteen children, eleven of whom 
grew to maturity, and of these the present 
survivors are James, the subject of this 
sketch, and two sisters. 

James Hatfield, Jr., was six years of 
age when his mother died, and he was left 
an orphan at eleven years. Upon the 
death of his father he was bound out to 
a brother-in-law, to remain with him un- 
til eighteen years of age. He performed 
such labor as he could on the farm in pay- 
ment for board and clothing, attending 
school during four months of the winter, 
but at the age of fifteen he began to work 
out by the month for himself. At sixteen 
he went to Hillsdale, Michigan, and at- 
tended Hillsdale College two years. Then 
returning to Clark County, he engaged in 
teaching, being thus employed in the Lib- 
erty School for a time. In the spring of 
1862, he enlisted for three months' serv- 
ice in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, tinder Captain 
Howard D. Johns, and after being sta- 
tioned at Camp Chase for a time, accom- 



panied the regiment to Clarksburg, West 
Virginia, where be ' remained for about 
four months. His term of enlistment hav- 
ing expired, he re-enlisted as a member of 
Company D, Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cav- 
alry. He was with his regiment in the 
Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and was 
in numerous engagements under General 
Sheridan. At Beverly, Virginia, he was 
taken captive, but an overwhelming de- 
sire for freedom resulted in his escape 
fifteen minutes later. He participated in 
many engagements and served in the 
army until the war closed, performing his 
duty with a bravery and courage meriting 
the commendation he received. He re- 
turned to his home in Clark County in 
1865, but after a short stay went west to 
Logan County, Illinois, where for a time 
he engaged in teaching school. There he 
purchased 150 acres of land, now valued 
at more than one hundred dollars per acre, 
and in 1866 returned to Clark County, 
OJiio, to be married. He was married on 
April 12th of that year and immediately 
thereafter returned to Logan County with 
his bride. He farmed there until 1867, 
when, having sold his property, he re- 
turned to Clark County, where he rented 
and farmed for several years. In 1872 
he purchased the 125 acres which now 
consists of his home property and set 
about converting it into an up-to-date 
farm. He has always farmed along the 
line of the most modern and approved 
methods, and the success attained by him 
bespeaks his business sagacity and man- 
agerial ability. He has always taken an 
active and intelligent interest in all that 
relates to the welfare of his home com- 
munity, and frequently has been called 
upon to fill offices o£ public trust. He is 



580 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



a Republican, having cast his first presi- 
dential ballot for Lincoln in 1864. In 
Green Township he served as treasurer 
for some years. He next became the can- 
didate of his party for state representa- 
tive, and after his election to that office 
served this district with an intelligence 
and faithfulness that brought him a host 
of new friends and followers. He is a 
man of marked ability, and in the dis- 
charge of his official duties brought into 
play the same energy, sagacity and good 
judgment which have always character- 
ized his private dealings. 

Mr. Hatfield was joined in marriage 
with Harriett J. Stewart, a daughter of 
Perry and Rhoda Ann (Wheeler) Stew- 
art, and they reared three children, name- 
ly: Charles Stewart, who was born in 
Logan County, Illinois, May 27, 1867; 
Jessie R., who married Alonzo Stretcher 
and has two children — Edwin and Robert ; 
and Julia M.^ who married Clarence An- 
derson, lives in Green Township and has 
one daughter — Harriet Helen. Mr. Hat- 
field is a member of James A. Elder Post, 
G. A. R., and has attended most of the re- 
unions of that body. He also attended 
the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. He 
and his wife are faithful members of the 
High Street Christian Church, at Spring- 
field. 



EDWARD L. BUCHWALTER, presi- 
dent of the Citizens' National Bank, at 
Springfield, and president of the Amer- 
ican Seeding Machine Company, has been 
identified with the leading interests of 
this city for more than thirty years. He 
was bom in Ross County, Ohio, June 1, 



]841, and is a son of Levi and Margaret 
(Lyon) Buehwalter. 

Edward L. Buehwalter was reared on a 
farm, attended the local public schools 
and later the Ohio University, and had 
not decided upon his future career, when 
his thoughts were turned to his country, 
endangered by civil war, and he became a 
soldier. As a member and officer succes- 
sively of the One Hundred and Four- 
teenth Ohio Regiment and the Fifty-third 
United States Volunteer Infantry, serv- 
ing in like manner as private, sergeant, 
lieutenant and captain, he brought honor 
to his command by his careful perform- 
ance of duty and his gallantry in action. 
He served under General Sherman in 
1862 and under General Grant in 1863, 
being present at the surrender of Vicks- 
burg. In 1864 he was promoted to the 
rank of captain. He was honorably dis- 
charged at the close of the war, after a 
hard service covering three years and 
seven months. Mr. Buehwalter was twice 
wounded and was once left on the battle- 
field with the dead, but fortunately re- 
covered sufficiently to be able to crawl 
back and reach the n^w position taken by 
his regiment. 

After the close of his army life, Mr. 
Buehwalter was engaged in farming and 
stock-raising in Ross County until 1873. 
He then came to Spring-field and for the 
following ten years was connected with 
the manufacturing finn of James Leffel & 
Company, where he acquired a thorough 
knowledge of machinery and gained much 
business experience. He was active in 
the organization of the Superior Drill 
Company, at Springfield, Ohio, in the fall 
of 1883, and became the president of the 




ROSS MITCHELL 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



583 



company which piirchased the business of 
Thomas, Ludlow & Rodgers. With his 
business associates he pushed the manu- 
facture of the Superior Drill until it be- 
came known all over the country. At the 
organization of the American Seeding 
Machine Company in March, 1903, by the 
consolidation of the Superior Drill Com- 
pany, the Hoosier Drill Company and 
several other manufacturing companies, 
Mr. Buehwalter was elected president 
and continues to hold that important of- 
fice. In December, 1898, the organization 
of the Citizens' National Bank was com- 
pleted and Mr. Buehwalter was selected 
its president and has continued in that po- 
sition ever since. 

Mr. Buehwalter was married Septem- 
ber 1st, 1868, to Clementine Berry, a lady 
of education and accomplishments and of 
much social prominence. Mrs. Bueh- 
walter takes much interest in club work 
and educational progTess, and at this 
writing is president of the Ohio State 
Federation. She was first vice president 
of the Women's Board of the Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition, at St. Louis. Mr. 
and Mrs. Buehwalter have a beautiful 
residence at No. 805 East High Street, 
Springfield, besides several rural ones, 
Mr. Buehwalter owning the old family 
home in Ross County and another in the 
vicinity of this city. 

Politically, Mr. Buehwalter is a Repub- 
lican. For thirty years he has been a 
member of the board of trustees of the 
Warder Public Library of this city, and 
is also a member of the Spring-field Board 
of Trade. He belongs to Mitchell Post, 
Grand Army of the Republic, and to the 
Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion. 



ROSS MITCHELL, one of Spring- 
field's highly regarded citizens, now liv- 
ing retired in a beautifully situated home, 
located at No. 302 East High Street, was 
long a prominent factor in the great busi- 
ness concerns which have made the name 
of Springfield known in almost every 
quarter of the globe. Mr. Mitchell was 
born November 14, 1824, in Landisburg, 
Perry County, Pennsylvania, and is a son 
of James Blaine and Cynthia (Gowdy) 
Mitchell. The Mitcheli family is of 
Scotch-Irish extraction. It probably was 
established in Cumberland County, Penn- 
sylvania, in the days of the great-grand- 
father, where the grandfather of Ross 
Mitchell is on record as a man of sub- 
stance and local prominence. 

James Blaine Mitchell, father of Ross, 
was born at Carlisle, in Cumberland 
County, and removed from there to Day- 
ton, Ohio, May 7, 1836. His first work 
was on the Third Street Canal in Dayton, 
after which he operated the Patterson 
saw-mills for almost two years. He was 
a carpenter and builder and also under- 
stood practical mill work, and on Feb- 
ruary 7th, 1838, he rented the Woodbury 
Mills, then known as the Schartle Mills, 
located on Mad River, which he operated 
until February 7th, 1840, when he re- 
moved to Medway. After a residence of 
]iine years at the latter point, he removed 
to Hertzler's Mills, where both he and his 
wife died. They had eight children, of 
whom Ross was the eldest and is now the 
only surviving member of the family. 
The children all died young but three, 
Ross, James and Margaret — James and 
Margaret died in Paris, Illinois. 

Mr. Mitchell has spent almost, his whole 
life in the State of Ohio, being eleven years 



584 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of age when the family settled at Dayton. 
During his father's lifetime he assisted 
him in the saw-mills, and later filled the 
double position of mill operator and 
clerk in a general store adjacent to and 
owned by the proprietor of the mills. 
When the latter (Mr. Hertzler) disposed 
of his interests there and removed to 
Springfield, Mr. Mitchell accompanied 
him and probably through his good offices 
obtained clerical work in the strange 
town. In November, 1854, he became as- 
sistant bookkeeper for the firm of Ward- 
er, Brokaw & Childs, and in the following 
year, chief bookkeeper for the firm. In 
1865 he was admitted to partnership, 
when the firm became Warder, Mitchell & 
Company, Mr. Childs retiring. The busi- 
ness of this firm was fhe manufacture of 
farm implements, especially reapers and 
mowers. In 1866 additional capital and 
influence came into the business with the 
admission of General A. S. Bushnell as a 
partner. In 1881 Mr. Mitchell withdrew, 
disposing of his interests, and, as his 
health, especially his eyesight, was poor, 
he took a season of restful travel. 

Mr. Mitchell, however, was not ready to 
permanently retire from business, where 
he had met with so much success, and in 
which field he had become so influential 
and so largely concerned. For some 
years he dealt extensively in real estate 
and subsequently became interested with 
the firm of Welsh & Dodson in the manu- 
facture of linseed oil, but this enterprise 
was absorbed by the National Linseed Oil 
Company. Mr. Mitchell has been con- 
nected either as a stockholder or director, 
often as both, with the following impor- 
tant business organizations: The 



Spring-field Metallic Casket Company, the 
Mast Manufacturing Company, the 
Philip Wiseman Hardware Company, the 
Gas Light and Coke Company, the Kansas 
Kanapolis Land Company, the Royal Salt 
Company, of Kanapolis; the First Na- 
tional Bank, of Springfield; the Fire- 
man's Insurance Company, of Dayton, 
and the Citizens' Street Eailway Com- 
pany, of which last mentioned company 
he was president. 

Mr. Mitchell, in 1882-3, erected the five- 
story Mitchell Block on the corner of 
High and Limestone Streets, Springfield, 
which is one of the most substantial and 
imposing business blocks of the city. He 
owns somewhere approaching 2,600 acres 
of fine land in Clark County, 2,100 acres 
in Champaign County, Ohio, and a large 
acreage in Central Kansas. A monument 
to Mr. Mitchell's philanthropy and public 
spirit is found in the great charity 
known as the Mitchell and Thomas Hos- 
pital, which was a gift to the city of 
Springfield, made by Mr. Mitchell in as- 
sociation with the late J. H. Thomas. 

Mr. Mitchell was married, first, in 1851, 
to Catherine Ann Miller, who died Sep- 
tember 12, 1878. She was born in 
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, February 
20, 1827, and was a daughter of Caspar 
and Susan (Wirtz) Miller. To this mar- 
riage were born five children, the sur- 
vivors being: Effie J., who married Prof. 
E. L. Shuey; Fannie, who married Eev. 
G. P. Eaup, and Anna Mary, who became 
the wife of Eev. S. E. Greenawalt. In 
1881 Mr. Mitchell married for his second 
wife Sarah A. Keller, who was born in 
Maryland, September 16, 1845, and who is 
a daughter of the late Eev. Ezra and 
Caroline (Eoutzahn) Keller, the former 



AND EEPRBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



585 



of whom was the founder and fii'st presi- 
dent of Wittenberg College. 

As a public man of broad scope, Mr. 
Mitchell always has taken an interest in 
civic affairs, and served two years as a 
member of the City Council, from the 
Eighth Ward. Both he and wife are 
members of the Second Lutheran Church, 
in which he is an elder. 



LAFAYETTE E. LUTZ, township 
trustee and owner of fifty acres of land 
in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, is 
numbered with the erepresentative men of 
this section. He was born on the old home 
farm, in German Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, April 29, 1862, and is a son of John 
and Eliza (Morris) Lutz, and a gi'andson 
of Michael and Mary (Bowman) Lutz. 

Michael Lutz and wife were both of Ger- 
man descent and at a very early period 
came from Virginia to Ohio with their 
little family, and settled in the woods of 
German Township, Clark County, where 
they passed the remainder of their lives, 
both passing away at an advanced age. 
They were the parents of five children: 
Sarah (Mrs. A. Neese), deceased; Mary 
(Mrs. R. Zirkle), deceased; Amanda 
(Mrs. D. Zirkle); John; Isaac, deceased, 
and Mrs. C. Patterson. 

John Lutz was born in Virginia and 
when a boy of four years came to Ohio 
with his parents, who settled on a tract 
of timberland in German Township. 
There he was reared and he assisted his 
father in clearing up 208 acres of land. 
He followed farming throughout his act- 
ive career, remaining on the home place, 
which he subsequently inherited, until late 
in life. He married Eliza Morris, who 



was born and reared near Tremont, Ger- 
man Township, where her parents had lo- 
cated at an early period. She died i^ 
1888 and is survived by her husband, who 
lives with their son, Lafayette E. John 
Lutz and wife were the parents of eleven 
children, five of whom died young. Those 
living are as follows: Frances, wife of 
Frank Ziegler; Lafayette; Alice, wife of 
Martin Baker; Charles; Clara, wife of 
William Blumbershine ; and Sidney. 

Lafayette E. Lutz grew to man's estate 
in his native section and received his edu- 
cational training in the district schools 
of the township. He has always followed 
farming, and following his marriage he 
rented the Samuel Freeze farm in Ger- 
man Township for seven years, then 
bought his present farm of fifty acres 
from Aaron Eust. The land consists of 
two tracts, forty acres upon which he 
lives, and ten acres lying just south of 
the residence property. Here he has en- 
gaged in general farming ever since, and 
he also deals extensively in tile for ditch- 
ing. 

On October 25, 1885, Mr. Lutz was mar- 
ried to Mary E. Eust, who is a daughter 
of David and Phoebe (Cost) Eust. Mrs. 
Rust died when Mrs. Lutz was but seven 
years old, but Mr. Eust survives. He was 
bom in 1834 near Mr. Lutz' present farm. 
Mrs. Lutz is the eldest of three children, 
and the only daughter. She has two 
brothers : Albert and Wilham. Mr. and 
Mrs. Lutz became the parents of three 
children : Orris, who died aged two years ; 
Blanche, and Eobert. 

In politics Mr. Lutz is a Democrat and 
has served in the office of township trus- 
tee continuously since 1899. He is a mem- 
ber of the Reformed Church at Dialton, 



586 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



in ^vliich he is botli deacon and treasurer. 
He has been a member of the Knights of 
Pythias order of Northampton for the 
past eighteen years. 



JOHN H. REYNOLDS, M. D., physi- 
cian and surgeon at Lawreneeville, is a 
prominent citizen of German Township 
and is well known all over Clark County. 
He was born August 8, 1848, in Green 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a 
son of Henry and Julia Ann (McKinney) 
Reynolds. 

Hemy Reynolds, father of Dr. Rey- 
nolds, was bom in Montgomery County, 
Virginia, in 1816, and in 1827 accompanied 
his parents to Clark County, Ohio, where 
he was reared. He married Julia Ann 
McKinney and they continued to reside in 
Green Township until 1850, when they re- 
moved to a farm in Springfield Township. 
On that farm Dr. Reynolds grew to man- 
hood, and obtained his education in the 
country schools. Profiting by the advan- 
tages afforded, he became an acceptable 
teacher, teaching six years in Spring-field 
and Harmony Townships and one term in 
Delaware County, Indiana. In 1872 he 
began the study of medicine, with Dr. H. 
F. Wildasin, at Plattsburg, Clark Coun- 
ty, and after two years with him. Dr. Rey- 
nolds entered the Eclectic Medical Insti- 
tute, at Cincinnati, where he was gradu- 
ated in 1876. 

After receiving his diploma. Dr. Rey- 
nolds soon entered into practice at Law- 
reneeville, where he remained for five 
years. In 1881 he removed to Springfield, 
where he practiced for four years, going 
from there to West Jefferson, Madison 
County, where he remained four years 



more. In the spring of 1890 he returned 
to Lawreneeville, warmly welcomed by his 
old patients and the citizens in general, 
and here he has engaged in practice ever 
since. He belongs to the Ohio State Med- 
ical Society and through medidal litera- 
ture keeps closely in touch with all ad- 
vances made in medical science. 

During the summer of 1876, Dr. Rey- 
nolds was married to Sarah Jane Ballen- 
tine, who is a daughter of James V. Bal- 
lentine, an old pioneer of Lawreneeville. 
James V. Ballentine was born in Cumber- 
land County, Pennsylvania, October 15, 
1823, and is a son of William and Nancy 
(Nail) Ballentine. In 1831, the parents 
of Mr. Ballentine left their old home in 
Pennsylvania and came to Ohio, journey- 
ing over the mountains and fording the 
streams in huge wagons. The family 
drove through what was then the village 
of Springiield and settled on a farm which 
is now included in the corporate limits 
of Dayton, Ohio. They resided on that 
farm until the fall of 1832, when they came 
into Clark County. The first of the Bal- 
lentine family to venture into Ohio was 
Robert Ballentine, an older brother of 
James V., who settled at Dayton in 1828. 
It was through his urgent messages that 
the other members of the family came to 
this State. Other old neighbors had also 
settled in Montgomery County and one, 
Henry Snyder, had located in Clark Coun- 
ty. The Ballentines came first to Clark 
County on a visit to Henry Snyder and 
they were so well pleased with the climate 
and soil that Mr. Ballentine needed little 
urging from their old neighbor to decide 
to invest near him in Clark County, and 
for the first year lived on a part of Mr. 
Snyder's farm at Snyder's Mills. He 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



587 



then bought a farm of 160 acres, which 
was situated about one mile northwest of 
Lawrenceville, on what is now the Bal- 
lentine road. John Ballentine, a brother 
of James V., kept a hotel and store at 
Tremont, and a brother-in-law, a Mr. Dar- 
nell, kept a large store at the same* point 
and was also a school-teacher. 

For two years James V. Ballentine went 
to school at Tremont, living there from 
1856 until 1858. His father built a large 
brick house on his farm about tliis time 
and James V. went home to assist in its 
construction. Shortly afterward his 
father bought forty additional acres. Mr. 
Ballentine had been married in 1853 and 
some time afterward he bought a farm 
adjoining that of his father, on which he 
lived until 1876, when he moved to Law- 
renceville. For nine years he taught 
school and still takes a deep interest in 
educational matters in German Township. 
For twenty-eight years he was a member 
of the German Township School Board, 
and is one of the three survivors of the 
earnest body of men who founded the 
German Township High School in 1874. 
The two other members are Isaac Greist 
and George Johnston. During many years 
Mr. Ballentine dealt largely in live-stock. 
During his active years he took a deep 
interest in local political movements, be- 
ing a stanch Democrat, and frequently 
was elected to township offices. For three 
years he was collector of revenue for 
Mooretield, German and Pike Townships 
and for ten years was assessor. He has 
been one of the leading public-spirited 
citizens of this section, taking an interest 
in improving the highways, in developing 
the country and in promoting educational 
enterprises. 



On August 20, 1853, Mr. Ballentine was 
married to Eosanna Domer, who was born 
in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
of Maryland parentage. They had five 
children, namely: Edwin Porter, who 
died aged six months; Charles Forrest, 
who is engaged in teaching in Green Coun- 
ty; Sarah Jane, who married Dr. John 
H. Eeynolds; Nancy Ann, who married 
Enos Xander, a prominent farmer of Law- 
renceville and a member of the Clark 
County Agricultural Board; and Marion 
Seymour, who is a grocery merchant in 
Champaign County. Mr. and Mrs. Bal- 
lentine have been married for fifty-five 
years. They both are in the enjojmient 
of good health. They reside with Dr. and 
Mrs. Eeynolds, honored and beloved mem- 
bers of the family. 

Dr. and Mrs. Eeynolds have two chil- 
dren, namely : Edgar L., a telegraph op- 
erator by profession, who is now con- 
nected with the office force of the superin- 
tendent of the James Leffel Company, at 
Springfield, married Ada Cook ; and Julia 
Ann, who is stenographer and cashier for 
the Bay City Land Company, at Bay 
City, Texas. 

Dr. Eeynolds is identified with the Dem- 
ocratic party. In 1891 he was elected 
township clerk, was re-elected in 1892 and 
again in 1900, and has served continuously 
ever since, in 1907 being again re-elected 
for a term of two years. For twenty- 
seven years he has been an Odd Fellow 
and is past grand of the Springfield lodge. 



WILLIAM FOOS, formerly president 
of the Second National Bank at Spring- 
field, the founder of the village of Foos- 
land, Illinois, and a citizen of enterprise 



588 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



who devoted time and capital to many 
public-spirited movements both in this and 
other localities, was born in 1814, in 
Franklin, now West Columbus, Franklin 
County, Ohio, and is a son of General Jo- 
seph and Margaret (Phifer) Foos. 

From the age of fourteen years, Will- 
iam Foos displayed business capacity. 
About that time he rented land from his 
grandfather and successfully engaged for 
a time in its cultivation, and although 
other interests and occupations concerned 
him through many years of his subsequent 
life, he always kept in touch with agricul- 
tural pursuits and retained farming lands 
which it was his delight to improve. Dur- 
ing early manhood he embarked in mer- 
cantile enterprises both at Spring-field and 
in Logan and Madison Counties, and dur- 
ing his time of residence in the latter 
county, he improved a farm. From 18-t6 
until 1854 he was interested in a mercan- 
tile business at Springfield, but during 
this time he was also concerned in other 
enterprises. He was a man of great fore- 
sight and most excellent commercial com- 
prehension, and as he saw other avenues 
where investments of capital promised 
favorable returns, he knew how to use his 
means and reap certain advantages. In 
association with his brother, the late Grus- 
tavus Foos, he bought a large tract of 
land for a merely nominal sum, and this 
is now one of the most valuable additions 
to Springfiield. It was but one of many 
successful enterprises. 

The banking house which was estab- 
lished by William and Gustavus Foos, in 
1859, in 1863 became the Second National 
Bank of Spring-field. Of this institution, 
William Foos was president and his son, 
Fergus W. Foos, was cashier. In 1866 



William Foos became a member of the 
manufacturing' firm of James Leffel & 
Company, with which he remained con- 
nected for a period of ten years. At the 
time of his death, Mr. Foos was inter- 
ested in the development of a magnificent 
estate of 4,000 acres of land, which he 
owned in Champaign County, Illinois. 
The prosperous village of Foosland, in 
that county, was named in his honor and 
he laid it out and generously endowed it. 

In 1837 William Foos married Sarah 
Mark, who was a daughter of James and 
Nancy (Van Kirk) Mark, of Madison 
County, Ohio. 

Mr. Foos died in February, 1892, at his 
home in Springfield, Ohio. 



EMANUEL JACOB MARTIN, resid- 
ing on a farm of seventy -five and one-half 
acres situated about five miles south of 
Springfield, Ohio, is one of the best known 
residents of Green Township. He was 
born in Maryland, September 12, 1867, is 
a son of Christian and Sarah E. (Bowers) 
Martin, and a grandson of Emanuel and 
Anna (Doyle) Martin. His grandparents 
both died in Maryland, the grandfather 
at the age of eighty-one years and his wife 
at sixty-six. 

Christian Martin, the father, was born 
in Washington County, Maryland, Octo- 
ber 20, 1836, and was there reared, and 
educated in the common schools. He 
worked on the home farm until he was 
twenty-seven years of age, when he was 
married, and his father, who had granted 
him remuneration from the time he 
reached majority, at that time handed 
him over five hundred dollars accumulated 
wages. With this sum for a start he set 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



589 



up housekeeping and for a period of five 
years rented a farm, with what success 
may be judged from the fact that at the 
time he moved to Clark County, Ohio, in 
1869 he was possessed of five thousand 
dollars. He purchased eighty acres in 
Green Township, on which he lived six- 
teen years, then purchased an additional 
eighty acres in that township, which there- 
after was his home until he retired from 
active business and moved to the city of 
Springfield, to enjoy the fruits of an in- 
dustrious and well spent life. He has a 
comfortable home at 1322 South Lime- 
stone Street, and in addition to the prop- 
erties named above has 160 acres lying 
between the Spring-field pikes in Green 
Township. 

On December 10, 1843, Christian Martin 
was united in marriage with Sarah E. 
Bowers, who also was born in Washing- 
ton County, Maryland, and who is a 
daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann (Ber- 
gesser) Bowers. The following children 
blessed their home: Harvey Grant, Silas 
Clinton, Emanuel Jacob, John Henry, 
Charles Lewis, who died in infancy, Mary 
Catherine, Albert Lewis, and Jessie Lulu. 
Mr. Martin is a Republican in politics, 
whilst in religious attachment he is a 
member of the Presbyterian Church. 

Emanuel Jacob Martin was about two 
years of age when his parents came to 
Green Township and'here he was reared 
to maturity, receiving his educational 
training in the school at Clifton. Upon 
leaving school he engaged in farming near 
Springfield for sixteen years, then pur- 
chased his present place in Green Town- 
ship. He has a finely improved property, 
which he farms according to modern and 



approved methods, and has met with un- 
qualified success. 

Mr. Martin was united in marriage with 
Miss Anna German, a daughter of B. 
German, who was formerly the owner of 
the farm now owned by Mr. Martin. Five 
children were born to them — Ernest F., 
Lola, Walter, Jennie, and Lewis. Polit- 
ically, he is a Prohibitionist. Eeligiously, 
he is a member of the Third Lutheran 
Church. 



JAMES F. RANKIN, a highly re- 
spected citizen and influential business 
man of South Charleston, who has been 
prominently identified with the banking 
interests of this locality for a number of 
years, was born here November 24, 1861, 
and is a son of John and Charity A. (Full- 
erton) Rankin, and a grandson of James 
Rankin. 

James Rankin, the grandfathei', was 
bora in 1780 in Berlin, Worcester County, 
Maryland, and came to Madison County, 
Ohio, in 1815, and here was accidentally 
killed by a train in 1857. He married 
Margaret Truitt and they reared a fam- 
ily of eight children, of whom John, 
father of James F., was the second eldest. 
John Rankin was born December 18, 1811, 
in Berlin, Worcester County, Maryland, 
and in 1815 accompanied his parents to 
Clark County, Ohio, and located seven 
miles east of South Charleston, in Madi- 
son County, residing there until 1845, 
when he came to South Charleston. He 
was united in marriage with Charity Full- 
erton, a daughter of James Fullerton, and 
they reared a family of three children — 
Stacy B., James F., and Ella M., who died 
in 1887. 



590 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



James F. Rankin has spent Ms entire 
life in South Charleston, receiving his 
educational training in the public schools 
of the town and in Ohio Wesleyan Uni- 
versity at Delaware, Ohio. At the age 
of twenty he entered the banking busi- 
ness, in which he has continued ever since, 
being at this time vice president of the 
London Exchange Bank Company, of 
London, Ohio, and cashier of the Bank of 
South Charleston, St. Charleston, Ohio. 

Mr. Rankin was appointed trustee of 
the combined Normal and Industrial In- 
stitute at Wilberforce by Governor Nash, 
and served as such for a period of five 
years, when he resigned and was ap- 
pointed, by Governor Herrick, a member 
of the Ohio Fish and Game Commission. 
He was re-appointed to that office by Gov- 
ernor Harris and is still serving in that 
capacity. Politically, Mr. Rankin is a Re- 
publican. Fraternally, he is affiliated 
with the Masonic order, in which he was 
master for two terms, and has tilled all 
the offices of that order. 

Mr. Rankin was married in 1894 to 
Nettie Kemper, a daughter of James S. 
and Frances (Gasper) Kemper, and to 
them have been born two children — John 
M., and Kemper. 

Stacy B. Rankin, president of the Bank 
of South Charleston, was born in South 
Charleston and has always been a resi- 
dent of this city, obtaining his education 
in the public schools. Mr. Rankin has al- 
ways been interested in the banking af- 
fairs of this locality, and is recog-nized as 
one of the leading and substantial busi- 
ness men of the town. He has been sec- 
retary of the Ohio Bankers' Association 
since its organization in 1891. At the 
time of the St. Louis World's Fair he was 



appointed executive commissioner of Ohio 
by Governor Nash, having charge of all 
the Ohio interests at the fair. Mr. Ran- 
kin was appointed receiver when the 
Washington Traction Companj^ failed. 

Politically, he supports the Republican 
party and represented Clark County in 
the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth 
General Assemblies. Fraternally, he is a 
Mason and attends the Presbyterian 
Church of South Charleston. Mr. Ran- 
kin was joined in marriage with Miss Fan- 
nie Kemper, of Dayton, and they have 
two children — Marquis Kemper and S. 
Barcroft. 



JOHN W. BURK, a representative 
business man of Spring-field and one of 
the leading flour and mill men of the 
United States, is president of The Ansted 
& Burk Company, manufacturers at 
Springfield of the highest grades of flour 
produced. Mr. Burk was born in 1850, 
in Canada, but since the age of nineteen 
years he has been a resident of the United 
States. 

Mr. Burk was educated in his own 
province in his native land and before 
leaving there had acquired a knowledge 
of milling. He followed milling for some 
years in Michigan, at Grand Rapids, 
Kalamazoo. Coldwater and other points, 
and at different places throiigh the West. 
In July, 1897, he came to Springfield, pur- 
chasing the Warder & Barnett mill plant, 
which is the oldest one in this section. In 
1902 the business was reorganized and was 
incorporated as The Ansted & Burk Com- 
pany. The present officers are : John W. 
Burk, president; E. W. Ansted, vice 
president; George W. Ansted, treasurer; 




HON. OLIVER S. KliLLV 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



593 



and R. U. Patton, secretary. The 
capital stock is $100,000. The plant is 
equipped with modern machinery of the 
best kind and has a capacity of 1,000 bar- 
rels a day. It has become one of Spring- 
field's most prosperous industries. Mr. 
Burk is serving in his second term as 
president of the Millers ' National Federa- 
tion. He served for two years as the able 
president of the Springfield Board of 
Trade. 

In 1875, Mr. Burk was married to Ida 
Negus, a native of Massachusetts, and 
they have two daughters : Helen M. and 
Mabel, the latter of whom is the wife of 
R-. D. Patton. Mr. Burk is a Knight 
Templar and Scottish Rite Mason. 



JOSEPH M. WADDLE, one of the rep- 
resentative agriculturists of Green Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, and owner 
of a farm of 163 acres, located six miles 
south of Springfield, was bom December 
30, 1839, in Ohio County, Virginia, and is 
a son of William and Maria (McMecham) 
Waddle. 

The father, William, was born July 12, 
1806, in Ohio County, Virginia, within 
half a mile of the birthplace of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, and there lived until 
J 865, when he came to Clark County, 
Ohio, and settled on the farm our subject 
now owns, and where he died in 1877. His 
parents were natives of Ireland, who im- 
migrated to this country at a very early 
period, locating in Ohio County, Virginia, 
where they engaged in agricultural pur- 
Fuits. The mother of Joseph M. Waddle, 
in maidenhood, Miss Maria McMecham, 
was native of Belmont County, Ohio, 
where she was born July 12, 1812. Her 



parents came from Ireland to this country 
in 1801 and operated a hotel for many 
years on the National Road, in that coun- 
ty. Eight children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Waddle, namely: John M., a resi- 
dent of New York; Joseph M., our sub- 
ject; Mary Jane, who was drowned in 
1866 ; Susan M. ; Rachel ; W. A. ; an infant 
died unnamed; and Anna Bell, deceased. 

Joseph M. Waddle was reared in Vir- 
ginia and there obtained his educational 
training. In 1865 he came with his pai'- 
ents to Clark County, Ohio, and remained 
at home until 1870, after which he spent 
the greater part of twelve years in Greene 
County, Ohio. Upon his return to Clark 
Countj^ he located upon his present farm, 
which was purchased by his father on 
coming to Ohio. Here Mr. Waddle has 
since resided, engaged in general farm- 
ing, and is one of the substantial and 
liighly respected farmers of Green Town- 
ship. 

Mr. Waddle was joined in the bonds of 
matrimony with Martha Belle Taylor, a 
daughter of John Taylor of Clark County, 
and to them have been born five sons and 
three daughters, as follows: Nellie May; 
Luella P.; William T. ; Mary Jessica; 
John Elmer ; Forrest K. ; Harry A. ; and 
Roy M. Roy and Nellie reside at home. 
In politics Mr. Waddle is an ardent Re- 
publican, and is religiously a member of 
the United Presbvterian Church. 



HON. OLIVER S. KELLY. The late 
Oliver S. Kelly was one of the citizens of 
Springfield whose energy, foresight and 
enterprise contributed very largely to the 
upbuilding of this city, of which he was a 
continuous resident from 1856 imtil his 



594 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



death, April 9, 1904. He was born in 
Clark Connty, Ohio, December 23, 1824, 
and was a son of John. and Margaret (Mc- 
Beth) Kelly. The Kelly family probably 
originated in Ireland and it is known to 
have been established in Virginia prior 
to the Revolutionary War, in which strug- 
gle James Kelly, the grandfather of the 
late Oliver S., took part, fighting for the 
independence of the colonies. 

John Kelly, one of his family of twelve 
children, was born in Virginia and ac- 
companied his father to Ohio in 1808, .set- 
tling in what is now Clark County. He 
participated in the "War of 1812. Later 
he engaged in farming and so continued 
until his death, which occurred Septem- 
ber 25, 1825, at the age of thirty-six years. 
He married Margaret McBeth, a daughter 
of Alexander McBeth, who survived her 
first husband and contracted a second 
marriage. 

At the age of fourteen years, the late 
Oliver S. Kelly became entirely dependent 
on his own resources. From 1838 until 
1842 he was engaged in farming for Will- 
iam T. Mclntire, after which he served a 
three-year apprenticeship to the car- 
penter's trade. According to the custom 
of the times, he then worked for one year 
as a journeyman, after which he formed a 
partnership with J. A. Anderson and to- 
gether they carried on a large business 
until 1852, when Mr. Kelly decided to 
visit the mining regions of California. He 
was so successful in his efforts there that 
when he returned to Ohio, in 1856, he had 
capital enough with which to enter into 
business. In the fall of 1857 he invested 
his money in the purchase of an interest 
in the manufacturing business of Whitely 
& Fassler, which then became Whitely, 



Fassler & Kelly, a business firm which for 
years was noted for its high-class prod- 
ucts and honorable business methods. 
Prior to his withdrawal from this firm in 
1881, in order to enter the independent 
manufacturing field, it had commenced the 
building of the Champion line of agricult- 
ural implements, a very extensive plant 
liaving been built on East Street. 

In 1882 Mr. Kelly purchased the Rhine- 
hart & Ballard Threshing Machine Works, 
after which he organized The Spring-field 
Engine & Thresher Company, which was 
incorporated with 0. S. Kelly as president 
and 0. W. Kelly as superintendent. At 
a later date the capital stock was in- 
creased and the business became known 
as The 0. S. Kelly Company, its purpose 
being the manufacturing of threshing ma- 
chines and engines, with separators, feed- 
mills and other similar products. An ex- 
tensive plant was subsequently built at 
Iowa City. Iowa, where the feed-mills and 
sejoarators were constructed. For the 
past ten years the company has also been 
engaged in the manufacture of piano 
plates and it now stands at the head of 
this industry in the United States. An- 
other of their active lines is the manu- 
facture and exporting of all kinds of rol- 
lers. 

At one time Oliver S. Kelly was also 
connected with the banking interests of 
Spring-field, and he built the Arcade 
Hotel and Nelson's Commercial College, 
a business block which remains one of the 
finest in Springfield. He was especially 
prominent in the city's public life. In 
1863 he was chosen a member of the city 
council and served in that body for six 
consecutive years. He was one of the 
most zealous promoters of the city's im- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



595 



portant public utilities. Wiien the water- 
works was established here, John H. 
Thomas, George H. Frey and Oliver S. 
Kelly were appointed trustees to inau- 
gurate and put the system in operation. 
In 1887 he was elected mayor of Spring- 
field, by the Republican voters, and dur- 
ing his administration the City Hall was 
built and the City Hospital was completed. 
During this period also the city built the 
esplanade, of which it is justly proud, but 
the beautiful fountain in the vicinity was 
the gift of Mayor Kelly. He subsequent- 
ly served in many civic offices and on 
many business and charitable boards, 
lending his influence to all that was cal- 
(!ulated to advance the public weal, and to 
add to the sum of human happiness in his 
city. While thus occupied and interested, 
up to the close of his life performing' a 
daily round of duties, the great company 
that he had founded was always the ob- 
ject of his first care and most engrossing 
thought. Since his death the same busi- 
ness policy has been continued and its of- 
ficers are all of his name and kindred. 
Its president is Oliver Warren Kelly, its 
vice-president, Edward S. Kelly, and its 
secretary and treasurer, A. L. Kelly, two 
of the above officers being Mr. Kelly's 
surviving sons. 



WILLIAM WRAY, who has been a 
resident of Bethel Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, since 1868, whei'e he has been 
successfully engaged in general farming, 
was born July 4, 1839, on a farm in Frank- 
lin County, Virginia, and is a son of Ed- 
mund and Betsy (Kensey) Wray. 

Edmund Wray and wife were both na- 
tives of VirffinJa. He was a wool carder 



by trade. They had the following chil- 
dren: Joseph, William, Abraham, Ches- 
ley, deceased, Catherine, Margaret, 
Louise, Alice, deceased, George, and Ben- 
jamin. Edmund Wray died about 185.3, 
when still in the prime of life. His widow 
survived him but eleven months. A fam- 
ily of small children were thus left or- 
phans, and necessarily they became sep- 
arated, going to live with different rel- 
atives. Three of the sons were drafted 
into the Southern Army, all of whom de- 
serted. One of these, Chesley, was re- 
captured and eondemnecj to death, but be- 
fore the sentence was carried out was 
taken prisoner by the Union forces and 
imprisoned in New Yoi'k, where his death 
occurred. Since the Civil War the chil- 
dren have become scattered in various 
parts of the country, and two have been 
completely lost trace of.' 

William Wray was fourteen years old 
when his parents died, after which he 
made his home with his uncle, Christopher 
Kensey, a farmer of Virginia, with whom 
he remained until twenty-one years of 
age, when he went to Indiana and worked 
by the month on different farms for about 
two years. He then came to Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and worked for four months on 
John C. Beckner's farm, after which he 
worked for Mr. Stewart several months. 
After his marriage, in December, 1863, 
to Catherine Snyder, a daughter of Feltz 
and Christina Snyder, he rented a small 
farm in Pike Township, Clark County. 
Here Mr. Wray and wife lived in a two- 
room log house, and experienced the 
coldest winter of their lives, the snow 
often blowing in through the cracks of the 
old house. Many times, however, that 
hard winter, they gave shelter and food 



596 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



to soldiers returning from the war, will- 
ingly sharing what little they had, with 
true Virginia hospitality. After living 
for eighteen months on this farm, Mr. 
Wray removed to a better improved farm 
in Pike Township, where he remained one 
year, after which he rented the Stude- 
baker farm in Miami County for two 
years, and in 1868 he bought sixty acres of 
his present farm in Bethel Township, from 
William Gordon. An old log house and 
dther buildmgs were on the land at the 
time of his jjurchase, but have been re- 
placed by more substantial and modern 
buildings. Mr. Wray later added thirty 
acres to his original purchase and his 
farm, which is about five miles west of 
Springfield, is situated on both sides of 
the old Troy road. Mr. Wray has been 
very successful as a general farmer and 
fruit grower, and disposes of his fruit in 
the Springfield market. 

Mrs. Wray passed out of this life Au- 
gust 9, 1906, aged sixty-eight years, the 
mother of nine children, namely: For- 
rest, who is an electrical inventor, lives at 
Boston; Ella, who lives at home; Mary 
E., who is the wife of F. Cooksey; 
Theresa, who married William Prentz, 
has two children, Wilbur and Omer ; Will- 
iam Jason, who married Pearl Brown, 
has one child, Donald; Nora, who is the 
wife of Moses Peterson ; Anna ; and John 
A. and one unnamed child, died infants. 
Religiously Mr. Wray is a member of the 
German Baptist Church, as was his 
father. 



ROBERT H. FOOS, formerly presi- 
dent of the The Foos Manufacturing Com- 
pany, at Springfield, has long been identi- 



fied with the business interests of this 
city, and for almost a quarter of a century 
was connected with the industry men- 
tioned, which was founded by his late 
father. He was born at Springfield, Ohio, 
in 1850, and is a son of Gustavus S. and 
Elizabeth (Houston) Foos. 

Robert H. Foos prepared for college 
in the Springfield schools, and in 1872 was 
graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- 
versity, at Delaware, Ohio. Following his 
university career came a visit to Europe, 
where he not only became proficient in the 
German and French languages, but also 
devoted a large amoimt of attention to the 
study of agricultiaral and industrial con- 
ditions and also to foreig-n methods of do- 
ing business. Upon his return to his na- 
tive city, he became teller of the Second 
National Bank at Springfield, where he 
remained until he joined his father when 
the latter organized The Foos Manu- 
facturing Company, on January 1, 1884. 
This company began business with a cap- 
ital stock of $115,000, with Gustavus Foos 
as president, Robert H. Foos as vice 
president, and William F. Foos as treas- 
urer. On the death of Gustavus S. Foos, 
which occurred July 11. 1900, Robert H. 
Foos became president, and William F. 
Foos vice president and treasurer, the 
brothers thus serving until they sold out 
the business. The Foos Manufacturing 
Company gave employment to 300 men 
and their manufactured product included 
special grinding machinery, scientific 
grinding-mills, portable forges, fanners' 
tools, corn harvesters, com shellers and 
other implements of a like character. 

Since retiring from the above men- 
tioned company, Robert H. Foos has been 
interested in mining and in a number of 



AND BEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



597 



other industries. He is identitied polit- 
ically with the Eepublican partj^, but his 
life is that of a business man and not of 
a politician. He belongs to the Lagonda 
Club, and was the organizer of the Country- 
dub and has been its president from its 
inception. His home is in a beautiful resi- 
dence situated at No. 560 East High 
Street, Springfield. 



JOHN E. HELFRICH, proprietor of 
the Green Lawn Farm, consisting of sixty 
acres of well-improved land, situated in 
German Township, on the Flick Turnpike 
Eoad, about one-half mile west of Law- 
renceville, was born on this farm, Feb- 
ruary 27, 1851. His parents were Mich- 
ael and Anna Barbara (Shafer) Hel- 
frich. 

Michael Helfrich and his wife were 
both bom in Germany, where they mar- 
ried and were the parents of five chil- 
dren when they emigrated to America and 
took up their residence in Clark County. 
For seven years they rented a farm sit- 
uated one-half mile south of Lawrence- 
ville, and then purchased and moved onto 
the farm now owned by their son, John. 
There they lived until the close of their 
lives, the father dying January 26, 1881, 
and the mother in March, 1900. They 
had eight children, five of whom were 
bom in Germany, where two died, the 
other three being born in Clark County, 
Ohio. 

John E. Helfrich secured his education 
in the district schools. He learned prac- 
tical farming rmder his father and has 
always resided on the homestead, where 
he carries on general agriculture. The 
first house on the present farm stood 



back about one-fourth of a mile from the 
road, but in the summer and fall of 1901 
Mr. Helfrich built his present commodi- 
ous residence on the highway and moved 
his barn and other buildings conveniently 
neai'. 

Mr. Helfrich married Emma Ellen 
Meranda, daughter of Jefferson and Mary 
(Dillahunt) Meranda. Mrs. Helfrich was 
born and reared in German Township, 
as was also her father. Her grandfather, 
too, George Meranda, was a pioneer set- 
tler here. After their marriage on March 
29, 1876, Mr. and Mrs. Helfrich settled 
down on their present farm, where they 
have since continued. They have reared 
a happy family of four children, the two 
younger sons, Clarence Michael and John 
Russell, still remaining under the home 
roof. The eldest son, Walter Jetferson, 
married Delia Rust and they live at Law- 
renceville. The second son, Harry Ed- 
gar, married Catherine Xanders, and they 
reside in German Township. In politics, 
Mr. Helfrich is a Democrat. He is a 
member of the Junior Order of American 
Mechanics at Tremont City. 



ADAM WESLEY FERREE, owner 
and operator of Grand View Farm, a 
tract of eighty-one acres, situated about 
six miles north of Springfield on the Ur- 
.bana Turnpike, was born December 31, 
1847, in German Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Peter and Elizabeth 
(Baker) Ferree. 

Peter Ferree was born in York County, 
Pennsylvania, a son of Jacob Ferree, who 
died when his son Peter was about four- 
teen years old. Peter was reared on a 
farm in York County, and when about 



598 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



twenty-two years old came to Ohio and 
located in G-erman Township, Clark 
County, near Lawrenceville, where he and 
his cousin, George Lautz, purchased a 
small farm. Shortly after his marriage 
he removed to Tremont, where he con- 
ducted a hotel for several years. About 
1852 he removed to a farm one mile north 
of Tremont, on the Valley Turnpike, re- 
maining there until 1865, when he re- 
moved to the farm now owned by his son, 
Adam W. Peter Ferree became a ver}^ 
prosperous and well-known farmer, and 
at one time owned three farms, but pre- 
vious to his death he sold two of these, 
one of 114 acres in German Township, 
and another of seventy-six acres, north 
of his son's present home. In 1896 he 
erected the comfortable frame house 
which is on the farm and died here three 
years later. Peter Ferree married Eliz- 
abeth Baker, who was also born in York 
County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1889. 
She came to Clark County, Ohio, when 
fifteen years of age with her parents, Mr. 
and Mrs. Adam Baker, who settled near 
Eagle City, in German Township. There 
were four children born to Peter Ferree 
and wife, namely: Susan, who died, 
aged seventeen years; Adam Wesley; 
Mary, who married Edward Fish, of 
Spring-field, and Annie, who is the wife of 
Paul Grindell, of Springfield. 

Adam W. Ferree was about five years 
old when his parents located on a farm 
north of Tremont, where he was reared 
and was instructed in practical farming. 
Since his marriage he has followed gen- 
eral farming on his present place, known 
as Grand View Farm, and is also exten- 
sively engaged in stock-raising, including 
horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. With the 



exception of three years, during which 
he resided one mile farther north, he has 
spent all of the past thirty-five years on 
his present farm. Mr. Ferree owns, in 
partnership with Edward Holman and 
James Caldwell, a corn husker and 
shredder, which they operate principally 
for themselves. 

Mr. Ferree was married February 10, 
1875, to Ella Brannaman, a daughter of 
Joseph Brannaman, and to this union 
have been born six children, namely: 
Glenna, Carrol, Lizzie, Oram, Anna Belle 
and Royal. Glenna is the widow of 
George C. Neff, who was employed on the 
railroad and was accidentally killed in 
1906. She has two children, Howard and 
Virgil. Carrol is married and is em- 
ployed in an automobile shop -in Dayton, 
Ohio. Lizzie lives at home. Oram, a 
plumber of Springfield, Ohio, is married 
and has two children, Pauline and Clara 
Belle. Mr. Ferree is a member of the 
First Lutheran Church at Springfield. 



WILLIAM F. FOOS, president of the 
Spring-field National Bank, and a leading 
citizen of Springfield, has long been iden- 
tified with large business interests here. 
He was born in Springfield, Ohio, March 
5, 1852, and is a son of the late Gustavus 
S. and Elizabeth (Houston) Foos. For 
many years the late Gustavus S. Foos was 
closely connected with Springfield's busi- 
ness prosperity and was rightly consid- 
ered as a representative citizen. He was 
the founder of The Foos Manufacturing 
Company, with which he continued to be 
associated as its president until his death 
in 1900. 

After graduating at the Ohio Wesleyan 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



599 



University in 1873, William F. Foos be- 
came associated with his father and only 
brother, Robert H. Foos, in building up 
an enterprise which subsequently devel- 
oped into The Foos Manufacturing Com- 
pany. Of this he served as treasurer un- 
til the death of his father, when he also 
assumed the duties of vice president, his 
brother at that time becoming president. 
After a number of years spent in this 
branch of manufacturing, both brothers 
acquired other interests and, in 1905, sold 
out their holdings in the Foos Company. 
The business was one of large propor- 
tions, employment being afforded to some 
300 workmen. William F. Foos was made 
receiver for the Springfield Malleable 
Iron Company. 

Mr. Foos married Mary Stewart, who 
is a daughter of Col. James Stewart, of 
Springfield, and they have two children — 
Elizabeth and Gustavus Stewart. Mr. 
and Mrs. Foos are attendants at the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. They enjoy a 
beautiful home at No. 560 East High 
Street, Springfield. Politically, William 
F. Foos is a Eepublican. He belongs to 
the Lagonda Club, of which he was a char- 
ter member and served as president for 
several years. Mr. Foos and his brother 
have a country residence of 500 acres, 
known as "Twin Oaks Farm," on the 
South Charleston Pike, where he spends 
a good portion of his time. 



JESSE E. GAELOUGH, owner of 
seventy-five and one-half acres of farm 
land in Green Township, comes of one of 
Ohio's old and well-known pioneer fam- 
ilies. He was born on the old home place 
one mile south of Pitchin, Clark County, 



Ohio, February 25, 1869, and is a son of 
James Todd and Sarah Jane (Hause) 
Garloug];!. 

James T. Garlough was born on the 
Jacob Garlough place, north of Pitchin, 
his parents, who were natives of Mary- 
land, having come to Ohio at an early 
period and settled on the farm now owned 
by B. F. Garlough. His parents died on 
this farm and were buried in the old cem- 
etery just across the road from the home 
place. James T. Garlough was one of 
seven sons bom to' his parents and re- 
mained at home until after his marriage 
to Sarah Jane Hause, who was born in 
Virginia and who, when four years old, 
came to Ohio with her parents, who lo- 
cated in the Buff settlement. James T. 
Garlough, who always followed farming, 
died in March, 1904. He is survived by 
his widow and by the following children: 
Mrs. C. F. Stewart, with whom the mother 
of our subject resides; A. T. Garlough; S. 
G. Garlough; Jesse E., the subject of this 
article; W. F. Garlough, and E. C. Gar- 
lough. 

Jesse E. Garlough grew to manhood on 
his father's farm and after attaining his 
majority worked out on various farms for 
five years. Subsequent to his marriage 
he farmed the home place for six years. 
He then purchased and located on his 
present farm, which was previously 
owned by John Otstot, and here he has 
since followed general farming and dairy- 
ing. 

Mr. Garlough was joined in marriage 
with Cora May Hess, a daughter of T. M. 
Hess, who resides on the farm adjoining 
our subject's. Four children have been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Garlough, namely: 
Nellie and Eobert, who are attending 



600 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



school, and Fern and Owen, who are still 
at home. 

In politics, Mr. Garlough is a Eepub- 
lican and served one term as a member of 
the School Board. He is a member of 
the Central Methodist Episcopal Church 
of Springfield. 



GEOEGE W. DAVISSON, whose fine 
farm of one hundred and fifty-nine 
acres is situated in Pleasant Township, 
is one of the representative citizens 
of this section. He was born in 1843, 
near Nation Chapel, Pleasant Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
Lemuel and Susan A. Davisson. 

The Davisson family was established in 
Pleasant Township by the grandparents, 
Isaac and Sarah (Curl) Davisson, who 
came from Pennsylvania to Ohio on horse- 
back, at a time when the present beautiful 
city of Springfield was but a collection of 
log huts. Lemuel Davisson, father of 
George W., was born in Clark County, in 
1811, and died in 1862. His wife was 
born in 1812, and died in 1903. They had 
the following children: Isaac, Elizabeth, 
Elijah, Mary A., George W., Daniel, 
Isaac (2) and Thomas W. Of the above 
family, the two eldest children died in 
infancy. Elijah, born in 1840, is a promi- 
nent citizen of Pleasant Township, where 
he resides as do his three sons, Cliiford, 
Clarence and Harry. Mary A., born in 
1842, married (first) John Hendricks, who 
left one son. Wilbur. She married (sec- 
ond) Eli Adams. Daniel, born in 1845, 
died September 9, 1860. Isaac (2), born 
December 31, 1848, died in 1860. Thomas 
W.,- born in 1851, died in 1902. He was 
married (first) to Lizzie Stipp, who died 



in 1891, and (second) to Mary Stateler. 
Both wives had one child and both died 
in infancy. 

George W. Davisson spent the entire 
period of his life until 1882, on the farm 
on which he was born, coming then to his 
present jolace, which he purchased from 
J. W. Eopp for the sum of .$12,000, and 
here he has made many improvements. 
Mr. Davisson has turned over the larger 
amount of responsibility to his son, who 
carries on a general agricultural line here. 
The property is one of the most valuable 
in this section. 

On October 24, 1865, Mr. Davisson was 
married to Elizabeth J. Jones, who was 
born July 6, 1845, and died March 22, 
1906. She was a daughter of Josiah and 
Sarah (Eopp) Jones. To this marriage 
eight children were born, namely: Ida 
M., Lawrence E., Minnie, Myrta, Lunetta, 
Elmer, Francis W. and Forest 0. Ida M. 
Davisson was born in 1866 and married 
Charles Bumgardner. Their oldest child 
died in infancy, but they have three left, 
Minor, Willard and Evlyn M. Lawrence 
E. Davisson was born May 10, 1869, and 
on December 6, 1893, married Jessie Tar- 
button. They have four children: Ed- 
■w'in, Florence, Eustace and Emily. 
Minnie Davisson was born in 1874 and 
in 1896 was married to Charles W. Eopp. 
They have one son, Eobert. Myrta J., 
who was born March 12, 1876, resides at 
home; Lunetta, who was born March 11, 
1878, also resides at home ; Elmer H., who 
was born November 5, 1879, resides in 
Champaign, Illinois. Francis W. Davis- 
son, who was born September 17, 1882, 
was maried, in 1901, to Millie West and 
they have three children, Marion L.,Phylis 
and Marjorie. Forest 0., residing at 




ELIJAH G. COFFIN 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



603 



home, is an invalid. He was born Novem- 
ber 22, 1885. 

Mr. Davisson has taken an active in- 
terest in public affairs in Pleasant Town- 
ship and has served in the office of road 
supervisor and as a member of the Board 
of Education. He has long been a leading 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Catawba, a class leader and was 
superintendent of the Sunday-school at 
Nation Chapel. He united with the church 
when twelve years old and has been an 
official since 1872. 



ELIJAH GODFEEY COFFIN, a re- 
tired citizen of Springfield, who has been 
identified with this city and its interests 
for the past forty years, was born No- 
vember 27, 1830, in Harmony Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Phi- 
lander Coffin. 

Philander Coffin was born in 1811, in 
Waterbury, Vermont, and in 1818 he ac- 
companied his parents to Clark County, 
Ohio, New England contributing largely 
to the early settlement of this section. 
Philander Coffin lived in Clark County un- 
til 1835, when he moved to Allen County, 
later to Shelby County and, in 1845, to 
Stark County, Indiana, where his death 
took place. 

Elijah G. Coffin worked on the home 
farm in Clark County and attended the 
district schools until he was eighteen 
years of age. He then learned the shoe- 
maker's trade at South Charleston, which 
he followed there for fifteen years, be- 
coming a prominent citizen of the place, 
and serving as justice of the peace and. 
also as mayor. In 1868 he was elected 
sheriff of Clark County and was subse- 



quently re-elected to the same office, serv- 
ing four terms in all. In 1868 he located 
at Spring-field and in 1880, he was elected 
mayor of the city, and served for two 
years with marked efficiency. He was 
then engaged in a real estate business and 
in farming until 1886, when he was ap- 
pointed warden of the Ohio penitentiary 
for four years. In 1896 he was re-ap- 
pointed for four years more. Since the 
expiration of his second term, Mr. Coffin 
has lived retired in some degree, although 
he still is interested in the buying and 
shipping of horses. He is a man of ample 
resources, owning two of Clark County's 
finest farms. His public career was one 
of continued efficiency and his record is 
that of an honest, faithful and thoroughly 
capable public servant. 

In 1852, Mr. Coffin was married to Mary 
Haley, who was born and reared in Ire- 
land. They have three surviving chil- 
dren, namley: Olive, who is the wife of 
James J. Kinnane, of Kinnane Brothers; 
Florence, who is the wife of W. A. Bid- 
die, of Springfield ; and Cora, who resides 
at home. For more than fifty years Mr. 
Coffin has been a member of the Masonic 
fraternity. 



CHARLES H. PIERCE, president of 
the Springfield Building and Loan Asso- 
ciation, has been a resident of Springfield 
for a period of fifty-one years, having 
come here in 1857 from Massachusetts, 
where he was born in 1840. 

Mr. Pierce was reared and educated in 
Massachusetts and at the age of seven- 
teen came to Springfield and was for some 
time engaged as a clerk in a grocery store, 
later entering the employ of E. A. Neff, a 



604 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



news dealer. In 1862 he bought the busi- 
ness from Mr. Neff and conducted the 
same in the lobby of the postoffice for a 
time, later moving to King's Corner, now 
known as Main and Limestone Streets. 
In the summer of 1863, having employed 
a man to conduct the business for him, 
on July 4 he enlisted in Company C, One 
Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment. 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mus- 
tered into service at Cleveland for a serv- 
ice of six months. He was with the com- 
pany on the march through Kentucky and 
Tennessee to Cumberland Gap, partici- 
pating in the siege and capture of same, 
after which the company was attached to 
the Army of the Cumberland and were 
also participants in the siege of Knox- 
ville, Tennessee, after which Mr. Pierce 
returned to Cleveland, where he was mus- 
tered out, after an absence of nine 
months. Upon his return to Springfield, 
Mr. Pierce again took charge of his news 
stand for some time, later buying out 
Gillette Brothers News and Book Store, 
which he operated for many years, and 
which has ever since been known as the 
Pierce Book Store, being now under the 
management of his son. 

In 1885 Mr. Pierce, with other enter- 
prising citizens of Springfield, was instru- 
mental in organizing the Spring-field 
Building and Loan Association, of which 
for the past twenty years he has been 
president. He is also a director in the 
Lagonda National Bank. Mr. Pierce is a 
man of great business ability, judgment 
and integrity and has settled numerous 
estates as administrator and guardian. 

Mr. Pierce was joined in marriage in 
1864 to Maria T. French and they have 
three children: Walter, who is engaged 



in journalism; Roscoe, who operates the 
Pierce Book Store; and Bertha F., who 
IS the wife of Frank Sawyer, a partner 
with Roscoe Pierce in the Pierce Book 
Store. 

Mr. Pierce has served as a member of 
the city council, is a member of the Mitch- 
ell Post, G. A. R., and is an attendant at 
the Congregational Church. In politics, 
Mr. Pierce is a Republican. 



CYRUS SHEIRICH HELMAN, a 
prosperous farmer of Pike Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, residing on a farm 
of thirty-three acres, located about ten 
miles west of Springfield on the north 
side of the Valley Pike, was born Decem- 
ber 30, 1847, in Lancaster County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of John and Mary 
(Sheirich) Helman, and a grandson of 
John Helman, who followed farming 
throughout his life in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and died there at an ad- 
vanced age. 

John Helman, father of Cyrus H., was 
born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
and was one of seven children born to his 
parents, all of whom are deceased, except 
David, who is still a resident of Lancaster 
County. John Helman was a weaver by 
trade and followed his occupation the 
greater part of his life. His death oc- 
curred in Pennsylvania, at the age of 
seventy-one years, and his widow died at 
the age of seventy-five years. He mar- 
ried Mary Sheirich, a native of Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of 
Jacob Sheirich, who was both a farmer 
and tailor. They had nine children, 
namely: Catherine, wife of Benjamin 
Minick; Elizabeth, widow of M. Steffey; 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



605 



Henry, deceased ; Jacob, deceased ; Susan, 
wife of A. Kauffman; John; George; 
Mary, deceased, was the wife of P. Kag- 
ereise; and Cyrus S. 

Cyrus S. Helman grew to man's estate 
on his father 's farm in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and previous to coming to 
Ohio engaged for a short time in grist 
milling. At the age of twenty-two, in 
company with Tobias and Jacob Crider, 
he came to Ohio and located at Dayton, 
where for six months he drove one of the 
first horse street cars of that city. From 
there he came to Medway, Clark County, 
and worked for two years for Henry Har- 
nish, who later became his brother-in-law, 
and was the owner of the farm adjoining 
Mr. Helman 's present one, ajid then spent 
one year following painting for Amos 
Harnish. On January 23, 1873, he mar- 
ried Emma Harnish, a native of Bethel 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, and a 
daughter of Rev. John and Esther (Bow- 
man) Harnish. Eev. Harnish, a native of 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, fol- 
lowed farming some y^ears in his native 
community and was ordained a minister 
of the Mennonite Church. In 1840 he 
brought his wife and family to Ohio and 
settled in the woods of Bethel Town- 
ship, near Medway, where the family sub- 
sequently became quite prominent, and 
owned a large tract of land. Mr. Harnish 
was one of the first to establish a Men- 
nonite Church in this vicinity and during 
his pastorate here extended a powerful 
influence for good. Eev. Harnish mar- 
ried Esther Bowman, also a native of 
Pennsylvania, and to them were born the 
following children: Henry, deceased; 
Mary, married Jacob Neff, both deceased ; 
Esther, wife of J. M. Zeller; John, de- 



ceased; Anna, married Levi Kauffman; 
Amos, a resident of Dayton, Ohio, and 
Emma. The sons all served in the Civil 
War and were stationed at the Block 
House settlement in the Cumberland Val- 
ley. Three children have been born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Helman, namely: Henry, 
a resident of Osborn, married Estella 
Weinland ; Mary, who is the wife of Ed- 
gar McDonald, lives near her father ; and 
John, who is unmarried, lives at home. 

Mr. Helman does general farming and 
also grows three acres of tobacco each 
year. He has made many improvements 
on the place, which is part of the old Har- 
nish home property, having erected sub- 
stantial buildings and planted two rows 
of shade trees along the drive to the 
house, adding much to its tasteful ap- 
pearance. Mr. Helman and wife are both 
members of the Reformed Mennonite 
Church, in which he is deacon and of 
which he has been a member for twenty 
years. 



JOHN GERMAN, owner of a fine farm 
of one hundred and eighty- two acres, 
situated about seven miles northwest 
of Springfield on the Clark and 
Miami Pike, has been a resident of Ger- 
man Township since the spring of 1897, 
having purchased the land in the fall of 
1896. He was bom September 22, 1864, 
in Springfield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Peter and Margaret 
(Geron) German. 

Peter German was born and reared in 
Germany and at the age of sixteen came 
to America with his brother Balse. They 
first located in Pittsburg, where they re- 
mained for one year, then came to Clark 



606 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



County, Ohio, and worked for some time 
on a farm, subsequently buying a farm of 
ninety-four acres in Springfield Town- 
ship on the National Pike, where Peter 
G-erman and his wife both passed the re- 
mainder of their days. The latter, in 
maidenhood Margaret Geron, was also a 
native of Germany who came to this coun- 
try after reaching womanhood. 

John German was reared in Springtield 
Township and has always followed farm- 
ing, also operating a dairy until he came 
to his present farm. Here he has been 
engaged in general agriculture since 1897 
and also sells milk to the Pure Milk Com- 
pany of Springfield, keeping about six- 
teen cows. He is also extensively en- 
gaged in raising horses, making a spe- 
cialty of the Belgian breed, and is a mem- 
ber of the Christianburg Horse Protective 
Association. Mr. German has made nu- 
merous improvements on his farm, having 
erected a fine seven-room frame house in 
the fall of 1902. He has also made an ad- 
dition to his barn, which is now 114 by 
36 feet in dimensions. 

Mr. German was married in 1888 to 
MoUie EUinger, who died three years 
later, leaving no children. His second 
marriage was with Mary Rader, a daugh- 
ter of Philip Rader, and to them have 
been born five children — Henry, Mar- 
garet, Balse, Minnie and Helen. Mr. 
Gei-man belongs to the Knights of Pythias 
at Springfield. 



WILLIAM M. YEAZELL, one of 
Springfield's most esteemed retired citi- 
zens, residing in a pleasant and comfort- 
able home at No. 905 East High Street, 
was one of Moorefield's successful farm- 



ers and stock dealers for many years. He 
was born in Moorefield Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, June 24, 1835, and is a son 
of William and Eliza (Foley) Yeazell. 

The Yeazell family originated in Ger- 
many and the characteristics of the fam- 
ily have been those which mark that 
sturdy race. The first of this family to 
settle in Clark County was Abraham 
Yeazell, the grandfather, who came to 
Moorefield Township from Virginia. 
William Yeazell, father of William M., 
was born in Virginia, and he accompanied 
his parents to this section, where he spent 
a long and useful life which he mainly 
devoted to agricultural pursuits. He died 
in 1862, at the age of sixty-one years. He 
married Eliza Foley, whose death took 
place in March, 1881. They were most 
worthy people, members of the Presby- 
terian Church, kind, helpful and efficient 
m every relation of life. They had eight 
children born to them, William M. being 
the fourth in the order of birth. 

William M. Yeazell was educated in the 
district schools of Moorefield Township 
and in the Spring-field High School. He 
was about twenty years of age when he 
began to assume many of the duties per- 
taining to the management of his father's 
large property, and after Ms father's 
death he acquired the farm which he con- 
tinued to operate, together with consider- 
able activity in buying and selling stock, 
until 1871, when he retired with his wife 
to Springfield. He still retains his val- 
uable farm of over 200 acres in Moorefield 
Township and he has also a large body of 
land in Illinois. Mr. Yeazell belongs to 
that class of citizens who, after setting an 
example of useful industry for many 
years, in their ripening age retire from 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



607 



the active field, leaving further effort to 
those who, younger, may profit by their 
example and learn of their wisdom. 

On December 11, 1866, Mr. Yeazell was 
married to Anna E. Clark, who was born 
in Moorefield Township and is a daugh- 
ter of John D. and Susan (Foley) Clark. 
John D. Clark was born in 1805 and from 
boyhood lived in Moorefield Township, 
where he died in May, 1886, aged eighty- 
one years. The mother of Mrs. Yeazell 
died in 1876. Both the parents of Mr. 
and Mrs. Yeazell rest in the quiet shades 
'of Springfield's beautiful Ferncliff cem- 
etery. Of their four children, Mrs. Yeaz- 
ell was the youngest Tjorn and the only 
surviving daughter. She is a consistent 
member of the Presbyterian Church at 
Spring-field, which Mr. Yeazell also at- 
tends, taking a practical interest in its ' 
various benevolent agencies. In his polit- 
ical preference he is a Republican. 



LEWIS SKILLINGS, a prominent 
farmer of Clark County, Ohio, is the 
owner of three hundred acres of land 
there, one hundred and twenty-five acres 
forming the home place in Green Town- 
ship, while the remainder is located in 
Springfield Township. He was born in 
the house on the farm now owned by his 
brother Eben, on July 24, 1831, and is a 
son of Lewis, Sr., and Anna (Craig) 
Skillings. 

Lewis Skillings, Sr., was born in Maine, 
where he lived until he was twenty-two 
years old, then left home and came to 
Ohio, where he spent the rest of a long 
life. He first located in Cincinnati, where 
he worked on the river for some years, 
and by hard work and careful saving, ac- 



cumulating a sum sufficient to give him a 
start, then came on to Clark County, and 
bought a farm in Green Township. This 
first farm is now owned by a grandson, 
and the one he later bought his son Eben 
now lives on, and a part of it is owned by 
Lewis Skillings. There he lived until 
his death at a good old age. He mar- 
ried Anna Craig, who came from along 
Onion River, in Connecticut, and they 
were parents of four sons and three 
daughters. 

Lewis Skillings was born on the old 
home place and received his educational 
training in the district schools. He lived 
on the home farm and followed farming 
until he was twenty-five years old, when 
he purchased his present place for $30 per 
acre. This price was considered enor- 
mous at that time, and there were some 
who thought his bargain a poor one. 
Time has justified him in his purchase, 
and today his farm is considered one of 
the most valuable in this vicinity. He 
has given his exclusive attention to farm- 
ing and has met with success. 

Mr. Skillings was united in marriage 
December 13, 1855, with Miss Martha 
Hammond, who was one of eleven chil- 
dren born to Calvin and Laura (Bennett) 
Hammond, of Vienna, Ohio. They are 
parents of seven children: Fremont, de- 
ceased; Quincy, deceased; Laura, who 
lives at home with her parents; Rolley; 
Autice; Carrie; and Nora, deceased. De- 
cember 13, 1905, Mr. and Mrs. Skil- 
lings celebrated their golden wedding 
anniversary at their home, when one hun- 
dred and ten of their friends were pres- 
ent to congratulate them and fittingly ob- 
serve so uncommon an event. Although 
work, and hard work at that, has formed 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



a large part of their lives, Mr. and Mrs. 
Skillings have not shut out the pleasures 
of life, a fact to which may be attributed 
much of the happiness of their long union. 
In 1902 they made a trip back to the home 
of his ancestors in Maine, going over the 
ground where they had lived and toiled, 
and viewing the grave of his grandfather, 
who had been buried just one hundred 
years before. However he was not favor- 
ably impressed with Maine as a farming 
or stock-growing state. Mr. Skillings is 
a Republican in politics and served for 
a time as school director, although he 
never desired public office. He is a mem- 
ber of the Baptist Church. 



mand, in the southern part of the islands, 
during the time the treaty was made with 
Chief Sulu. He participated in numerous 
skirmishes, but was never injured and in 
July, 1901, he returned to Spring-field. In 
a short time he was made deputy county 
surveyor of Clark County, and two years 
later, in 1903, he became assistant city en- 
gineer at Spring-field, an office he filled 
for five years, following which came his 
appointment as city engineer on January 
1, 1908. 

Mr. Bahin is a member of St. Raphael's 
Catholic Church. He belongs to the 
Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order 
of Hibernians and the Eagles. 



MICHAEL J. BAHIN, city engineer of 
Springfield, was born in this city, in Jan- 
uary, 1876, and is a son of Cornelius 
Bahin, a native of Ireland, who came to 
Springfield in 1857. 

Mr. Bahin has had thorough training 
and much experience in his profession. 
In 1897 he was graduated from the civil 
engineering department of the Ohio State 
University. In the following year he 
went into the Spanish-American War, go- 
ing as second lieutenant of Company B, 
Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, and was stationed in the various 
camps through the South until the issues 
of the struggle had been settled and the 
soldiers had an opportunity to return to 
their homes. He was mustered out Oc- 
tober 28, 1898. In June, 1899, Mr. Bahin 
enlisted in Company K, Thirty -first Regi- 
ment, United States Regulars, which was 
almost immediately sent to the Philippine 
Islands. During his two years of service 
there he was with General Bates' com- 



CAPTAIN ALEXANDER McCON- 
KEY, a prominent citizen of New Moore- 
field and a veteran of the Civil War, has 
been a resident of Clark County, Ohio, 
through nearly the entire length of his 
long career. He was born in Pleasant 
Township, December 5, 1832, and is a son 
of Daniel and Matilda (Neer) McConkey, 
and grandson of Archibald McConkey. 

Archibald McConkey, the grandfather, 
was born in Belfast, Ireland, and came 
to America, settling in Kentucky, where 
he lived until some years after his mar- 
riage. In May, 1805, he came to Clark 
County, ' Ohio, and settled in Pleasant 
Township, then practically a wilderness, 
where he purchased 300 acres of land, 
paying $1.25 per acre. Indians, some- 
times hostile ones, were common there 
at that time, and wild game abounded. 
The family erected a cabin in the woods 
and set about clearing the land and plac- 
ing it in tillable shape. The father lived 
there until his death. 





1 



/^^' 



>^^ 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



611 



Daniel McConkey was bom in Kentucky 
and was about six months old when 
brought by his parents to Clark County, 
and here he was reared. He married 
Matilda Neer and they became parents of 
eleven children, namely: Nathan M., 
who was captain of Company G, Ninety- 
fourth Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, during the Civil War; Hiram, who 
was orderly sergeant in the same com- 
pany and regiment; Enos, who was a 
wagon-master in the Eighth Regiment of 
Ohio Cavalry ; Alexander ; Archibald, who 
died before the Civil War; Mary Ann 
(Ellsworth) ; Sarah Jane (Runyan) ; Mar- 
garet E. (Baldwin); Nancy E. ; Lucinda 
C. ; and one who died unnamed. 

Alexander McConkey was reared on the 
old home place, and was one of a large and 
happy family, of which he is the sole sur- 
vivor. He attended the district schools 
and assisted in farm work, with his broth- 
ers. On September 14, 1861, he enlisted 
as a private in Company F, Forty-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 
was subsequently promoted to the rank 
of sergeant, serving as such until the end 
of his first term of enlistment. The com- 
pany was veteranized and was returned 
to service as a company in the Eighth 
Ohio Cavalry, in which Sergeant McCon- 
key was first commissioned second lieu- 
tenant, and later, first lieutenant. In 
June, 1865, Lieutenant McConkey ten- 
dered his resignation to the War Depart- 
ment, and with its acceptance he received 
a commission as captain as a reward for 
faithful service. Although he never 
served in this capacity, it was gratifying 
to have his soldierly qualities so recog- 
nized, and he left the army as Captain 
McConkey. He participated in some of 



the most important engagements of the 
war, chiefly those in West Virginia and 
Eastern Tennessee. Upon returning from 
the army he again located at his old home 
at Catawba and resumed farming, which 
has been his life work. He has lived in 
Clark County ever since, except for two 
years spent on a farm in Goshen Town- 
ship, Champaign County. In 1900 he sold 
his farm property and moved to New 
Moorefield, his present home. He is now 
serving his sixth successive term as asses- 
sor of the east district. 

In 1857, Captain McConkey was joined 
in marriage with Emeline Cartmell, a 
daughter of Thomas J. Cartmell, and they 
became parents of two children, Emma 
and Gilbert, the latter of whom died at 
the age of nine years. Emma, who is the 
widow of S. J. Wilkerson, has four chil- 
dren: Nellie C, wife of Frank S. Wade; 
Charles Mack; Florence Goode, wife of 
George Fay; and Howard. Mrs. Mc- 
Conkey died in October, 1901. Captain 
McConkey is a member of the Methodist 
Protestant Church at Catawba, and was a 
class leader until his removal from there. 
His brother, Nathan M., his father and his 
grandfather, had in turn served the church 
as class leaders. He is a member of N. 
M. McConkey Post, G. A. R., at Catawba, 
which was named in honor of his brother. 
Captain Nathan M. McConkey. 



HON. AMAZIAH WINGER, who un- 
til his recent death, August 14, 1907, was 
a prominent retired citizen of Springfield, 
and formerly superintendent of the Su- 
perior Drill Company, Springfield, was 
identified with the business interests of 
this city during the whole period of his 



612 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



mature life. Mr. Winger was boru Sep- 
tember 13, 1835, in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and was a son of Jacob and 
Catherine (Trout) Winger. 

In 1837 the parents of Mr. Winger came 
to Springfield, where the father followed 
the trade of carpenter and builder for 
many years. He died in this city in 1886. 
and was survived by his widow for four 
years. All of their ten children, with the 
exception of a daughter who died in in- 
fancy, and Amaziah, subject of this mem- 
oir, were born in Springfield. The sur- 
vivors now are, Mrs. Catherine Ramsay, 
Mrs. John A. Sites, Greorge W., and John 
M. Three of the sons, Amaziah, Heze- 
kiah and George, served in the Civil War. 

Amaziah Winger acquired his educa- 
tion in thp public schools of Springfield 
and began to earn his own support as an 
employe in a lumber yard, where he re- 
ceived the training that prepared him to 
enter into the lumber business for him- 
self. In 1858 he became a member of the 
lumber manufacturing and jobbing firm of 
Simpson, Yarnell and Company, and so 
continued in business until 1862, when he 
entered the Union Army. He enlisted in 
Company A, Ninety-fourth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, from which lie 
was honorably discharged in June, 1865. 
Although he took part in a number of the 
most important battles of the war and en- 
dured innumerable hardships, he was 
never wounded and never so incapacitated 
that he was unable to be at the post of 
duty. He faced the enemy on many fields, 
including Perryville, Stone River and 
Chickamauga, and was in both the At- 
lantic and Carolina campaigns. 

When Mr. Winger returned from Ms 
army service to Springfield, he re-entered 



the lumber business as junior member of 
the firm of HajTvard and Winger. In 
1885 Mr. Winger became superintendent 
of the Superior Drill Company, which 
conducts one of the most important in- 
dustries of this city. He was a member 
of the Springfield Board of Trade, a di- 
rector of the Spring-field Savings Bank, 
and had been identified with numerous 
business combinations of high commercial 
standing. His death deprived the com- 
munity of one of its most worthy and 
honored citizens. 

Mr. Winger was married, first, to Mary 
Crothers, who died in 1872, leaving two 
daughters, Frances and Laura. He was 
married, secondly, in 1876 to Mrs. Mary 
(Barr) Toi'bert, who was born at Leb- 
anon, Ohio, and is a daughter of Amos 
Barr, formerly of Spring-field and Cincin- 
nati. Mrs. Winger's mother was Martha 
H. Smith before marriage. Mrs. Winger 
is very prominent in charitable and phil- 
anthropic work and is a member of the 
board of managers of both the Clark Me- 
morial Home and of the Young Women's 
Christian Association in this city. She 
has a very attractive home at No. 733 
South Limestone Street. 

Politically, Mr. Winger was affiliated 
-with the Republican party, and served on 
the city council. Both he and his wife 
were members of the Presbyterian 
Church, of which he was deacon and 
trustee. Fraternally, he was a Mason 
and belonged to Clark Lodge No. 101, F 
& A. M. ; Spring-field Chapter, R. A. M. ; 
Springfield Council, R. & S. M.; and Pal- 
estine Commandery, K. T. He belonged 
also to Mitchell Post No. 45, G-rand Army 
of the Republic, and to the Commandery 
of the Loyal Legion of Ohio. Like his 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



613 



wife, Mr. "Winger was deeply interested 
in philanthropic work and he was liberal 
in giving support to the Clark Memorial 
Home, the Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation and to other benevolent objects 
and enterprises. 



WILLIAM HARDMAN, owner of two 
hundred and sixty-seven acres of valuable 
farming land, situated in Pleasant Town- 
ship, on the London and Urbana Eoad, 
three miles south of Catawba, was born 
in Clark County, Ohio, February 28, 
1831, and is a son of Jonathan and Mary 
(Arbogast) Hardman. 

Philip Hardman, the great-grandfather 
of William, was born on the River Rhine, 
in Germany, and came to America, ex- 
pecting to sell himself to an employer, in 
order to repay the sum of $35, which had 
been advanced for his passage. He was 
bought in the port of New York by a resi- 
dent of New Jersey, and worked five 
months for his purchaser. This was no 
unusual transaction at that time. He sub- 
sequently made his way to Virginia, and 
at Clarksburg, in that state, his son Peter 
was born. 

Peter Hardman learned the trade of 
gunsmith. He was twice married, his 
first wife being a Miss Hacker and his 
second wife, a Mrs. Edge, a widow. From 
Clarksburg, Virginia, Peter Hardman 
and wife came to Ohio, in 1803, and set- 
tled about one mile south of Osborn, 
Greene County. There was a law that 
prevailed at that time that some improve- 
ment had to be made on land in order to 
hold it. and after Peter Hardman had 
paid the sum of $1.25 an acre to the Gov- 
ernment, he borrowed an ax, cut down a 



small tree, split it into rails and stood 
them over a stump, this being the sum of 
his improvements, but sufficient to pro- 
tect his property. He then returned to 
Virginia, where he followed his trade for 
two years longer and then came back and 
settled on his land, on which he passed 
the remainder of his life. He was ac- 
companied by his first wife, who lived to 
the age of about fifty years. When she 
was a girl of twelve years she was scalped 
by the Indians at the time all the other 
members of her family were killed, and 
she was left supposed to be dead. She 
finally recovered and lived to become the 
mother of ten children. There were three 
children born to Peter Hardman 's second 
marriage : Peter, William E. and Jane. 

Jonathan Hardman, father of William, 
was born at Clarksburg, Virginia, in 1803, 
and spent the remainder of his life in 
Ohio, dying at London, Madison County, 
in 1876. He married Mary Arbogast, 
who was born in Clark County, and was 
a daughter of Peter and Sarah Arbogast. 
They had nine children, namely: Sarah, 
who died in 1863; Peter, who married 
Lucia Lauman, of Chillicothe, was a sol- 
dier and died after being brought home 
from Harper's Ferry; Otho, who married 
Eliza Weaver, of Madison County, has 
had five children; William; Henderson, 
who died unmarried at the age of twenty- 
two years; Mary, who also died unmar- 
ried at the age of twenty-two years; 
Charlotte Ann, who died aged three 
weeks; Martha, deceased, who married 
John Sayers, now a resident of Iowa, but 
formerly of Logan County, Ohio, left two 
children; and Wesley, who resides at 
Cable, Champaign County, Ohio, where he 
operates several grain elevators. He 



614 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



married Minnie Walk, who died in a hos- 
pital at Colmnbns, in 1904. She left no 
children. 

William Hardman was reared on the 
home farm and attended the country 
schools when he could spare the time. He 
assisted his brothers in clearing and cul- 
tivating the farm and later, becoming in- 
terested in growing sheep, he went into 
partnership with J. R. Ware, of Mech- 
aniesburg, following this business until 
1863, when he became a member of the 
One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for serv- 
ice in the Civil War. He was with his 
company in camp at Urbana, when he re- 
ceived a note from his partner which 
asked him to turn over his gun to the mes- 
senger, a man by the name of Thomas 
Cartmell, as the latter was willing to take 
his place and was an unmarried man. Mr. 
Ware knew that Mr. Hardman 's absence 
from the sheep farm would be a sad loss 
to their business, and as soon as Mr. 
Hardman recognized this fact, he made 
arrangements by which he could turn over 
to Mr. Cartmell his equipments, after 
which he returned home. 

On October 29, 1856, Mr. Hardman was 
married to Margaret Ellen Bireley, who 
was born March 11, 1838, in Maryland, 
and is a daughter of Lewis and Sarah 
Bireley. They came to Clark County in 
1839 and settled for a short time in 
Springfield Township, and in 1840 came 
to Pleasant Township, where they lived 
during the remainder of their lives. They 
had nine children, namely: Philip W., 
who was born February 15, 1826, died No- 
vember 3, 1903; Rebecca, who was born 
September 16, 1827 ; Lewis, who was born 
September 28, 1831 ; Charlotte Catherine, 



who was born November 14, 1833 ; Eliza- 
beth Ann, who was born December 7. 
1835 ; Margaret Ellen, who is Mrs. Hard- 
man; Sarah Jane, who was born May 23, 
1841, died August 20, 1907, at Danville, 
Illinois; Eliza Henrietta, who was born 
May 24, 1842 ; and Henry Clay, who was 
born February 10, 1846, there having 
been but two deaths in this family. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hardman have four chil- 
dren, namely: Minor, Belle, Eddie and 
Ella, the latter being twins. Minor 
Hardman was reared in Pleasant Town- 
ship and in 1886 he married Hattie Run- 
yan, who is a daughter of Thomas W. 
and Phebe Rimyan, and they have three 
children : Omer, born November 19, 1882 ; 
Anna, born in December, 1893, and Ralph, 
born December 25, 1895. Belle Hard- 
man, who was born August 8, 1867, 
married Milton Stipp, who is an extensive 
farmer and stockman, owning two hun- 
dred and fifty acres in Champaign County. 
They have one daughter, Essie Catherine, 
who was born January 3, 1891. Eddie 
and Ella Hardman were born May 25, 
1877. The former was married Novem- 
ber 28, 1906, to Effie Marsh, of Madison 
County. They have a son, William 
Marsh, born May 10, 1908. The daughter 
was married April 7, 1898, to P. M. Wil- 
son, who conducts a store at Brighton, 
Clark County, and they have three sons, 
William W., bora October 12, 1900; Paul 
W., born December 31, 1902; and Orrin 
H., born August 12, 1905. 

On October 29, 1906, Mr. and Mrs. 
Hardman enjoyed the celebration of their 
golden wedding anniversary and it was an 
occasion that will long be remembered by 
all who were permitted to participate in 
it. Friends and relatives were in attend- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



615 



ance from Madison, Clark a^d Champaign 
Counties and also from Columbus, num- 
bering four children, seven grandchildren 
and eighty-eight other relatives and near 
friends, many of whom had never before 
found an opportunity of becoming ac- 
quainted. With their expressions of in- 
terest, good-will and affection, they each 
brought an appropriate present, which 
serves to recall the givers to Mr. and Mrs. 
Hardman every day of their lives. The 
banquet, of which ninety-five guests par- 
took, was probably the most elaborate one 
ever served in Pleasant Township. Two 
presents which are highly prized are ad- 
mirable pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Hard- 
man, the first having been taken fifty 
years before this anniversary, and the 
second, about this period. 

Although Mr. Hardman has reached his 
seventy-seventh birthday, he still takes an 
active interest in his farm and looks care- 
fully after his valuable Delaine sheep. In 
politics he is a Eepublican and has served 
three terms on that ticket as township 
trustee. Mr. Hardman was reared in the 
faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
but his religious views at present are in 
accordance with those of the Universalist 
Church. 



0. C. CLAEKE, secretary and treasurer 
of the Springfield Abstract Company, has 
spent his entire life up to date in the City 
of Springfield, with the exception of a 
few years spent in Kansas and Missouri. 
A native of this city, he is a son of Charles 
E. and Mary C. (Christie) Clarke, who 
were bom respectively in Decatur, Ga., 
and Springfield, Ohio. Charles E. Clarke, 
the father, came to Springfield when a 



child of six or seven years, and here grew 
to manhood. He began business life in 
Dayton, Ohio, where he engaged in book 
publishing. Thence he went subsequently 
to Minnesota, where he was interested in 
real estate operations for a short time. 
At the end of that period, or about the 
commencement of the Civil War, he re- 
turned to Springfield. He next went to 
Missouri, where in 1862 he became a mem- 
ber of the State Militia, entering with the 
rank of captain and being later promoted 
to that of major. He resigned his com- 
mission in December, 1864, and again re- 
turned to Springfield. Here he remained 
but a short time, when he again took up 
his residence in Missouri, entering into 
the lumber business at Independence, of 
which place he was a resident for about 
five years. He then engaged in the real 
estate business at Fort Scott, Kansas, and 
was thus occupied for three years. While 
there his health failed and he once more 
returned to Springfield, Ohio, where he 
died March 12, 1876. 

His wife, Mary, was a daughter of 
James S. and Laura (Beardsley) Chris- 
tie, natives of New Hampshire and New 
York, respectively, who were married at 
Springfield, Ohio, in 1824, where they re- 
sided continuously until their decease, in 
1884 and 1888, respectively. Mr. Christie, 
who was by trade a carpenter, engaged 
here in contracting and building, and also 
conducted a saw and planing-mill for a 
number of years. He and his wife were 
the parents of five children, who attained 
maturity, namely: Sarah, Mary, Ed- 
ward, Harlan and James. All are now 
deceased, with the exception of Mary and 
Harlan. The father was a Eepublican 
politically, and a member of the Presby- 



616 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



terian Church, being an elder for over 
fifty years of the First Presbyterian 
Church in Springfield. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Clarke had two 
children, Frances and Oliver C, the last 
mentioned being the subject of the pres- 
ent article. Mr. Clarke was a Democrat. 
His wife was a member of the First Pres- 
byterian Church, Springfield. 

Oliver C. Clarke acquired his elemen- 
tary education in the Springfield schools, 
and later became a student at Witten- 
berg College, from which he was duly 
graduated. He then began business life, 
entering the office of the Springfield Ma- 
chine Company, in the employ of which 
concern he remained for some ten years. 
In 1895 he became interested in the ab- 
stract business, and subsequently organ- 
ized, with others, the Springfield Abstract 
Company, which was incorporated, and of 
which Mr. Clarke has since been secretary 
and treasurer. He has also other busi- 
ness interests in Clark County, and is a 
member of the board of directors of the 
Merchants and Mechanics Savings and 
Loan Association. He takes no active in- 
terest in politics. Religiously he is con- 
nected by membership with the First 
Presbyterian Church, Springfield. 



GOLD WAITHE ZINN, one of the 
trustees of Pike Township, who is en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-rais- 
ing on the Robert Black farm of two hun- 
dred acres, is one of the progressive 
young agriculturists of this section. He 
was born on the family homestead in Pike 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, February 
26, 1874, and is a son of Peter S. and 
Elzina (Smith) Zinn, and a grandson of 



David Zinn, who was one of the early set- 
tlers of Clark County and a native of 
Pennsylvania. 

Peter Zinn was born in 1841, in 
Clark County, Ohio, one of a family of 
seven children, David, Aaron, Edward, 
Richard, William, Peter, Sarah (Mrs. 
John Freeze), and Mrs. C. Smith. Peter 
Zinn grew to manhood on the farm and 
assisted his father in clearing the land. 
He later operated a stone quarry for 
about fifteen years, and furnished a great 
deal of the stone used in the bridges, turn- 
pikes, culverts, etc., in this part of the 
coimty. He is a substantial citizen, own- 
ing two fine farms in Pike Township and 
resides on one of them. He was united 
in marriage with Elzina Smith, who was 
bom and reared in Pike Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Peter 
Smith, who came here from Pennsylvania. 
Nine children were born to Peter and El- 
zina Zinn : Jennie, wife of James Grreen ; 
Willard; Etta, wife of John Funderburg; 
Ella, wife of Clark Overholtzer; G. 
Waithe; Lydia, wife of Clyde Leathly; 
Warren K.; Everett; and Ivy, wife of 
Charles Byres. 

G. Waithe Zinn was reared in his na- 
tive section and in youth spent much 
of his time at work in his father's stone 
quarry. He remained at home until his 
majority, after which he worked out by 
the day for several years. After his mar- 
riage he conducted the home fai-m for two 
years, then rented the Black farm of two 
hundred acres in Pike Township, and 
since then has successfully engaged there 
in general farming and stock-raising. 

Mr. Zinn was married August 22, 1897, 
in Bethel Township, to Mary Emmeline 
Hunt, who was born at Mt. Rose, Mercer 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



617 



County, New Jersey, and when a child of 
three years was brought to Clark County 
by her parents, John and Laura (Eeed) 
Hunt, who live on a farm near Mr. and 
Mrs. Zinn. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are the 
parents of nine children, Mary E., Jennie, 
Ida May, lira Ann, Theodore, Walter, 
Delia (deceased), Nellie, and John. 

Four children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Zinn, Edgar Bryan, Raymond, 
Schuyler, and Eva Theresa. 

In politics Mr. Zinn is a Democrat and 
was elected trustee of Pike Township in 
1907. Fraternally, he is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias, belonging to White 
Star Lodge No. 192, of Northampton, and 
the Jr. 0. U. A. M., No. 195, of New Car- 
lisle. 



CHARLES H. HISER, superintendent 
of the Springfield Metallic Casket Com- 
pany, with business quarters on the cor- 
ner of Columbia and Center Streets, 
Springfield, was bom at Wooster, Wayne 
County, Ohio, October 2, 1861, and is a 
son of Daniel B. and a grandson of Henry 
Hiser. 

Henry Hiser was a manufacturer and 
inventor and his son, Daniel B., came nat- 
urally by his remarkable inventive talents. 
The latter invented the metallic casket 
that is now manufactured by the Spring- 
field Company. This business was started 
on a small scale, but it has so expanded 
that now it is one of the most important 
of its kind in the country. 

Charles H. Hiser obtained his educa- 
tion in his native locality. When he was 
fourteen years of age he went to work in 
a planing mill for a short time and then 
entered a tin ship, where he worked for 



two years. The family then moved to 
Orrville, Ohio, and he was employed for 
three years thereafter in the works of the 
Orrville Burial Case Company, subse- 
quently returning to Wooster and enter- 
ing the employ of the Wooster Burial 
Company. He had been with the latter 
company for four years, when his father 
started the present business at Spring- 
field with which he has been identified 
ever since, for the past fifteen years hav- 
ing been its superintendent. He is also 
interested in the Reeser Floral Company 
at Urbana. Mr. Hiser is a 32nd degree 
Mason, is a member of the Spring-field 
Commercial Club, of which he has been 
treasurer, and belongs also to the Country 
and the Lagonda Clubs. He is one of the 
Masonic Temple trustees and has been 
vice president of the Masonic Club since 
its organization. He is also secretary 
and treasurer of the Springfield-Urbana 
Shrine Club. Mr. Hiser is one of Spring- 
field 's acknowledged capitalists and owns 
a large amount of valuable city real 
estate. He is one of the company of 
twelve investors that bought the old West 
property on the corner of Fountain and 
High Streets. 



AMOS SEITZ, proprietor of the Tre- 
mont City Mills, and one of the leading 
business men of Clark County, was born 
in German Township, this county, De- 
cember 21, 1842. He is a son of Andrew 
and Mary Ann (Circle) Seitz. 

Andrew Seitz, the father, was born in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and 
was a son of Henry Seitz, who came to 
Clark County in 1831, accompanied by 
his son Andrew. Andrew Seitz married 



618 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ann Baker, who was a daughter of 
Rudolph Baker. She was born in Vir- 
ginia and in infancy was brought to 
Clark County. After the War of 1812, 
Rudolph Baker settled on what is now 
known as the Valley Turnpike Road, 
near the Springfield Base ball Park, in 
German Township. In 1845 Andrew 
Seitz bought the Tremont City Mill and 
in 1859 he erected a new mill, which 
stands on the site of the old one. His 
son, Henry Seitz, began to work in the 
first mill in 1849 and ran the new mill 
until 1873, when Amos Seitz took charge, 
Henry retiring to his farm. In 1883 
Amos Seitz bought the mills and has 
been conducting tliem ever since. These 
mills are equipjDed with the Barnhard & 
Lee roller mill machinery and a large 
amount of first-class flour is manufac- 
tured, the special brands being "Silver 
Spray" and "Fancy Family." 

Amos Seitz married Dora Belle Mar- 
tin, and they have had three children, 
namely: Charles, who is engaged as a 
stenographer with the Big Four Rail- 
road; Emma Elmira and Mattie Belle, 
the last mentioned of whom died Novem- 
ber 8, 1907, aged twenty-two years. Mr. 
Seitz is a member of the order of Knights 
of Pvthias. 



HARRY W. RUBY was born in 
Spring-field. Ohio, and is one of the city's 
most prominent and successful young- 
business men. He is the son of G. F. 
Ruby, who also is a resident of Spring- 
field, but with manufacturing- interests 
in Da>i:on, Ohio. 

After leaving the Springfield High 
School, Harry W. Ruby entered Witlen- 



berg College and upon tlie completion of 
his course in that institution went 
through Nelson's Business College. He 
then entered the University of Michigan 
and finished a special law course in prep- 
aration for the business life which he be- 
gan immediately upon his return to 
Springfield. 

Mr. Ruby's able and energetic deal- 
ings in stocks, bonds and real estate soon 
identified him with the handling- of many 
important interests, both local and for- 
eign, and won for him a prominent place 
in the front rank of Springfield's busi- 
ness men. The financial ends of numer- 
ous projects have been developed by, and 
owe their success to, his ability. Among 
these may be mentioned the Ruby Lum- 
ber Company, with which he has main- 
tained an active connection as president. 
This concern owns large tracts of timber- 
land and operates mills throughout mid- 
dle and western Tennessee. The excep- 
tional progress Mr. Ruby has made as a 
young business man may be read in liis 
close connection with numerous projects 
and commercial institutions of important 
financial influence. 

In April, 1907, he was married to Miss 
Gertrude Bauer, a daughter of W. F. 
Bauer, one of Spring-fleld's prominent 
men. 

Mr. Ruby is a member of the Second 
Presbyterian Church and belongs to the 
Commercial, Country and other leading 
clubs and organizations of the city. 



JOHN H. WILSON, a prominent and 
substantial citizen of Moorefield Town- 
ship, residing on a valuable farm of 360 
acres, which is situated in Section 32, on 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



619 



the Urbana Turnpike Road, four miles 
from the center of Springfield, was born 
February 18, 1850, in County Down, Ire- 
land, within sight of the spires of the city 
of Belfast. He is a son of Robert H. and 
MsLTj (Hamilton) Wilson. 

Until he was ten years of age, John II. 
Wilson attended a local school and was 
then apprenticed to a tailor, with whom 
he served for seven years, after which, 
according to the law, he traveled as a 
journeyman. In this way he visited the 
leading cities of England and also worked 
in Wales and Scotland. This taste of 
travel made him anxious to see America 
and as he was well equipped with his self- 
supporting trade, he crossed the ocean 
with no apprehensions of failure in a 
strange land. He landed in the port of 
New York on June 21, 1870", and took lit- 
tle time to get acquainted with the won- 
ders of that great metropolis, accepting 
work at his trade on the very day he ar- 
rived. 

Mr. Wilson remained in the city of New 
York until 1872, when he came to Spring- 
field, Ohio, and until 1877 worked for 
leading tailoring firms in that city as a 
cutter. He then embarked in business 
for himself, opening a tailoring establish- 
ment at No. 26 East Main Street and sub- 
sequently, as his business increased, took 
in the premises at No. 28 East Main, and 
he continued in the same line for twenty- 
two years, during this period enjoying 
the largest trade in the city. In 1882 he 
bought 320 acres of land, which was the 
old Jacob Thomas farm, to which he sub- 
sequently added forty acres, but parted 
with ten acres to the railroad running 
through his property. He has given the 
pleasant name of Spruce Lawn Farm to 



his land and it is known all over this sec- 
tion on account of the high grade of stock 
produced here. 

Prior to 1899, when Mr. Wilson sold 
out his tailoring business to Thomas 
Hack and retired to his farm, he had lived 
on the place even while carrying on his 
business at Springfield. Since that time 
he has devoted himself closely to his large 
interests here and to improving this prop- 
erty. He has spent some $15,000 in im- 
provements, has built several residences 
and other substantial buildings and has 
his own water system and electric light 
plant. His home is fitted with every mod- 
ern convenience and probably has not its 
equal in any other rural district in this 
section of Ohio. 

Mr. Wilson was married (first) to 
Emma Lohner, who died June 4, 1880. 
She was a daughter of John Lohner, who 
came from Germany to Springfield with 
his wife before her birth. There was one 
son born to this marriage, Robert J., who 
was bom at Springfield, March 19, 1878. 
Robert J. Wilson was educated in the 
Springfield schools and Wittenberg Col- 
lege and attended Starling Medical (col- 
lege at Columbus for one year. He then 
became interested in stock-raising and in 
raising and dealing in horses. He is 
widely known over the United States as a 
judge of horses and as a starter of races. 
He owns four valuable stallions — At- 
lantic King, with a recoi'd of 2 :0934 ; The 
Jester, with a record of 2:19i/4, with a 
trial record of 2 :lli4 ; Con Bell, with a 
record of 2:241/47 and a registered Nor- 
man draft stallion named Phidias. Robert 
J. Wilson married Leah Dalie, who is a 
daughter of John Dalie, of Springfield, 
and they have one son, John L. Robert J. 



620 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Wilson and family reside at Spruce Lawn 
Farm. 

John H. Wilson was married (second) 
August 15, 1889, to Martha E. Mowatt, 
who died February 19, 1892, leaving one 
son, James M., who was born at Spring- 
field, at the home of his grandmoth(!r, 
September 5, 1890. He resides with his 
father in Moorefield Township. 

John H. Wilson has been an active cit- 
izen and has always done his duty in re- 
gard to public responsibilities. He has 
never been particularly active in politics 
and has never consented to serve in any 
official capacity except as a member of 
the School Board. He belongs to the 
Presbyterian Church and is a liberal sup- 
porter of its many benevolent enterprises. 



JOHN S. CROWELL, president and 
general manager of the Crowell Publish- 
ing Company, of Springfield, Ohio, until 
February, 1906, when the business was 
sold to others. Mr. Crowell was the 
founder of that business in 1877, and has 
been one of the city's most active and 
progressive men since that date. A man 
of recognized business ability, he has 
been exceptionally successful and become 
widely known among publishers and ad- 
vertisers throughout the United States 
as the founder and president of the 
Crowell Publishing Company, owners of 
the "Woman's Home Companion" and 
the "Farm and Fireside," two periodi- 
cals with over a million subscribers. 

John S. Crowell was born in Louisville, 
Kentucky, January 7, 1850, and was the 
seventh child born to his parents. His 
father, S. B. Crowell, was a member and 
one of the founders of the Walnut Street 



Presbyterian Church, at Louisville, of 
which he was elected a deacon for life. 
John S. Crowell attended the public 
schools of his native city, and showed 
such aptitude in his studies that he was 
placed in classes with older pupils, among 
whom he ranked first. He completed an 
eight-year course in six years. Ambi- 
tious and self-reliant even in his boyhood 
days, at the age of eleven years, contrary 
to the wishes of his parents, he became a 
newsboy, his original capital invested be- 
ing five cents, which he obtained in 1861, 
by holding a soldier's horse. For two 
years he sold papers in the early morning 
and attended school during the day. At 
fifteen years of age he secured a situation 
in a small printing office at $2.50 per 
week. This was a short time before the 
close of school, and so desirous was his 
instructor that he should take his final, 
or public examination, that he organized 
a posse of older scholars, who by force of 
arms conveyed him to the school-room in 
his work clothes, where he acquitted him- 
self with credit. Contrary to the wishes 
of his parents and the advice of teachers, 
he refused to enter college and continued 
in business. Within six months a large 
job printing office offered him $12.00 per 
week, and he was soon made assistant 
foreman, and at seventeen years made 
foreman. His energj^ industry and abil- 
ity were so marked that his fellow-work- 
men at that time predicted that in the 
future he would have a large publishing 
house of his own. That he possessed rare 
presence of mind and was capable of 
quick thought, enabling him to grasp a 
trying situation on the spur of the mo- 
ment, was demonstrated while he was em- 
ployed in this printing office. A workmaii 




JOHN S. CROWELL 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE QITIZENS. 



623 



was caught by the arm and held between 
the ceiling and a pulley making 150 revo- 
lutions per minute, and while others were 
looking on in horror, expecting to see him 
crushed, young Crowell grasped a belt 
with one hand, was instantly hurled to 
the ceiling, where, securing a footing, ho 
released his companion, who fainted in 
his arms. Early in the year 1868 Mr. 
Crowell became foreman of the Louisville 
Courier-Journal job printing establish- 
ment, and so continued until October, 
1869, when he met with an accident which 
incapacitated him for work for a time. 
About an inch of his right thumb was 
mashed otf while he was attending a pow- 
er paper-cutting machine; he quickly ad- 
justed the severed portion of his thumb 
while the man who had caused the acci- 
dent shut his eyes and called for help, bat 
young Crowell was able to go alone in 
search of a doctor. While thus disabled 
he invented an elastic hand stamp, and 
the rubber-like material out of which It 
was made, and while he deemed the inven- 
tion scarcely worthy a patent, commenced 
their manufacture. He employed his 
three brothers in the work, and did a vei-y 
prosperous business until the panic of 
1873. Then, after a visit to a few states 
and the Northern Lakes, he entered the 
office of B. F. Avery & Sons, the well 
known plow manufacturers, of Louisville. 
He conducted the publication of their ag- 
ricultural journel, "Home and Farm," 
which prospered under his management. 
On a trip in the interest of "Home and 
Farm" he first met Mr. P. P. Mast, of 
Springfield, Ohio, to whom he afterward 
suggested the idea of publishing an ag- 
ricultural journal, with the result that in 
August, 1877, Mr. Crowell being twenty- 



seven years of age, moved to Springfield 
and established the "Farm and Fire- 
side, ' ' which has had a long and prosper- 
ous career, and was probably the first 
cheap periodical, or publication, to pros- 
per and obtain a national circulation and 
reputation. He may feel a just and pard- 
onable pride in the success attained by 
this publication, as it was probably the 
pioneer to demonstrate that newspapers 
and magazines could be made profitable 
when sold at a price one-third to one- 
fourth the price charged previous to 
1877. 

The publishing house was known .is 
Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick for many 
years. Early in its career they pur- 
chased "The Home Companion" from 
Cleveland parties, and changed the name 
or title to "The Woman's Home Com- 
panion," under which name it grew in 
size and influence until it reached a cir- 
culation of nearly six hundred thousand 
copies. 

At an early age John S. Crowell be- 
came a member of the Walnut Street 
Presbyterian Church, at Louisville, and 
during his residence there, was active in 
church and Sabbath-school work. At the 
age of seventeen years he was elected 
librarian, at twenty became assistant su- 
perintendent and at twenty-one years be- 
came superintendent of the Sabbath- 
school. At twenty-five years of age he 
was chosen a deacon for life of the Wal- 
nut Street Church. He and his wife are 
now, 1908, members of the First Presby- 
terian Church, of Springfield, which they 
joined in November, 1877. Our subject, 
at the age of twenty-seven, was joined in 
marriage, November 20, 1877, with Miss 



624 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ella C. Mangold, who comes of an old 
and prominent Louisville family. 

Since coming to Spring-fiield, Ohio, on 
August 17, 1877, Mr. Crowell has been 
actively identified with many religious, 
educational, charitable and business or- 
ganizations, and also has been an active 
advocate of the improvement and better- 
ment of Springfield. His activities have 
resulted in his being chosen to occupy 
many positions of trust and honor, such 
as director of the First National Bank, 
of Springfield; also a director of the Co- 
lumbia Life Insurance Company, of Cin- 
cinnati, and president of the board of 
trustees of the Western College for 
Women, at Oxford, Ohio; also president 
of the board of trustees of the new City 
Hospital, of Springfield; elder of the 
First Presbyterian Church, and director 
of the Y. M. C. A., all of the foregoing 
positions being held by him at this time, 
1908. He has also been president of the 
Spring-field Board of Trade, and a direc- 
tor of the Associated Charities, and for 
five years was president of the Spring- 
field College and Seminary, and for two 
years president of the Young Men's 
Christian Association, and president of 
the Men's Literary Club. He was also 
elected superintendent of the Sunday- 
school a number of times, for a term of 
one year each, and for nine successive 
terms of three years each, to the position 
of elder of the First Presbyterian Church, 
and is elder of the First Church at the 
present time, 1908. 

A College Endowment. 

When Mr. J. S. Crowell became a 
trustee of the Western College for 
Women, at Oxford, Ohio, it had existed 



for fifty years without an endowment, 
and no effort was being made to secure 
an endowment, therefore the college 
labored under many disadvantages. At 
the suggestion and earnest solicitation of 
Mr. Crowell, the board of trustees de- 
cided to employ a financial secretary or 
agent, whose duty it would be to give hi.s 
entire time and attention to the subject 
and work, solely and only for an endow- 
ment, and jjresent the merits of the 
Western College to philanthropists, and 
others, interested in educational matters. 
Up to the present time over $260,000.00 
has been subscribed, or pledged. This in- 
cludes two gifts of fifty thousand dollars 
each from Andrew Carnegie and the Gen- 
eral Education Board, which was found- 
ed by John D. Rockefeller. These two 
latter gifts are endorsements of the high- 
est character of the "Western College for 
Women" and its trustees, as Mr. Car- 
negie and the General Education Board 
do not give such large amounts withoiit 
careful investigation of the merits and 
standing of an institution. 

Fifty Thousand Dollaes a Yeak Saved 
FOR Many Years. 

In 1887 Mr. Crowell instituted an in- 
vestigation of the Presbyterian Board of 
Publication, which is located at Philadel- 
phia, Pa. This resulted in learning that 
the board was paying far more than it 
should for much of its printing, binding, 
folding, stitching, etc. When a report 
was made to the General Assembly of the 
Presbyterian Church, of the United 
States, it ordered a change in the meth- 
ods of the Board of Publication, as sug- 
gested by him, which resulted in a sav- 
ing; of over fiftv thousand dollars each 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



625 



year, for many years, to the Presbyterian 
Church. The Presbytery, of Dayton, 
sent Mr. Crowell as a delegate to the Gen- 
eral Assembly four years in succession, 
in order that he might attend to and re- 
port upon the investigation which result- 
ed in such a great benefit to the Presby- 
terian Church. 

The First Complete Steam E.aileoad tn 
America. 

Stephen B. Crowell, the father of John 
S. Crowell, was a mechanic of more than 
ordinary ability. When he first came 
west, about 1825, he settled in Lexington, 
Kentuckj^, and became superintendent of 
his Uncle Joseph Bruen's Foundry and 
Machine Shop. In 1828 parties in Lex- 
ington requested Joseph Bruen to devise, 
or invent, some method to carry freight 
on land, so that Lexington, which was an 
inland town, could compete with river and 
seaport cities. Joseph Bruen turned the 
whole matter over to his nephew, Stephen 
Bruen Crowell, who designed the plans 
and made the drawings, and also the dif- 
ficult parts of the patterns and castings 
and machine work, and built a locomotive, 
a train of three cars, also a track in the 
form of a circle, on which the train trav- 
eled round and round. This train car- 
ried cars, passengers and freight, and 
was able to ascend an incline having a 
grade of eighty feet to the mile. The his- 
toi'ian says, "The railroad and cars cre- 
ated the belief that carriages and heavy 
freight could be drawn as easily and cer- 
tainly by steam power upon railroads as 
boats could be propelled by steam power 
through water." The whole outfit was 
exhibited in Lexington in 1829, and in 
Frankfort in March, 1830, and afterwards 



in Louisville, and it was so convincing 
to those who saw it, that the full amount 
of the estimated cost of a railroad from 
Lexington to Louisville, one million dol- 
lars, was soon subscribed and the build- 
ing of the railroad commenced, with 
great military pomp and civic and re- 
ligious ceremony. It is now a part of the 
Louisville and Nashville system. The 
Baltimore and Ohio Eailroad used horse 
power until 1832, which was four years 
after Stephen Bruen Crowell decided that 
steam was the proper power for rail- 
roads. A study of the history of rail- 
roads will not leave any doubt that 
Stephen Bruen Crowell, the father of 
John S. Crowell, was the first man in 
America to invent, design, build and op- 
erate a complete steam railroad, with 
locomotive, cars and track, that carried 
passengers and freight. 



W. 0. PADEN, owner of eighty acres 
of farm land in Green Township, was born 
November 29, 1848, in German Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of James 
and Catherine (Whitmer) Paden, and a 
grandson of James and Nancy (Beard) 
Paden. 

James Paden, grandfather, was a native 
of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and 
after coming to Clark County, he operated 
a woolen mill near Lagonda until his 
death, which was caused by accidental 
drowning while crossing Buck Creek, on a 
foot log. He married Nancy Beard, who 
married (second) William Overpeck, a 
life-long resident of German Township 
and one of the largest landowners in this 
locality. She died at the advanced age 
of ninety-four years. Her marriage with 



626 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



James Paden resulted in the birth of three 
children, of whom James, the eldest, was 
born near the present site of Lagonda. 
After the death of his father he went to 
live with Peter Sintz, by whom he was 
reared and for whom he worked until the 
time of his marriage. He then settled at 
Springfield, where he conducted the West- 
ern Hotel and livery barn for some time, 
it being the best hotel the city then af- 
forded. He subsequently located on Mar- 
ket Street and operated the Union Hotel, 
and he opened the first ice-cream parlor 
in the city of Spring-field, and later built 
an ice house in Springfield, another inno- 
vation. His death occurred shortly after 
the completion of that building. He mar- 
ried Catherine Whitmer, who was born 
and reared near Tremont and was a 
daughter of Jacob Whitmer. Five chil- 
dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Paden. 
One daughter, Susan, died in young wo- 
manhood. David, the eldest of the fam- 
ily, was a soldier in the Union army dur- 
ing the Civil War. After his return 
home he bought a farm in Shelby County, 
Ohio. In 1875 he was accidentally killed 
while fighting a fire, a burning tree falling 
on him. 

W. 0. Paden was reared in German 
Township and at the age of fourteen 
started out in the world for himself. He 
worked on farms by the month for two 
years, after which he attended school at 
Lebanon, having obtained his primary ed- 
ucation in German Township, and after 
completing his higher course he taught 
school for eighteen years. Mr. Paden then 
went to the South, where he engaged in 
the lumber business for twenty years. 
Upon his return to Clark County, Ohio, he 
purchased his present farm in Green 



Township, where he has since followed 
farming in a genei'al way. 

Mr. Paden was united in marriage with 
Laura J. Garlough, a daughter of W. H. 
Garlough, a life-long resident of Green 
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Paden have had 
two children : Gertrude and Junis P. The 
former married Irvin G. Hamma, who was 
born and reared in Green Township and 
is a son of Andrew Hamma. They have 
three children: Clarence, Thelma, and 
Gretta. Mr. Hamma formerly followed 
farming, later conducted a restaurant, 
after which he was proprietor of a hotel 
in Kentucky until his removal to St. Louis, 
where he at present resides and owns a 
hotel. Junis P. Paden died aged fourteen 
months. The mother of Mrs. Paden is 
still living at the advanced age of eighty- 
four years, making her home with Mr. and 
Mrs. Paden. 

In polities Mr. Paden is a Democrat, 
and although an active worker in the in- 
terests of his party, has never cared to 
hold office. He is a Mason and an Odd 
Fellow and also belongs to the Grange. 
He is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church. 



LUCIUS M. HARRIS, city auditor of 
Spring-field, Ohio, was born in 1849 in 
Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, and has 
been a resident of this city since 1885. 
He is a son of Sullivan D. and Marian 
Harris. Mr. Harris was reared and edu- 
cated in Columbus, Ohio, where his par- 
ents moved when he was a small child. 
Early in life he entered his father's of- 
fice, the latter publishing the old "Ohio 
Cultivator," and later went to Cleveland, 
where his father published the "Ohio 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



627 



Farmer." Soon after locating at Cleve- 
land, Mr. Harris learned telegraphy, and 
in 1864 enlisted in Company A, Sixty- 
ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, and was 
immediately transferred and assigned to 
duty in the telegraph department. After 
the war he was engaged as operator in 
the train dispatcher's office at Meadville, 
Pennsylvania, for two years and was 
then employed for one year in the West- 
ern Union offices at Savannah. After re- 
turning north he became chief train dis- 
patcher for the Pennsylvania Railroad 
lines, being located at Logansport, In- 
diana, for twelve years, and from there he 
went to Chicago, where for a short time 
he was in the employ of the Chicago and 
Atlantic Railroad. He then became train- 
master of the L. N. A. & C. Railroad, be- 
ing located at LaFayette, Indiana, for 
three years. In 1885 Mr. Harris came to 
Spring-field and engaged in the wholesale 
and retail tobacco and news business, in 
which he continued with success for about 
eighteen years, when he disposed of th« 
business and assumed the city agency for 
the traction line. In November, 1904, Mr. 
Harris was elected auditor of Springfield 
and was re-elected to that office November 
5, 1907. He is now* serving his second 
terms therein and has proved a faithful 
and capable officer and enjoys the his-h 
esteem and good will of his fellow-citi- 
zens. Mr. Harris was trustee of the 
water works, but had only served one 
year when the new code was enacted. 

In 1870 Mr. Harris was joined in mar- 
riage with Miss Frances E. Gardner, and 
they have one child, Carlton G. Harris, 
who is employed in the engineering de- 
)iartment of the city of Springfield. Fra- 
ternally Mr. Hari-is is a member of the 



F. & A. M., also a member and secretary 
of the B. P. 0. E., of which he was for 
five years exalted ruler. 



JOHN N. GARVER, a business man 
at Spring-field, is a citizen well known in 
journalistic and political circles and has 
been identified with various important in- 
terests in this section. Mr. Garver was 
born in Bethel Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, September 28, 1858, and is a son of 
Benjamin C. and Ruth A. (Rohrer) Gar- 
ver. 

Benjamin C. Garver was born near Har- 
per's Ferry, Virginia. His grandfather. 
Christian Garver, emigrated from Ger- 
many and settled in Washington County, 
Maryland, where his family of eighteen 
children were reared. Abraham C. Gar- 
ver, father of Benjamin C, was born in 
Maryland but became a resident of Jef- 
ferson County, Virginia, now West Vir- 
ginia, in 1819. In 1831 he came to Clark 
County with his wife and six children, and 
settled in the forest in Bethel Township, 
where he had purchased a farm. Later he 
acquired land aggregating 700 acres. He 
married Elizabeth Rice, who was born in 
Maryland. He died in 1857, his wife sur- 
viving him several years. Benjamin C. 
Garver was two years old when his pa- 
rents came to Clark County. At the death 
of his father he inherited a portion of the 
land, on which he continued to reside for 
some years and then moved to Kansas. 
The closing years of his life were spent 
as a local preacher in the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. His wife Ruth, who was 
born in Springfield, was a daughter of 
John A. and Susan (Thrall) Rohrer, who 
came to Clark County from Pennsylvania, 



628 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



in 1840. Benjamin C. Garver and wife 
had eleven children, the following nine 
reaching maturity, John N., Abraham R., 
Frank R., James L., Walter B., Edward 
M., George G., Clara E. and Arthur C. 

After an academy preparation, John iST. 
Gai-ver entered Wittenberg College and 
continued his studies there from 1876 un- 
til 1878, and then entered the Ohio Wes- 
leyan University at Delaware, where he 
was graduated in the class of 1882. He 
was then engaged as traveling representa- 
tive of the Superior Drill Company, of 
Springtield. He later turned his attention 
to the study of law, reading for about 
one year at Emporia, Kansas, and then 
drifted into newspaper work, for which 
he had acquired some earlier training as 
a reporter on the Springfield Republic 
and as business manager of a college pub- 
lication. He became editor first of the 
News and later of the Globe at Emporia. 
In 1885 he filled the same position on the 
staff of the Sioux City Tribune. In the 
fall of 1886 he was appointed land in- 
spector for the New England Trust Com- 
pany, for Missouri and Kansas, and late 
in 1887 he went to Lincoln, Nebraska, 
where, associated with A. D. Hosterman, 
now a resident of Spring-field, and a num- 
ber of prominent business men of Lin- 
coln, he established a publishing house 
known as the Lincoln Newspaper Union. 
This venture proved a great success and 
in 1888 they disposed of this business ad- 
vantageoiisly. Returning to Springfield, 
Mr. Garver, as a member of the Hoster- 
man Publishing Co., became interested in, 
and the advertising manager of, the Re- 
public Times, then one of the leading Re- 
publican newspapers of southern Ohio. 
In 1892 Mr. Garver became one of the 



owners and the business manager of the 
Peoria, 111., Trcmscript, which he con- 
ducted successfully for five years, after 
which, in 1898, he became sole owner of 
Fann Neivs, which he published with 
splendid success until 1905, at which time 
he sold it in order to give his entire time 
to his western land and local real estate 
and business interests. 

In 1888 Mr. Garver was married to 
Anna Geiger, a daughter of the late Dr. 
H. R. Geiger, and Nancy (Hartford) Gei- 
ger, of Spring-field. Mr. and Mrs. Garver 
live in a beautiful home at No. 619 Wit- 
tenberg Avenue and are members of the 
High Street Methodist Episcopal Church. 
In his political affiliation Mr. Garver has 
always been a staunch Republican and 
has taken an active part in public affairs 
wherever he has been located. He is an 
alumnus of the Phi Kappa Psi, a college 
fraternity. He is a member of the several 
Masonic bodies, including the Knights 
Templar and the Mystic Shrine. During 
1898 he was president of the Springfield 
Commercial Club, the city's leading com- 
mercial organization. He is interested in 
several business concerns in Springfield 
and elsewhere. 



REUBEN M. ROBERTS, who operates 
a valuable farm of 190 acres, which- is ad- 
vantageously situated within two miles of 
South Charleston, owns the finest herd of 
registered Holstein cattle in Clark County 
and carries on a large stock business. He 
is one of the substantial citizens of Madi- 
son Township and was born on Septem- 
ber 26, 1850, at Alexandria, Virginia. His 
parents were Reuben and Hannah (Rob- 
erts) Roberts. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



629 



Enoch Eoberts, the grandfather, was 
a native of New Jersey, and Eeuben Rob- 
erts married Hannah Roberts, a daugh- 
ter of Josiah Roberts, of Moorestown, 
New Jersey. They had eight children, 
five of whom survive. Reuben Roberts 
died in 1855. 

Eeuben M. Roberts was educated in tlie 
neighborhood of Moorestown, New Jersey, 
and later worked as a farmer there be- 
fore coming to Ohio in 1886. He engaged 
in agriculture on the Merritt farm, having 
previously married Susan M. Merritt, who 
was born April 4, 1852, in Springfield, 
Clark County. She is a daughter of Ed- 
ward Merritt, who was born at Mt. Holly, 
New Jersey, in 1820, and who, in 1832, 
accompanied his parents, Thomas and 
Jane (Gaskill) Merritt, to Madison Town- 
ship, Clark County. Thomas Merritt was 
a cabinetmaker and followed farming on 
the present Roberts farm after coming to 
this section. He had four children. Ed- 
ward Merritt was married twice and had 
two children born to his first marriage, 
and four by his second, Mrs. Eoberts 
being of the second family. Her early 
home was near the site of the present 
water works at Springfield. She was edu- 
cated in the district schools and remained 
at home until her marriage, September 
16, 1886, to Eeuben M. Eoberts. They 
have one son, Merritt E., who is a student 
in the George School in Bucks County, 
Pennsylvania. In political sentiment, Mr. 
Eoberts is a Eepublican. He is a member 
of the Society of Friends. 



WILLIAM H. SIEVEELING, city en- 
gineer of Springfield, Ohio, and one of 
that city's substantial and enterprising 



business men, was born in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, April 29, 1865. There he was reared 
and received his educational training in 
the public schools and in the civil engineer- 
ing department of the University of Cin- 
cinnati. At the age of nineteen Mr. Siev- 
erling became a member of the engineer- 
ing staff of Anderson & Hobby, civil en- 
gineers, and of the Cincinnati Southern 
Railway, and remained in Cincinnati en- 
gaged in civil engineering for a number 
of years. He then went to Anderson, In- 
diana, and engaged in preliminary survey- 
ing for traction lines for about a year and 
a half. In 1895, at the solicitation of John 
H. Thomas, he came to Springfield, but 
after reaching the city entered the engin- 
eering department of the Ohio Southern 
Eailway, remaining with that company 
for over two years, when he surveyed the 
extension of the Findlay, Ft. Wayne & 
Western Railway to Kankakee, Illinois. 
One year later he became chief engineer 
of the Detroit & Lima Northern, which 
subsequently consolidated with the Ohio 
Southern under the name of Detroit 
Southern, with which company he re- 
mained as chief engineer for two years. 
On July 17, 1901, he was appointed city 
engineer of Springfield, which position 
he held until February 1, 1908. While 
employed by Anderson & Hobby, he acted 
as engineer in charge of numerous large 
projects, notably the building of a town. 
Grand Eivers, Kentucky, with two 60-ton 
blast furnaces, opening twelve coal mines 
and building numerous coking ovens ; the 
building of Ivorydale — Proctor & Gam- 
ble 's great soap works ; the Addyston Pipe 
& Steel Co.'s plant at Addyston, Ohio; 
the Anniston Pipe & Steel Co. at Annis- 
ton, Ala., and the government post of 



630 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Fort Thomas, Kentucky, opposite Cincin- 
nati. 

On February 15, 1908, he took service 
with Gould & Wright, contractors of To- 
ledo, Ohio, superintending the construc- 
tion of the main high level sanitary sewer 
and other sanitary sewers of the sanitary 
system he designed while city engineer in 
1904, the estimated cost of which was 
$981,000. 

In 1894 Mr. Sieverling was joined in 
marriage with Kate Helen Stoll, of Piqua, 
Ohio, and they have two sons — Walter J. 
and Paul Sieverling. 

Mr. Sieverling is a member of the Ohio 
Society of Engineers, and is serving on 
the board of trustees of that society. He 
is a Master Mason, belonging to Anthony 
Lodge, No. 455, Clark County, Ohio. Re- 
ligiously, he is affiliated with the Center 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, be- 
ing one of the trustees. 



JAMES 0. TUTTLE, general farmer 
and stock-raiser in Harmony Township, 
where he owns ninety-seven and one-half 
acres of valuable land, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, October 26, 1847, and is a 
son of Sylvanus and Jane D. (Garlough) 
Tuttle. 

The Tuttle family belonged to New Jer- 
sey prior to settling in Clark County, Ohio. 
In 1806, the great-grandfather of James 
0. Tuttle brought his family from that 
State and settled in Springfield Town- 
ship and spent the remainder of his life 
here. His son, John Tuttle, was born in 
New Jersey and married in Ohio, in 1815. 
His wife was Margaret Prickett, who was 
a daughter of Nicholas Prickett, and to 
them were born fourteen children. 



Sylvanus Tuttle, of the above family, 
was born in Clark County in 1820, and in 
early manhood he married Jane D. G-ar- 
lough. They had six children, namely: 
Margaret, John, James, Marion, Tabitha 
and George H. Margaret is deceased. 
Her husband, Charles Holland, died in 
Hardin County, Ohio. They had the fol- 
lowing children: Robert, William, Charles, 
Harry, George and an infant daughter. 
John died in infancy. Marion resides in 
Clark County. Tabitha is the widow of 
John Blee. George probably resides in 
Arizona. 

James 0. Tuttle attended the district 
schools during his boyhood and grew to 
manhood on the home farm. When his 
father died the property was left to five 
heirs and subsequently James 0., together 
with his brother Marion, purchased the in- 
terests of the three others. He carries on 
general farming successfully raising the 
usual grains of this section, and gives 
considerable attention to producing fine 
stock, his land being well adapted to both 
industries. 

On November 6, 1870, Mr. Tuttle was 
married in Green Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, to Catherine Todd, who was born Au- 
gust 4, 1848, in Madison County, Ohio, 
and is a daughter of Samuel and Salome 
Todd, both deceased, who had eight chil- 
dren, namely: Margaret, Elizabeth, 
Thomas, Sarah B., Catherine, Samuel, 
Nancy J. and Jacob. Margaret Todd, de- 
ceased, married Thomas Baker and they 
had four children: Elma, who is the 
widow of Wesley Clark, has three sons, 
Ernest, Clay and Wesley A. Orval, who 
married (first) Lottie Blackburn and 
(second) an Eastern lady, is a professor 
in a college in the State of New York. 




JAMES H. RABBITTS 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



633 



Leonard, who lives at Dayton, has three 
children. Louise died young. , These were 
the children of Margaret. Elizabeth 
Todd, deceased, married William Billby 
and left one son, Charles. Thomas Todd 
served through three enlistments in the 
Civil War from Indiana. He has married 
twice (first) Anna Graham, who left two 
children, Minnie and Harley, and (second) 
Anna Stillwell. Sarah B. Todd, now the 
wife of Alfred Stanton and residing in 
Kansas, was married first to Theodore 
Brawley. Samuel Todd married (first) 
Nettie Billby, who left one child, Oliver, 
and (second) Cynthia Shurett. They have 
one daughter, Sarah E., who married Al- 
bert Weider and they have two children, 
Waldo and Kenneth. Nancy J. and Jacob 
Todd both died when small. 

Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle have had two 
daughters, Leona, who was born July 2, 
1876, died aged twenty-eight days; and 
Mabel, who was born January 3, 1879. In 
1900, she married William Nave and they 
live in Pleasant Township. Mrs. Tuttle 
is a valued member of the M. P. Church 
at Harmony. Mr. Tuttle is identified with 
the Grange. 



W. F. TUTTLE, secretary, treasurer 
and manager of The W. F. Tuttle Hard- 
ware Company, has been a resident of 
Springfield for the past twenty-six years 
and was born in Springfield Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, in 1863. His father, 
John J. Tuttle, was a leading farmer in 
the township. At the age of seventeen 
years, W. F. Tuttle came from his coun- 
try home to Springfield, where he became 
a clerk in the hardware store of W. W. 



Diehl, with whom he remained about four 
years, later going to the firm of Elder & 
Tuttle. With the exception of four years, 
during which he was engaged in a grain 
business, Mr. Tuttle has continuously de- 
voted himself to the interests of the hard- 
ware trade. In 1904 his present enter- 
prise, the W. F. Tuttle Hardware Com- 
pany, was organized, and a large and con- 
stantly expanding business has followed. 
In 1887, Mr. Tuttle was married to Flor- 
ence Otstot, who is a daughter of Will- 
iam Otstot, a member of an old pioneer 
family of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Tut- 
tle have one son, Carl. 



JAMES H. BABBITTS, postmaster, 
oldest son of the late Charles and Mar- 
garet (Eobison) Babbitts, was born at 
Springfield, Ohio, April 1, 1853. He com- 
pleted his public school course in his na- 
tive city, and then entered the University 
of Wooster, Ohio, from which institution 
he was graduated in 1874. He then took 
up the study of the law under the super- 
vision of General J. Warren Keifer and 
Hon. Charles E. White. In 1876 he was 
admitted to the bar, and later entered 
into partnership with his preceptors. In 
this engagement he continued until 1881, 
when he was elected clerk of the courts of 
Clark County. 

During the seventeen years following 
he was actively engaged in political life. 
He was chosen chairman of the Eepub- 
liean County Central Committee in 1883, 
and 1884, and again in 1889 he served in 
the same position. In 1884 he was re- 
elected to the office of clerk of the courts, 
and was again re-elected in 1887, and 



634 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



served in that position until Jauuarj^ 1, 
1890, when he resigned to take the posi- 
tion of managing editor of the Daily Re- 
public-Times, the leading Republican 
journal of Clark County. 

In this engagement he continued for 
eight years, when he resigned his editor- 
ship to serve as postmaster of Spring- 
field, to which office he was appointed by 
President McKinley, May 1, 1898. In 
1902 and again in 1906 Mr. Rabbitts was 
reappointed by President Roosevelt. 
During Mr. Rabbitts' incumbency the 
rural delivery ser^dce was established, 
and the volume of the business of the 
Springfield post office, its gross receipts 
and the number of its employes have all 
increased more than one hundred and 
twenty-five per cent. 

Mr. Rabbitts was married December 7, 
1882, at Indianapolis, Ind., to Miss Cor- 
nelia Burt, who is a daughter of Rev. N. 
C. Burt, D. D., who was formerly pas- 
tor of the First Presbyterian Church, at 
S]3ringfield. Of the three children born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Rabbitts, a son and a 
daughter survive, viz : Burt and Frances. 
The family home is at 652 North Lime- 
stone Street. 

In 1898 Mr. Rabbitts was elected a 
member of the Board of Directors of the 
Merchants ' and Mechanics ' Building and 
Loan Association and served continu- 
ously in that position. Following the 
death of the late Edward C. Gwyn, Mr. 
Rabbitts was elected president of the as- 
sociation January 1, 1908. Mr. Rabbitts 
is an active member of the Spring-field 
Commercial Club and contributes his will- 
ing effort in the discharge of all the duties 
incident to public-spirited citizenship. 



MARTIN FRANTZ, who is engaged in 
general farming on a fine farm of 336 
located about ten miles west of Spring- 
field, in Bethel Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, was born October 2, 1857, near his 
present farm, and is a son of Benjamin 
and Mary Ann (Leedy) Frantz. 

Daniel Frantz, great-grandfather of 
our subject, came from Virginia to Ohio 
at a very early period and settled west of 
Springfield, where his death occurred 
some years later. His son, Benjamin 
Frantz, Sr., came to Ohio at the same 
time, but settled in the wilds of Bethel 
Township, on a large tract of land; re- 
siding in that locality for over fifty years, 
and passing out of this life at the age of 
seventy-seven. 

Benjamin Frantz, Jr., father of the 
subject of this sketch, with the excei^tion 
of two years spent on a farm in Wabash, 
Indiana, has passed his entire life up to 
this time in Bethel Township on the old 
homestead, to which he has at times add- 
ed more land, having acquired about 600 
acres. He was first married to Mary 
Ann Leedy, of Wabash County, Ohio, who 
died in 1897, aged fifty-seven years. 
Eight children were bom of this union, 
namely: Martin, whose name appears at 
the head of this article; Joseph; Eliza- 
beth, wife of A. Detrick; Emma, who 
died aged seventeen years; Charles, and 
three children, who died in infancy. He 
subsequently married Mattie Binkley and 
they are at present spending the winter 
in California. 

Martin Frantz was born in the old 
stone house on the farm where his brother 
Charles now lives, and there grew to man- 
hood, occupying his time with farm 
duties and attending the district schools 



ANTD EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



635 



of the township. Being the eldest son, a 
large part of the work fell to him, and he 
cleared about thirty acres of land, re- 
maining at home until after his marriage. 
He then bought the John Garver farm, 
which he carried on for two years, when 
he returned to his present farm, buying 
the land from his father. Here he has 
since been engaged in general agriculture, 
and has spent considerable time and 
money in improving the land, remodeling 
the old brick house and other buildings 
on the' farm. 

Mr. Frantz was married October 14, 
1879, to Uora Markey, of Preble County, 
Ohio, and thirteen children have been 
born of this union, namely: Verna, wife 
of J. Aukerman, who has one child — 
Forest; Benjamin A., who married Dora 
Brubaker; Edith, who married James 
Shoup; Maude, wife of E. Onkst; Markey, 
Anna, Emma, Evelyn, Martin, Pauline, 
and three others who died in infancy. 

Mr. and Mrs. Frantz are members of 
the old German Baptist Brethren Church, 
in which Mr. Frantz 's father is an elder 
and preaches in the Honey Creek Church. 



MICHAEL EADEE, township trustee 
and owner of a farm of ninety-five and 
three-quarters acres, located about six 
miles northwest of Spring-field, on the 
Eureka Eoad, just off the Troy Turn- 
pike, is one of the enterprising and influ- 
ential agriculturists of German Town- 
ship. He was born December 9, 1868, on 
a farm in Springfield Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Philip and 
Margaret (Sultz) Rader. 

Philip Eader was born and reared to 
manhood in Germany and after coming 



to Clark County worked for a time on the 
farm now owned by William W. Hyslop. 
While visiting his sister in St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, he met and married Margaret 
Sultz, who was born in Germany and 
came to America with her parents, who 
settled in St. Louis. Mr. Eader and wife 
began housekeeping on a farm just op- 
posite the Hyslop farm, which was then 
owned by INIichael Shafer, an uncle of 
Mrs. Eader, and they have resided on 
farms in Clark County ever since. For 
a number of years Mr. Eader rented land 
and operated the Sintz farm in Spring- 
field Township for six years ; then became 
a resident of Pike Township for seven 
years, after which he returned to Spring- 
field township and rented for two years, 
when he bought a little farm there which 
he conducted for nine years, then sold 
and bought a tract of sixty acres in Mad 
Eiver Township, which he also sold, after 
which he bought the farm on which he and 
his wife began housekeeping, where he 
has since continued to reside. Ten chil- 
dren were born to Philip and Margaret 
Eader, nine of whom are living : Michael, 
Philip, who lives with his brother 
Michael; Henry, who died aged twenty- 
eight years, left one child, Augusta; 
Mary, who is the wife of John German; 
Elizabeth, who is the wife of Louis Fos- 
ter; Adam, who lives on the farm of 
sixty acres in Pike Township, which was 
formerly owned by Philip Morningstar; 
Minnie, who is the wife of Charles 
Lehnard; Kate, who is the wife of Em- 
mard Lehnard ; and Maggie, who married 
Ealph Saunders. 

Michael Eader was born on the old 
Sintz farm in Springfield Township and 
remained at home until the time of his 



636 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



marriage. With the exception of two 
years spent in working iu the quarries, 
he has always followed farming, and after 
his marriage located on the Cold Springs 
Farm in Mad Eiver Township. One year 
later he moved to the Susan Sintz farm, 
which lie conducted for seven years with 
much success, then bought and located 
on his present farm of ninety-five and 
three quarter acres in German TownsMp. 
Here he is successfully engaged in gen- 
eral farming and has made numerous im- 
provements. There are two barns on the 
place, one of which was built by Mr. 
Rader in 1903. 

On February 26, 1895, Mr. Rader mar- 
ried Kate Kaffenberger, who is a daugh- 
ter of Conrad and Barbara (Schafer) 
Kaffenberger. Mrs. Rader 's mother died 
when she was but four years old, and 
she was reared until eleven years of age 
by her step-mother, after which she went 
to live with her grandparents, Adam 
Schafer and wife, both of whom were na- 
tives of Germany, but residents of Ger- 
man Township, Clark County, for many 
years. The grandmother died January 
31, 1908, aged seventy-five years, and the 
grandfather's death occurred in July, 
1 905. Six children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Rader, nameh^: Harry, Will- 
iam, Bertha, Albert, Paul and Gertrude. 

Politically Mr. Rader is a Democrat, 
and was elected trustee of German 
Township on the Democratic ticket. He 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of 
Northampton. 



Leffel Company, of this citj^, has been a 
resident here for the past forty-two years, 
and was born in 1837, near Rob Roy, In- 
diana, where he was reared and educated. 
Early in life he engaged in milling and 
farming, which occupation he followed 
until 1866, when he came to Spring-field 
and was here engaged in milling for one 
year. In 1867 he entered the employ, as 
clerk, of the James Leffel Company, of 
this city, and has gradually advanced to 
his present position as vice president and 
treasurer of that company. Mr. Book- 
waiter is also a director in the Citizens' 
National Bank, of this city. 

In 1867 Mr. Bookwalter was joined in 
mai^riage with Mary E. Crioft, and to 
them have been born two children — John 
A., who is secretary of the James Leffel 
Company, and May L., wife of George 
Richmond Prout, who is associated with 
the American Seeding Company. Social- 
ly, Mr. Bookwalter is a member of the 
Commercial Club and the Lagonda Club, 
of this city, and is fraternally a thirty- 
second degree Mason, a member of the 
Scottish Rite, of Dayton, and of the 
Shrine, of Cincinnati. 



F. M. BOOKWALTER, a highly re- 
spected citizen of Springfield, and vice 
president and treasurer of the James 



PERRY HERBERT STEWART, re- 
siding on a farm of 135 acres, located 
eight miles southeast of the city of 
Springfield, in Green Township, comes of 
one of the oldest and most representative 
Clark County families. He was born in 
Green Township, one-half miles south of 
his present home, December 12, 1862, and 
is a son of Oscar Nesbitt and Rachel 
(Nicholson) Stewart. 

Oscar N. Stewart was born in Green 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, February 



AND EEPEERENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



637 



5, 1833, and was one of ten children born 
to John Templeton and Ann (Elder) 
Stewart. He was reared on the old Stew- 
art home place, and when twenty-two 
years of age began life on his own ac- 
count, having inherited one hundred and 
forty acres upon his father's death. This 
he set about improving and devoted his 
attention exclusively to farming until the 
outbreak of the Civil War. Upon the 
first call to arms he responded, enlisting 
April 23, 1861, in Company E, Sixteenth 
liegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, un- 
der Captain Philip Kershner. He was 
in the army about four months with the 
division that was at Phillippi and Car- 
Tick's Ford. After his return from the 
front, he was soon married, and with his 
wife lived on the farm in Green Township 
until 1884, when he removed to his farm 
in Harmony Township, where he erected 
a fine home. A successful farmer and 
business man in every way, with the as- 
sistance of his faithful wife, he accumu- 
lated some eight hundred acres of land. 

Oscar N. Stewart was married Janu- 
ary 28, 1862, to Miss Rachel Nicholson, 
who was born in Harmony Township, and 
is a daughter of Andrew and Rachel 
(Hammond) Nicholson. They became 
parents of three children: Perry Herb- 
ert; Ralph Nicholson, who is secretary 
of tlie Mutual Aid Society, and lives in 
Springfield ; and Frank, who lives on the 
home farm. Fraternally he is a member 
of Wilson Post No. 602, G. A. R., at 
Vienna. He is a member of the Christian 
Church, at Plattsburg, of which he is a 
deacon. Politically he is a Republican. 

Perry Herbert Stewart was reared on 
the farm and attended the district schools, 
afterward attending Antioch College one 

35 



year and Lebanon College a few terms. 
Returning home he took up farming as 
his life work, operating the home place 
until 1895, when he moved upon his pres- 
ent farm, which he had purchased the 
previous year from the David Elder as- 
signees. He erected outbuildings and 
made other substantial improvements, 
and in 1899 built a commodious house, 
which, with the fine lawn and shade trees, 
makes one of the most attractive country 
homes in this section of the county. 

January 24, 1889, Mr. Stewart was 
joined in the bonds of matrimony with 
Miss Ermina Tuttle, who was born in 
Green Township, December 29, 1862, and 
is a daughter of Isaac and Fannie (Eich- 
elbarger) Tuttle. ^ Four children were 
born to them: Ira E., born August 14, 
1891 ; Roy Levon, October 5, 1893 ; Walter 
Nesbitt, October 26, 1895; and Elmer 
Arthur, born November 28, 1900. Polit- 
ically our subject is a Republican, casting 
his first presidential vote for James G. 
Blaine. He has served fourteen years on 
the school board, but has never been an 
office seeker. With his family he attends 
the Methodist EpiscopalChurch. 



F. 0. JONES, head of the firm of F. 0. 
Jones & Company, which is extensively 
engaged in sheet metal work, roofing, etc., 
has been a prominent citizen and business 
man of Springfield, Ohio, since 1894. 

Mr. Jones was born in Darke County, 
Ohio, in 1868, and was six years old when 
his parents moved to Indiana, where he 
was reared and educated. When twenty- 
one years of age he went South, locating 
at Harriman, Tennessee, where he spent 
three years in the hardware and tinware 



638 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



business. He was thereafter engaged in 
the same line of business in various towns 
in Indiana and Kentucky until 1894, when 
he came to Spring-field. The following 
nine years were spent with the Feet & 
Schuster Company, the last six years of 
which he served in the capacity of fore- 
man. In September, 1904, in connection 
with Mr. W. E. Tuttle, he formed the 
firm of F. 0. Jones & Company, which 
since has become one of the leading firms 
of the city. He is a man of ability and 
standing in the community, and has a host 
of acquaintances and friends throughout 
this section of the state. 

In 1892, Mr. Jones was united in mar- 
riage with Emma Collins, a native of In- 
diana, and they have two children, Harley 
and Grrace. Fraternally, he is a member 
of the Masonic Order. He and his wife 
are members of the First Baptist Church, 
of which he is a deacon. 



FRANK E. STEWART, manager of a 
farm of 380 acres belonging to his pa- 
rents and operating also his own farm of 
fiftj^ acres, is one of Harmony Township's 
leading agriculturists. He was born in 
Green Township, Clark County, OhiO; 
April 15, 1870, and is a son of Oscar N. 
and Rachel (Nichelson) Stewart. 

The grandparents of Mr. Stewart, John 
T. and Anna E. Stewart, came to Clark 
County about 1818 and settled in Green 
Township. There Oscar N. Stewart was 
born, February 5, 1833, he being the sev- 
enth son in a family of nine children. 
He was married January 28, 1862, to 
Rachel Nichelson, who was born June 3, 
1842, and still survives. They had four 
children: Herbert P., Effie, Ralph, and 



Frank E. Herbert Stewart was bom De- 
cember 12, 1862, and is a resident of 
Green Township. He married Ermina 
Tuttle and they have four sons: Ira E., 
Roy, Walter and Elmer. Effie, born in 
1865, died aged eighteen months. Ralph, 
born in 1868, resides at Springfield. He 
married Grace Carlton and they have two 
children, Oscar Carlton and Rachel May. 
Oscar N. Stewart served 100 days in the 
Civil War, answering the first call for 
trooi>s in 1861. He was a member of Com- 
pany F of the Sixteenth Regiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry. 

Frank E. Stewart was educated in the 
schools of Green and Harmony Town- 
ships. His occupation has always been 
farming and for some years he has had 
charge of his father's interests as well as 
his own. At Columbus, Ohio, January 
7, 1904, Mr. Stewart was married to Kath- 
erine Franklin, who was born June 14, 
1884, and is a daughter of Patterson and 
Ann (Widdicombe) Franklin, the former 
of whom was born in 1851 and the latter 
in 1852, and they reside at Plattsburg. 
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin had four children, 
namely: Edna, who was bom in 1879, 
married Charles Haering, resides at Co- 
lumbus, and they have one child, Kather- 
ine; Estella, who was bom in 1882, re- 
sides at Columbus; Katherine; and Grace, 
who was born in 1887, resides with her 
parents at Plattsburg. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stewart have one daughter, Edna Car- 
men, who was born September 26, 1905. 
Mr. Stewart is a member of the Christian 
Church at Plattsburg, of which he is treas- 
urer. 

In politics, Mr. Stewart is a Repub- 
lican and has served as a member of the 
Republican Central County Committee. 




SMITH SIDNEY TWICHELL 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



641 



On May 15, 1894, lie was initiated into Vi- 
enna Lodge No. 660, Knights of Pythias, 
since when he has passed through all the 
chairs and was a delegate to the Grand 
Lodge at Toledo, in 1897. He formerly 
belonged also to the organization of patri- 
otic character, the Sons of Veterans. 



HARRISON L. DETRICK, proprietor 
of the Eagle City mills, owns other prop- 
erty in German Township, consisting of 
two residences and twenty-two acres of 
land, and is a well-known and substantial 
citizen. He was born in Springfield Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, December 27, 
1855, and is a son of Philip and Susan 
(Leffel) Detrick. 

The Detrick family was established in 
Clark County, Ohio, by the grandfather, 
Daniel Detrick, who brought his family 
from Virginia when his son Philip was a 
boy of eight years. Both father and 
son were farmers. Philip Detrick owned 
a farm that was situated in both Bethel 
and Springfield Townships, the residence 
standing on the Bethel Township section, 
and the barn on the Springfield section. 

Harrison L. Detrick was small when 
Ms father located on the above farm and 
there grew to manhood. In 1883 he mar- 
ried Mary Kollfrath, after which he 
moved to a farm of his own. Later he sold 
his property to the Freemason fraternity, 
and on it the beautiful Masonic Home has 
since been erected. The farm contained 
155 55-100 acres and Mr. Detrick lived on 
it for nine years. He then moved to the 
old home place in Bethel Township, where 
he resided for nine years, after which he 
bought the Olds farm of 141 acres, situ- 
ated west of Tremont, and resided on that 



place from March 11, 1904, until October 
23, 1906, at which time he moved to Eagle 
City, taking charge of the Eagle City mills 
at that time. Ever since he went into busi- 
ness he has done a certain amount of farm- 
ing and has also engaged in dairying. For 
eighteen years he operated a dairy and 
for nine years of this period he ran a milk 
wagon without missing one day in all this 
time, a somewhat remarkable record. Mr. 
Detrick 's flour specialties are "Bismark" 
and "Kitchen Queen." 

Mr. and Mrs. Detrick have two children : 
Jessie and Marguerite Elizabeth. The 
former graduated at the Rockaway 
School, spent two years at Wittenberg 
College and then graduated from the Nel- 
son Business College at Springfield. She 
is her father's bookkeeper. 

Mr. Detrick is an Odd Fellow. He takes 
no very active interest in politics. 



SMITH SIDNEY TWICHELL, for- 
merly a leading citizen of Clark County, 
lived a long and useful life, passing away 
December 13, 1907, at the age of seventy- 
one years, seven months and sixteen days. 
He was born in Oswego County, New 
York, May 27, 1836. In early manhood, 
Mr. Twichell went to Minnesota, in which 
state he resided for fourteen years, re- 
moving thence to Upper Sandusky, Ohio, 
in 1870. 

It was during the period of his residence 
in Minnesota that he enlisted for service 
in the Civil War, to which he gave three 
years of his life, passing through innum- 
erable dangers and surviving them all. 
His position was that of a non-commis- 
sioned officer of Company K, Eighth Regi- 
ment, Minnesota Volunteers, which at that 



642 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



time was known as a part of the Army of 
the Frontier. Two of the hardest fights 
with the Indians occurred during the first 
year of his enlistment. After the transfer 
of his regiment to the South, he partici- 
pated in the battles of Murfreesboro and 
the Pines, under command of General 
Sully. Subsequently he marched with 
Sherman's forces to the sea, and was in 
the closing campaign of the war, witness- 
ing the surrender of General Johnston to 
General Sherman. On more than one oc- 
casion he was proffered the captaincy of 
a company, but he declined to assume the 
superior rank. He was a courageous and 
patriotic soldier and always took pride in 
the fact that he had helped his beloved 
country in her time of need, although no 
doubt his death was due in some measure 
to the hardships he suffered while in the 
army. 

On November 27, 1868, Mr. Twichell 
was united in marriage with Jennie 
Hedges. Two sons were born to them, 
namely: Clayton and Foster. In 1875, 
Mr. Twichell removed from Upper San- 
dusky to his farm in Moorefield Township, 
on which he resided for thirty -two years, 
with the exception of six years, during 
which period he served as superintendent 
of the Champaign County Infirmary, to 
which office he was elected in 1879. He 
was a man well qualified for public posi- 
tion. His many sterling traits of char- 
acter were so generally recognized by his 
fellow-citizens that his frequent election 
to public office was a natural consequence. 
He was for thirteen years a justice of the 
peace, and he twice served as decennial 
appraiser of Moorefield Township. In 
1900 he was elected a county commissioner 
of Clark County, and was re-elected to 



that office in 1903. During a part of his 
second term as commissioner his health 
prevented his personal attendance at some 
of the meetings of his colleagues, but he 
exert his usual beneficial influence in favor 
of the general welfare. He was greatly 
interested in securing the new county 
building and this fine structure stands as 
a monument to the efforts of Mr. Twichell 
and his associates. 

In early life, Mr. Twichell united with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
throughout his long life he was a consist- 
ent exemplar of the faith. He was gen- 
erous in his support of the church's Chris- 
tian activities and benevolences, and he 
served in its various offices. Personally 
he was a man of great self-control, and 
this was especially manifested during the 
closing days of his life, when his bodily 
afflictions were borne without a murmur. 
He was a devoted husband, a kind and 
loving father, a true friend, and an hon- 
est, upright man. It can be truly said of 
him that his life was a blessing and that 
his memory will ever be kept green. Dur- 
ing his long continued illness he was at- 
tended by his family with an untiring de- 
votion. 



H. E. FEEEMAN, secretary and treas- 
urer of the American Trust & Savings 
Company, at Springfield, located in this 
city in August, 1906. He was born at 
Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio. 

Mr. Freeman passed through the com- 
mon school course at Cuyahoga Falls and 
also through the High School, and then 
entered the Western Eeserve University, 
where he was graduated in 1898, with his 
degree of A. B. Immediatelv afterward 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



643 



he became connected with, the Garfield 
Savings Bank, of Cleveland, and when he 
left that institution in order to accept his 
present connection, he was assistant sec- 
retary and treasurer. During his period 
of residence at Cleveland, he was identi- 
fied with a number of other successful 
business enterprises. He thus came to the 
American Trust & Savings Company as 
an experienced financier. He is a mem- 
ber and treasurer of the Springfield Com- 
mercial Club. He belongs to Anthony 
Lodge, F. & A. M., the Masonic Club, the 
Lagonda Club and the Country Club. 



JACOB SNAUFER, township trustee 
of Moorefield Township and one of the 
leading citizens of this part of Clark 
County, where he owns a valuable farm 
» of seventy-one acres which is situated in 
section 25, on the Villa road, was born in 
Germany, September 23, 1835. His pa- 
rents were John and Magdalene (Weid- 
man) Snaufer. 

In 1852, John Snaufer, accompanied by 
his wife and four children, made his way 
to Liverpool, England, and took passage 
for America on a sailing vessel that was 
then in the harbor. It was an unfortunate 
choice and doubly so on account of his be- 
ing the only German family on board. 
None of the passengers nor any of the 
officers were able to speak the German 
language and this, of itself, would have 
made the position of the little family one 
of more or less hardship. For nine days 
the vessel was tossed about in terrific 
storms, but when cholera broke out, the 
passengers were in a pitiable state indeed. 
Over 160 of them died and among these 
were the father and mother of Jacob Snau- 



fer. The mother lived but a few hours 
after being attacked but the father lin- 
gered for ten days. Their burial was in 
the sea. The ship, after forty-three days 
at sea, finally reached New York. 

Jacob Snaufer was then sixteen years 
of age and was the eldest of the four chil- 
dren. When he landed in what seemed a 
very unfriendly country, he took his 
brother and two sisters to a small hotel 
and as he knew that he had two uncles 
living in Ohio, one in Logan and the other 
in Shelby County, he determined to com- 
municate with the latter, in the hope of 
getting some assistance. The letter was 
written to the uncle and one can easily 
imagine the anxious waiting for an answer 
which followed. It was a very serious 
IDOsition for a boy of his years to find him- 
self placed in, never haVing been forced to 
assume responsibility before this, and 
when ten days had gone by and no reply 
had come from the uncle, he decided to 
investigate the reason for himself. He 
left the three children in the shelter he 
had found for them and made his way to 
'Shelby County, where he easily found his 
uncle. There were no rural mail carriers 
in those days and the boy's missive was 
found awaiting call in the country jjost- 
office, never having been delivered. With 
true German family affection, the uncle 
hastened to New York and brought the 
three waiting children to his hospitable 
home. Of these, John subsequently be- 
came a soldier in the Federal Army in 
the Civil War, in which he was so seri- 
ously injured that consumption attacked 
him and he died in 1892, in South Dakota. 
Margaret grew to womanhood and mar- 
ried Reuben Culp, and the youngest sis- 



644 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ter, Magdalene, married John Keif, and 
botli sisters live at Eureka, Illinois. 

Jacob Snaufer remained in Shelby 
County with his uncle for two years and 
then worked with a farmer in Champaign 
County for three years, and at other work, 
up to 1862, having operated a rented 
farm for one year, and then he entered 
the army. He enlisted in August, 1862, 
at Urbana, Ohio, in Company H, Forty- 
fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
in which he held the rank of eorpoi'al. 
This regiment was in General Thomas' 
command during a large part of the time 
and was prominent in the hard campaign- 
ing of that great force. Although Mr. 
Snaufer was a brave and fearless soldier 
and was always at the post of duty, he 
was never either captured or wounded, 
the worst that befell him was contracting 
rheumatism from the exposure and hard- 
ships. On one occasion a bullet went 
through his cap, coming that near to end- 
ing his life. He remained in the service 
until the close of the war and was mus- 
tered out at Nashville, Tennessee, June 
12, 1865. 

For some time prior to entering the 
army, Mr. Snaufer had work in a ceme- 
tery in Champaig-Q County and when he 
went back after his military service he 
resumed this work for one year and then 
turned his attention to farming, in which 
he has been interested ever since. He 
continued to hve in that neighborhood 
until February, 1882, when he came to a 
rented farm in Moorefield Township, in 
which township he has lived ever since, 
with the exception of one year spent in 
Harmony Township. In February, 1897, 
he purchased his present excellent farm 
and moved to it in the same vear. 



On December 21, 1865, Mr. Snaufer was 
married to Rebecca W. Sampson, who was 
born and reared at Urbana, Ohio. Her 
father is William Sampson and she is a 
first cousin of the naval hero. Rear Ad- 
miral Sampson. Mr. and Mrs. Snaufer 
have descendants numbering six children 
and fourteen grandchildren, as follows: 
Lura Belle, who married Walter D. Yea- 
zell, has two children. Bertha Belle and 
Mary Evalyn ; Annie Grace, who married 
George T. Walton, has four children, 
Crystal, Edwin, Harlan and Margaret; 
Walter D., who married Claret B. Yeazell, 
has six children, Blanche, Ruth, Sevina, 
Edith, Carl and Hazel; John M., who re- 
sides at Springfield, is one of the pro- 
prietors of the Buckeye hat store; Flor- 
ence Edith, who married Harry R. An- 
derson, has two children, Maude and Mil- 
dred; and Jacob W., who lives at home 
and operates the farm. He married Jes- 
sie May Yeazell. 

In politics, Mr. Snaufer is a Republi- 
can. He served for three years as a jus- 
tice of the peace in Moorefield Township 
and for ten years has been a township 
trustee. Since the age of twenty-one years 
he has been a member of the Odd Fellows. 
With his wife he belongs to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 



WILLIAM A. MARTIN, president of 
the Central Publishing Company, at 
Springfield, and identified also with many 
of the city's successful enterprises, was 
born at Dayton, Ohio, in 1854. Mr. Mar- 
tin attended the public schools of his na- 
tiA'e city and in boyhood began to learn 
the printer's trade, first with the old 
Oliver Crook Company and later with the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



645 



United Brethren Publishing Company, 
where he completed his apprenticeship, 
remaining until 1880, when he came to 
Springfield. He was first with the J. S. 
Crowell Company, and when it became an 
incorporated concern he was a stock- 
holder and a director and was also super- 
intendent of the plant until it was sold to 
Eastern parties in 1906. Mr. Martin 
continued with the new owners until the 
summer of 1907, when he organized the 
Central Publishing Company. The of- 
ficers of this company are : William A. 
Martin, president and treasurer; Arthur 
Martin, vice president; and W. A. Mar- 
tin, Jr., secretary. The company estab- 
lished the family magazine known as 
"The Household Journal," a successful 
venture. Mr. Martin, owns stock in a num- 
ber of other enterprises. He has been a 
member of the board of directors of the 
Merchants' and Mechanics' Building and 
Loan Association since its organization. 
He is president of the Board of Educa- 
tion, of which he has many years been a 
member, and is identified with many 
benevolent and useful organizations. 

In 1878 Mr. Martin was married to 
Lucy Danneker, of Dayton, and they have 
the following children: Arthur, who is a 
graduate of Dartmouth College of the 
class of 1900 ; Elsie, who married Otto R. 
Largent, who is secretary of the Y. M. C 
A. at East Liverpool, Ohio, Mellie; Will- 
iam A., Jr., who is a graduate of Dart- 
mouth College of the class of 1907; and 
Belle, Dorothy, Hortense and Paul A., all 
residing at home. Mr. Martin and family 
belong to the Blessed Hope Baptist 
Chlireh, of which he is a trustee. He 
takes a deep interest in Sunday-school 
work and his influence may always be 



counted on to further religious move- 
ments. During five years of his earlier 
life Mr. Martin was a member of the Ohio 
State Guards. He is an Odd Fellow and 
a member of the auxiliary order of Ee- 
bekahs, is past state councilor of the 
Junior Order of L^nited American Me- 
chanics, and he belongs to the Lagonda 
and to the Spring-field Commercial Clubs. 



J. QUINCY SMITH, one of Clark 
County's most substantial citizens, re- 
sides on his valuable farm of 287 acres, 
which is situated in Bethel Township, 
west of New Carlisle. Mr. Smith was 
born on this farm, April 5, 1843, and is a 
son of David Johnson and Sallie (Cory) 
Smith. 

David Johnson Smith was born in 
Scotland and was brought to America by 
his parents when he was a child one year 
old. He resided in New York until he was 
seventeen years of age, when he came to 
Clark County, Ohio. Prior to 1834, when 
he settled down to farming and stock- 
raising, he had done various kinds of 
work, always being a man of great in- 
dustry. In 1827-28 he was engaged by 
the Government on a stone and brick 
work contract at Sault St. Marie. Later 
he had a blacksmith shop at New Carlisle, 
which he conducted for two years. He 
was married in Clark County in 1827 to 
Sallie Cory, whose father, Elnathan Cory, 
came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1793-4 
and to Bethel Township in 1803. At that 
time the present farm of Mr. Smith, 
which was the old Cory place, was a wild 
plum thicket. Mr. Cory had to grub out 
the roots of these trees in order to find 
space on which to build his log cabin, in 



64:6 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



which he lived for many years. A few 
Indians still remained in this section, and 
there was plenty of game, but few white 
settlers. He died in 18-t2 at the age of 
sixty-four years. Elnathan Cory mar- 
ried Hannah Jennings, who died of chol- 
era in 1834. Mrs. Smith was born in the 
log cabin on this farm, which stood until 
after her marriage, when David Johnson 
Smith erected the present commodious 
brick house. She died in March, 1903, at 
the age of ninety-three years. David 
Johnson Smith died in 1878, aged eighty- 
four years. They had ten children, two 
of whom died young. The others were: 
Nana, Henry C., David H., Hannah, El- 
nathan, John Quiney, Lydia and Fannie. 

John Quiney Smith was reared on the 
farm he now owns and the clearing of 
which he helped to complete. In 1861 he 
enlisted for service in the Civil War, be- 
coming a member of the Sixteenth Bat- 
tery, Independent Light Artillery. During 
his thirty-seven months of service Mr. 
Smith participated in many of the most 
important battles of the war, including 
Champion Hill, where Captain Mitchell 
was killed, the Vicksburg campaign, and 
many others, and when he was mustered 
out in September, 1864, he was with his 
battery on the Gulf of Mexico. Although 
he was exposed to almost constant danger 
during all this time, Mr. Smith returned 
home practically unharmed. 

In February, 1879, he was married to 
Maggie Johnson, who is a daughter of 
John F. and Lydia (Shuman) Johnson, 
and who was reared on a farm adjoining 
the present one. Mr. and Mrs. Smith 
have had nine children, namely: David 
J., Charles E., Raymond F., John H., 
George B., Harry B., Ralph Q., Lydia and 



one that died in infancy. David, the 
eldest son, died at the age of twenty-three 
years. 

Mr. Smith purchased his present farm 
from his mother's estate. He devotes 
considerable attention to raising draft 
horses, Shropshire sheep and Poland 
China hogs. He is a stockholder in the 
American Stock Breeders' Association. 
He is vice president of the New Carlisle 
Bank, of which he has been a stockholder 
since its organization. Mr. Smith is 
prominent in Masonic circles, being a 
member of New Carlisle Lodge No. 100, 
Chapter No. 57, Council No. 30, Coleman 
Commander}' of Troy No. 17 and A; & A. 
S. R., Valley of Dayton, and Syrian Tem- 
ple, Mystic Shrine, of Cincinnati. With 
his wife he belongs to the Presbyterian 
Church. Politically he is a Republican. 



WILLIAM THACKERY, an enter- 
prising agriculturist and stock-raiser, of 
Pike Township, who owns about 374 acres 
of fine farm land in Clark and Cham- 
paign Counties, Ohio, was born January 
30, 1852, on his father's farm in Cham- 
paign County, and is a son of Duncan 
and Susan (Ray) Thackery. 

William Thackery spent his boyhood 
days on the home farm in Champaign 
County, growing to manhood as one of a 
family of nine children, namely: Ann 
Jane, who married Robert Smith, both de- 
ceased; Sarah J., who married John 
Neese; Mary, who is the wife of Andrew 
Ryman; John, who owns the home place, 
at Thackery Station; William, Finley, 
Joseph, Irey Bell, who is the wife of 
Michael Fadley, and Emma, who married 
A. Knisley. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



647 



William Thackery remained with his 
138 rents until after his marriage, and one 
year later came to his present farm, in 
Pike Township, renting 123 acres for sev- 
eral years and subsequently buying it 
from his father. He also bought a tract 
of 143 acres in Mad River Township, but 
sold it to Joseph Heffelfinger, who later 
sold it to C. Eobbins. From time to time 
he has added to his acreage until he has 
become one of the large landowners of this 
section. Mr. Thackery has always fol- 
lowed farming and has made all of the 
improvements which make this one of the 
most valuable farms in the township. He 
cleared about fifteen acres of the land, re- 
moved the old log house, which he re- 
placed with a more substantial and mod- 
ern dwelling, and has expended money 
and exercised taste in bettering his sur- 
roundings in every direction. 

Mr. Thackery was married February 
27, 1876, to Lucretia Shaffer, a daughter 
of Keuben- and Sarah (Kirkle) Shaffer, 
both still living. Mr. Shatfer was boi'u in 
Virginia, in 1826, and at the age of five 
years came to Ohio with his parents. Mrs. 
Shaffer is also a native of Virginia and 
came to this state with her parents when 
a girl of ten years. . Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer 
have had ten children : Lucretia, Marley, 
Jacob W., Anna, Warren, Arthur and 
Lottie, living, and Viola, Samuel A. and 
Edwin, deceased. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thackery have reared a 
family of eight children: Edward, who 
lives near Christiansburg, married Gert- 
rude Stephens, and has one child, Gladys ; 
JEmmet, who married Bessie Wilson, has 
two children, Zelpha and Mildred; Earl, 
who lives near his father, married Eliza- 
beth Gabriel, and has one child, Marie; 



Edith, who married John Group, lives 
near her parents; Emery, who is a gen- 
eral merchant at Seth, and Edna, Elmer- 
and Elwood. 

Mr. Thackery is a member of the Junior 
Order of L'^nited American Mechanics, of 
Northampton. The family belongs to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 



FRANCIS E. MeKENZIE, vice presi- 
dent and general manager of the Mc- 
Kenzie Lumber and Coal Company, with 
yards at Grand Avenue and the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad, Springfield, was born in 
Aberdeen, Scotland, October 4, 1876. 

Mr. McKenzie was eight years old when 
he accompanied his parents to America. 
They located first near Tiffin, Ohio, and 
the son soon learned to be self-support- 
ing. He was first employed in burning 
lime. When fourteen years of age he 
went into the logging business, which he 
followed until he began to manufacture 
lumber at West Mansfield, purchasing a 
mill and continuing there until 1897, when 
he and his partners bought a saw and 
planing-mill and lumber-yards at Dela- 
ware. The fine plant there is still main- 
tained, together with a saw-mill at Nor- 
ton, and in October, 1907, they bought a 
saw-mill at Springfield and Mr. Mc- 
Kenzie took up his residence in this city. 
The company is one of importance in the 
business world and is interested in other 
holdings outside of lumber and coal. 

In 1901 Mr. McKenzie was married to 
Gurnetta Said and they have two sons — 
John and Robert. Mr. McKenzie is a 
Mason, and he belongs to the Springfield 
Commercial Club and to the Young Men 's 
Christian Association, at Delaware. 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ELIJAH L. DAVISSON, one of Pleas- 
ant Township's representative citizens, 
owns a valuable farm of 137 acres in 
Clark County and 100 acres in Cham- 
paign County, Ohio. He was born in 
Clark County, Ohio, April 12, 1840, and is 
a son of Lemuel and Susan (Lott) Davis- 
son. 

The grandparents of Mr. Davisson, 
Isaac and Sarah Davisson, came to Clark 
County from Pennsylvania at a very 
early day. Both died in this county, the 
grandmother living to be almost one hun- 
dred years of age.. Lemuel Davisson was 
bom in Clark County, June 14, 1812, and 
married Susan Lott, December 31, 1835. 
She was born December 11, 1812. They 
had eight children, namely: Isaac, Eliz- 
abeth, Elijah L., Mary, Geoi'ge, Daniel, 
Isaac and Thomas William. The first 
Isaac of the above family was bom Sep- 
tember 18, 1836, and died February 19, 
1840. Elizabeth, born July 18, 1838, died 
February 21, 1840. Mary Ann, bom Jan- 
uary 21, 1842, died September 6, 1888. She 
was married (first) to John Hendricks, 
who died from wounds received in the 
army during the Civil War. He left one 
son, Wilbur. She was married (second), 
in 1879, to Eli H. Adams, who died in 
1907. George W., born November 23, 
1843, married Elizabeth J. Jones and they 
had eight children, namely: Ida M., 
Lawrence E., Minnie, Mertie, Hayes, Net- 
tie, Wilbur and Omar. Daniel D., bom 
December 31, 1845, died September 9, 
1860. Isaac (2), bom December 31, 1848, 
died September 6, 1860. Thomas Will- 
iam, born March 31, 1851, died May 21, 
1902. He was married (first) in 1880 to 
Lizzie A. Stipp, who died April 19, 1891. 
They had one child, who never breathed. 



He was married (second), in 1894, to 
Mary Stateler, and their one child died in 
infancy. 

Elijah L. Davisson attended the district 
schools when he was a boy and grew to 
manhood on his father's farm. In 1862 
he joined Company C, One Hundred and 
Tenth Regiment , Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, for service in the Civil War, but 
the regiment had gone no further than 
Piqua, Ohio, when he was prostrated with 
typhoid fever and instead of going out to 
fight, he was brought home and struggled 
through a serious spell of sickness. On 
September 1, 1869, he was married to 
Dorothy Jane Neer, who was born April 
14, 1851, and is a daughter of Joseph F. 
and Margaret (Arbogast) Neer. The 
parents were born in Clark County, May 
4th and September 6th, 1825, respectively. 
The mother still survives. There were 
the following children in the Neer family: 
Amy, the eldest daughter, residing with 
her mother at Mechanicsburg, was bom 
July 1, 1845; Sarah C, who was born in 
1848, died in 1860 ; Dorothy Jane ; Bruce, 
born in 1857, married Mary Wilkison and 
they have two children, Esta, who. is the 
wife of Clarence West, and Cloice E., of 
Champaign County, who married Bessie 
Everhart; William, bom in 1863, married 
Anna Kimble and they have three chil- 
dren, Foster and Florence, twins, and 
Milburn; and Grant, bora in 1865, mar- 
ried Fannie Loveless and they have one 
son, Paul, born in 1893. Mr. Neer had 
married (first) Dorcas Bodkin. She left 
one daughter, Margaret Ann, who died in 
1904. In I860 all this section was af- 
flicted with a scourge of diphtheria, and 
both the Neer and the Davisson families 
lost children from this disease. 




ADAM LENHART 




MRS. ISABELLA B. LENHART 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



653 



Mr. and Mrs. Davisson have three chil- 
dren, Charles Clifford, Clarence W. and 
Harry L. Charles Clifford was born May 
15, 1871. He was married February 5, 
1896, to Nellie B. Woodmanse, and they 
have three sons : Floyd L., born Decem- 
ber 13, 1897; Bruce R., born November 
23, 1903 ; and Kenneth' E., born March 3, 
1907. Clarence W. was born August 6, 
1877. He was married to Lelia Dodson 
in May, 1900, and they have one daughter, 
Mabel Corinne, who was born October 8, 
1901. Harry L. was born November 29, 
1887, and he assists his father in manag- 
ing the large estate. 

Mr. Davisson has resided on his present 
farm since 1870. He has been continually 
adding to its acreage and making im- 
provements. With the assistance of his 
son he carries on general farming, rais- 
ing large crops of the natural products of 
this climate. He is one of the leading 
members of Nation Chapel, and is a stew- 
ard in the same and is one of the trustees. 
For fifty-four years Mr. Davisson has 
been the chorister in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, serving in three differ- 
ent churches in this period. All of his 
family are members of the chapel men- 
tioned, which is situated not far from his 
farm. He takes no active interest in pol- 
itics, but he is always ready to perform 
the deities of a good citizen. 



ADAM LENHART, the efficient super- 
intendent of the Children's Home, of 
Clark County, Ohio, has filled this impor- 
tant and responsible office since March, 
3885. He was born in Westmoreland 
County, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1840, and 
is a son of Abraham and Leah (Shettler) 



Ijenhart. The Lenhart family is of Ger- 
man extraction and is well represented in 
Pennsylvania and adjoining states. 

Abraham Lenhart came to Ohio from 
Pennsylvania, removed from this state to 
Hamilton County, Illinois, and still later 
to Kansas, where he died, aged sixty-four ' 
years. He had nine children, as follows : 
Adam, whose name appears at the head of 
this article; Christopher, who died aged 
thirteen years ; Susan, residing in Kansas, 
who is the wddow of William Cox; Mar- 
garet, residing in Kansas, who married 
Washington Plutchinson; Abraham and 
Henry, both of whom went to Kansas, 
where the former died ; Sarah, residing in 
Kansas, who married James Charles- 
worth; William, who resides in Missouri; 
and Anna, who died in young woman- 
hood. 

Adam Lenhart engaged in farming and 
also worked as a stationary engineer 
prior to coming to Springfield, Ohio, in 
1875, where he was employed on the work 
of fitting up the plant of the St. John 
Sewing Machine Company. Later he be- 
came foreman of the Stand departments, 
having also assisted in completing that 
plant. After two years of retirement 
from business Mr. Lenhart was called to 
become superintendent of the Clark Coun- 
ty Children's Home. 

This great county charity was founded 
six years before Mr. Lenhart took charge, 
and under his wise and capable manage- 
ment it has greatly increased in useful- 
ness. The records show that more than 
1,500 children have found refuge in the 
institution and have been sent to private 
homes, where they are kindly cared for, 
although not released from the protecting 
supervision of the Home. It may sur- 



654 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



prise many of the readers of these lines 
to know that the average age of the chil- 
dren received is three years, and they are 
assured of an education and comfortable 
surroundings until they are sixteen years 
of age, unless in the meanwhile they have 
■ found other homes. When they leave this 
institution they are well equipped to take 
their places in the battle of life. Mr. 
Lenhart has also the supervision of the 
farm of sixty-five acres, which belongs to 
the Home. He has been so earnest in his 
work that the county has readily respond- 
ed to his appeals, and modern machinery 
has been installed in the buildings, giv- 
ing heat, light and water; also modern 
methods of control are followed in the 
management of the county charges. Mr. 
Lenhart seems to be particularly fitted for 
the position he fills. His attention was 
first called to the claims of the county's 
indigent while serving as one of the di- 
rectors of the county infirmary, and dur- 
ing that time he impressed his fellow- 
directors by his practical suggestions and 
intelligent ideas. 

In 1864 Mr. Lenhart was married to 
Isabella Bolen, whose father was a well- 
known contractor and bridge-builder. 
Mr. Bolen was twice married and the fol- 
lowing children of his are living: John, 
who is superintendent of buildings for 
the Dayton, Spring-field & Urbana Rail- 
road, resides at Springfield; Hariy, who 
is a stockman and farmer and resides in 
Indian Territory; Isabella, who became 
Mrs. Lenhart; and Jeannetta and Loretta, 
twins, residing in Colorado, the former of 
whom married Joseph Sample. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart have had four 
children, .three of whom died in infancy. 
One daughter survives, Elsie L., who was 



born in 1867. She is the widow of Dr. John 
Gr. Kennan, who died in 1897, at Spring- 
field, leaving three children — Isabella, 
Gardiner and Lucile. Mr. and Mrs. Len- 
hart, her daughter and the latter 's chil- 
dren, are members of the First Baptist 
Church of Springfield, of which Mr. Len- 
hart has long been one of the trustees. 

In politics Mr. Lenhart is a stanch 
Republican and has served as a member 
of the Republican Coimty Central Com- 
mittee, a very strong political organiza- 
tion. Fraternally he belongs to Red Star 
Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and to Eph- 
raim Lodge No. 146, 1. 0. 0. F. 

Mr. Lenhart is deeply interested in all 
charitable and philanthropic work, but at 
the same time is a man of very practical 
ideas. He is never swayed by false senti- 
ment and thus is well fitted for official po- 
sition. He is a member of the Ohio Char- 
ities and Corrections Association, which 
has supervision of all the charitable in- 
.stitutions of the state, and in 1900 he was 
chairman of the body representing the 
Children's Home in that organization. 
In June, 1902, he was appointed a dele- 
gate to a National Conference of Char- 
ities, but was unable to attend on account 
of pressing duties at that time connected 
with the affairs of the Children's Home. 



J. L. FLATTER, a prosperous farmer 
residing about five miles south of Spring- 
field, in Green Township, was born in 
Greene County, Ohio, February 29, 1852, 
and is a son of Samuel J. and Sarah A. 
(Welsh) Flatter, and a grandson of Lud- 
wig Flatter. 

Ludwig Flatter, grandfather, was born 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



655 



in Maryland of German parents. He came 
to Ohio as early as 1815, locating in 
Greene County, where he owned a half 
section of land. He lived three miles 
south of Yellow Springs and farmed there 
the remainder of his life. He and his 
wife were parents of twelve children. 

Samuel J. Flatter, father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Greene County, Ohio, 
in 1828, and farmed the home place until 
his death on December 16, 1903, when he 
was aged seventy -five years and two days. 
He married Sarah A. Welsh, who died 
September IS, 1861. They were the par- 
ents of six children, three of whom are 
now living. 

J. L. Flatter was reared on the home 
place and attended the district schools of 
his home locality in Greene County. He 
remained at home, assisting his father, 
until he reached his majority, and then 
began working on his own account. He 
bought his present farm in 1895, having 
eighty-five and one-half acres five miles 
south of Spring-field. He had worked out 
for some years and had rented a place for 
seven years prior to making this pur- 
chase. His wife also owns a tract of fifty 
acres about four miles south of Spring- 
field. He is a successful farmer and all 
that he now possesses is owing to his own 
untiring energy and good management. 

In 1884, Mr. Flatter was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mary E. Alexander, who 
was born in Clark County and is a daugh- 
ter of Samuel J. Alexander, a prominent 
farmer of this county. This union was 
blessed with four children, as follows : 
Ruth, Leonard, Wayne, and Maud, the last 
mentioned of whom died in infancy. Po- 
litically our subject is a Democrat and 
has ever evinced an earnest interest in 



the success of his party. In religious at- 
tachment, he and his wife are members of 
the Presbyterian Church of Clifton. 



PETEE STUDEBAKER,' a prosper- 
ous and highly respected farmer of Pike 
Township and owner of three hundred 
and forty-five acres of land, was born 
June 23, 1840, on his father's farm, in 
Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and 
is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Min- 
nich) Studebaker and a grandson of John 
Studebaker, an early settler of Clark 
County. 

Samuel Studebaker was born in Bucks 
County, Pennsylvania, and at the age of 
ten years came to Ohio with his parents, 
who settled at West Charlestown, where 
the father later died. His mother died at 
the home of one of her children in Indiana. 
Samuel was the eldest of their family of 
thirteen children, all of whom settled in 
different parts of the country and are now 
all deceased. He assisted his father in 
clearing the land and later operated a mill 
in Miami County, Ohio, manufacturing 
flaxseed oil. He married Elizabeth Min- 
nich, a daughter of Michael Minnich, who 
died in 1875, aged about sixty-five years. 
Eight children were born to them, namely : 
Michael, Margaret, John, and Elizabeth, 
all deceased ; Peter ; Samuel and Hannah, 
both deceased ; and Jane, wife of William 
Carmen, of Indiana. Samuel Studebaker 
located on a farm east of Troy, Ohio, after 
his marriage, and five years later bought 
a tract of eighty acres in Pike Township, 
Clark County. At the time of his death, 
which occurred in 1889, at the age of 
eighty-two years, he was the owner of one 
hundred and thirty-seven acres. 



656 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Peter Studebaker was the only son who 
grew to maturity, his three brothers all 
dying young. He helped clear the farm 
and assisted in its cultivation, almost from 
boyhood. He received a common school 
education, aUending the old log school at 
Beach Grove. Since his marriage Mr. 
Studebaker has always engaged in mixed 
fai'ming, and for a period of thirty years 
he also operated a threshing machine, be- 
ginning when the old horse-power ma- 
chine was the only one on the market. 

On February 12, 1877, Mr. Studebaker 
married Susan Richardson, who was born 
in a log house on the present farm, and is 
a daughter of William and Eliza (Car- 
men) Richardson, who came from Mary- 
land to Clark County, Ohio, and settled on 
this place. She is one of six children 
born to her parents : Elizabeth, Prudence, 
Susan, John, Joseph, and George, the lat- 
ter of whom is deceased. Her father died 
in the fall of 1864 at the age of fifty-five 
years, and was survived by his widow 
until 1881, she passing away at the age of 
seventy-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Stude- 
baker have one child: Elizabeth. Mr. 
Studebaker is a man of public spirit and 
enterprise and is held in high esteem by 
his fellow citizens. He is a Democrat. 



PATRICK L. MAUGHAN, justice of 
the peace and prominent citizen of Moore- 
field Township, where he owns one hun- 
dred acres of fine farming land, situated 
in one body, in sections 27 and 28, was 
born at Tremont City, Clark County, 
Ohio, November 24, 1866. His parents 
were Patrick and Margaret (Madden) 
Maughan. 

The parents of Mr. Maughan were both 



born in County Galway, Ireland, and the 
father came to America when he was 
twenty-two years of age. He landed at 
New Orleans, where he remained for one 
year and then came north to Cincinnati 
and on to Springfield, working at several 
shops in this city before making the visit 
to Cincinnati, where he married Margaret 
Madden. They went to housekeeping on 
the old Adam Baker farm near Eagle 
City, later moved to Tremont City, then 
lived for two years in Champaign County, 
where the father bought a farm, on which 
the family lived until Patrick L. was five 
years old, when they came to the farm in 
Moorefield Township now owned by Jus- 
tice Maughan. It was heavily timbered 
at that time but Patrick Maughan was 
a man of great industry and perseverance 
and he cleared it. His death took place 
April 4, '1904, his wife having died Sep- 
tember 13, 1898. 

Patrick L. Maughan has lived on his 
present farm since he was five years old, 
being the seventh bom in his parents ' fam- 
ily of eight children. The others were as 
follows : Michael, who died in 1902 ; Mary, 
who married Thomas Langen ; Luke ; Mar- 
garet, who died in infancy ; Catherine, who 
manages the domestic affairs for her 
brother, Patrick L. ; Daniel, who died aged 
two years; and Margaret (2), who mar- 
ried Michael Roddy. The parents were 
faithful members of the Catholic Church 
and they reared their children in the same 
faith. 

Patrick L. Maughan was educated in 
the country schools and at the Lebanon 
Normal School, in the latter coming un- 
der the instruction of Professor Holbrook, 
and after he returned to Moorefield Town- 
ship, he became teacher of the Franklin 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



657 



School, wliicli he taught continuously for 
eight years. He then took charge of the 
Kenton School, which he conducted for 
four years, and closed his long period of 
teaching by becoming principal of the 
Eockaway School, ' in Springfield Town- 
ship, near the Masonic Home, where he 
remained for two years. During all this 
period he resided on his farm and gave 
considerable attention to the raising of 
good stock. In 1904 he retired from the 
educational field and in the same year he 
was elected a justice of the peace, on the 
Democratic ticket, and was re-elected in 
1907. Mr. Maughan's personal popular- 
ity has had much to do with his continu- 
ance in office as the township is strongly 
Eepublican. 



TOPPY TEOUPE, one of the leading 
citizens of Springfield, who is engaged in 
a wholesale and retail cigar and tobacco 
business, at No. 42 South Limestone 
Street, has been identified with the inter- 
ests of this city for the past thirty-five 
years. He was born in 1850, at German- 
town, Montgomery County, Ohio. 

Mr. Troupe completed his education 
when about twenty-three years of age and 
then became a boot and shoe salesman and 
was connected with that industry for 
about twenty years, when he turned his 
attention to the cigar business, opening 
a store on High Street, Spring-field. On 
March 24, 1908, he moved to his present 
fine quarters, where he does an extensive 
jobbing as well as retail business. Mr. 
Troupe has been one of Spring-field's most 
active citizens in the interest he has taken 
in public matters. He is one of the strong 
political factors in Ohio, a stanch Eepub- 



lican, for the interests of which party he 
has worked for many years. He has never 
sought or accepted political office for him- 
self but has given his time and means to 
assist the ambitions of his friends and is 
probably one of the best-known politicians 
in the state. Since 1876 he has never 
missed a National, State, Congressional 
or County convention and he has been 
doorkeeper or assistant sergeant-at-arms 
at all the National and State conventions. 
He will also fill the office of doorkeeper at 
the Eepublican National convention, which 
is to be held in June, 1908. Among his 
pei-sonal friends he numbers the greatest 
statesmen in the land and on several occa- 
sions he has enjoyed tokens of their warm 
esteem. He accompanied President Mc- 
Kinley and Governor Nash, as an invalid 
guest, on their memorable trip to San 
Francisco. He has traveled extensively 
both in America and Europe and is a man 
of culture and social presence. 

On April 7, 1904, Mr. Troupe was mar- 
ried to Ella Myers, who was born and 
reared at Springfield. He is a member of 
the Masons, Elks, Knights of Pythias and 
American Mechanics, and he belongs to 
the Springfield Commercial Club. 



WALTEE McKINLEY, a leading busi- 
ness citizen of Tremont City, where he is 
engaged in a general mercantile business, 
is also treasurer of German Township. 
He was born at Tremont, Clark County, 
Ohio, December 5, 1854, and is a son of 
John B. and Elizabeth (Thrawls) McKin- 
ley. WiUiam McKinley, the grandfather, 
was a very early settler in German Town- 
ship and his son, John B. McKinley, was 
born at Tremont about 1827. For a num- 



658 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ber of years the latter was in a mercan- 
tile business at Tremont and for twelve 
years was postmaster. 

Walter McKinley was reared and edu- 
cated in his native place. He began to 
work in a dry goods store when thirteen 
years old and so continued until he was 
twenty-one, when he learned telegraphy 
and was subsequently appointed station 
agent for the Big Four Railroad, at Tre- 
mont. In 1888 he opened a tin shop, to 
which he shortly after added a grocery 
store, later putting in a fine line of hard- 
ware. He now has a large trade and is 
one of the city's representative men. In 
politics a Democrat, he served as post- 
master of Tremont during the four years 
of President Cleveland's last administra- 
tion. 

Mr. McKinley married Ella Xanders, 
who is a daughter of Jacob and Maria 
Xanders, and they have had three chil- 
dren, two of whom died in infancy. Their 
surviving child, Donna May, is the wife 
of I. A. Baker, who resides at Spring-field. 
Mr. McKinley is a member of the Re- 
formed Church. Fraternally, he is con- 
nected with the Odd Fellows and the Mac- 
cabees. 



HARRY C. DOWNEY, head of the firm 
of W. C. Downej^ & Company, is one of 
the most prominent and successful of 
Springfield's younger generation of busi- 
ness men. He was born in this city in 
Ji^ly, 1876, and is a son of W. C. Downey, 
one of the prominent early manufacturers 
of this vicinity. 

W. C. Downey was born in Augusta 
County, Virginia, and in the early sixties 
emigrated to Ohio. He was for some 



years identified with the P. P. Mast Com- 
pany, and in 1888 established a factory 
at Mechanicsburg for the manufacture of 
bale ties. The following year he moved 
the iDlant to Spring-field and continued 
actively at its head until his death in 
May, 1903. He was a successful business 
man and one of the substantial citizens of 
Springfield. He was an active member 
of the Clark County Fair Board, and was 
always found foremost in support of such 
measures and enterprises as were calcu- 
lated to bring advancement and prosper- 
ity to the city. His death was considered 
a loss to the entire community. 

Harry C. Downey was reared in the 
city of Springfield, and after completing 
the prescribed course in the public schools, 
attended Wittenberg College. This was 
supplemented by a course in Nelson's 
Business College. In 1896 he became as- 
sociated with his father in the manufac- 
turing business, and since his father's 
death has had sole charge of the plant, 
handling its affairs in the capable man- 
ner which has always characterized the 
management of this concern. 

March 1, 1904, Mr. Downey was joined 
in marriage with Miss Helen McGregor, 
a daughter of Frank McGregor, one of the 
city's foremost citizens, and they have 
two children, Susan and William. Re- 
ligiously, they are members of the Second 
Presbyterian Church. Our subject is a 
very active member of the Springfield 
Commercial Club, and also belongs to the 
Lagonda Club. 



HERBERT E. LOVELESS, who owns 
one hundred and seventy-seven acres of 
some of the finest farming land in Pleas- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



661 



ant Township, all in one body, lying along 
the Ellsworth Turnpike Road, was born 
October 31, 187G, near Catawba, Ohio, and 
is a son of Charles and Julia Frances 
(Lowe) Loveless. 

Charles Loveless was born in 1832, in 
Virginia, and was a son of John Loveless. 
In early manhood he came to Ohio and 
liA'ed on a farm in Champaign County 
for a time, when he came to Clark County 
and worked on the farm of Eli Hunter,' 
near Catawba, moving subsequently to 
several other farms, the Yeazell, the 
Baldwin and the Joseph Wren farm, liv- 
ing on the latter for thirteen years. He 
then bought property near Catawba, on 
which he lived for three years and then 
moved to the home of his daughter, Mrs. 
Fannie Neer, where he still resides. He 
married Julia Frances Lowe; in Virginia, 
and they had nine children, namely: 
Charles, William, Mollie, Fannie, Rose 
Anna, Lena, Herbert E. and Nellie. 
Charles died at the age of three years. 
William married Ella Davis and they have 
two children, Carl and Morris. Mollie 
married Luther Neer and they have five 
children: Olive, Nathan, Leonard, Gladys 
and Emerson. Fannie married Grant 
Neer, of Clark County, and they have one 
son, Paul. Rose married Charles Gor- 
don and they have three children, Marion, 
Louis and Mark. Anna married Edward 
Rupert. They have no children. Lena 
married Carl Jones. They have no chil- 
dren. Nellie married Harley West and 
they reside at Springfield. They had one 
daughter, Margaret, who died aged two 
years. 

Herbert E. Loveless obtained his educa- 
tion in the publis schools and has followed 
agricultural pursuits ever since he en- 

36 



tered manhood. After his marriage he 
rented the J. W. Yeazell farm, in Pleas- 
ant Township, on which he lived for three 
years and then came to his present place. 
Here he has made many substantial im- 
provements, and his farm has been de- 
veloped into one of the best in the town- 
ship. He raises grain and hay and many 
cattle and hogs. 

Mr. Loveless was married November 
15, 1898, to Florence Yeazell, who is a 
daughter of J. M. and Emma A. (Hous- 
ton) Yeazell, and they have one child, 
Thelma, who was born November 25, 1904. 
Mr. and Mrs. Loveless are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Catawba. 
Mr. Loveless is an official member of the 
Junior Order of Amercian Mechanics, at 
Catawba. He is an enterprising, pro- 
gressive citizen and is held in high esteem 
in his community. 



GEORGE W. BYMASTER, president 
of the Board of Infirmary Directors, who 
has been a resident of Clark County, Ohio, 
since 1853, was born August 25, 1833, in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 

Mr. Bymaster was reared and received 
his educational training in Lancaster 
County and upon coming to Clark County, 
Ohio, located at Enon, where he was en- 
gaged in farming until 1862. He then en- 
listed in Company G, Ninety-fourth Regi- 
ment, 0. V. I., and was mustered into 
service at Piqua, Ohio. He was in active 
service nearly three years and partic- 
ipated in those important engagements in 
the vicinity of Chattanooga — Buzzards 
Roost, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, 
and Missionary Ridge. During the 
Georgia campaign while charging on the 



662 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Confederate works at Resaca lie was twice 
severely wounded, after whicli he was sent 
to the general hospital at Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, and, not being able to return on 
duty, was discharged in May, 1865. He 
was taken prisoner at Tates Ferry and re- 
leased on parole. After returning from 
the war he was located for one year at 
Donnelsville, Bethel Township, and after- 
wards went to Mad River Township where 
he worked out by the month for three 
years. He subsequently began farming 
in Grerman Township for himself, and thus 
continued with much success for some 
twenty-four years. He then operated a 
dairj^ in Springfield TownshiiD for eleven 
years and built a commodious home at 
Sugar Grove, where he has since resided. 
Mr. Bymaster also purchased the old 
Stevenson farm of one hundred and thirty- 
four acres in German Township and it is 
now operated by his son. 

In 1859 Mr. Bymaster married Miss 
Mary Tilton and they have four sons and 
one daughter, namely: Irvin, now de- 
ceased; Forest, who operates a large cat- 
tle ranch containing three thousand and 
forty acres, in Grant County Kansas; 
David, who lives in North Dakota ; Charles 
0., who lives on his father's farm of one 
hundred and thirty-four acres; and Ida 
A., who lives at home. 

Mr. Bymaster has always taken an ac- 
tive interest in political affairs and has 
served in various minor offices in German 
Township. He was ^trustee of Springfield 
Township for four years and a member of 
the School Board for nine years. He was 
elected president of the Board of Infirm- 
ary Directors in the fall of 1904, and for 
about thirty-five years was engaged in 
pike work for the county. 



Mr. Bymaster is a member of Powell 
Post No. 381, G. A. R., of Tremont City, 
and, religiously, is an active member of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sims 
Chapel, of German Township. 



STEPHEN CARY GOODALL was 
born on his father's farm in Darke Coun- 
ty, Ohio, June 5, 1861. His parents were 
James and Mary (Long) Goodall. He is 
a member of the Knights Templars at 
Springfield. 



A. H. THOMAS, who has been a resi- 
dent of Springfield, Ohio, for some twenty 
years, is president of the Gearless Gas 
Engine Company and an inventor of 
prominence, holding patents to a number 
of important inventions which have 
proved a success on the mai'ket. 

Mr. Thomas was born at Versailles, 
Ohio, in 1870, and was a small boy when 
his parents moved to Miami County, Ohio, 
where he was reared, attending the com- 
mon schools. Early in life he began 
learning the trade of a pattern-maker at 
Piqua, and when eighteen years of age 
came to Springfield and completed his ap- 
prenticeship to that trade, as well as to 
that of a machinist. He was with the 
Mast-Foos Company three years, then en- 
tered the employ of the Rogers Fence 
Company, having charge of the lawn 
mower department for three years. At 
the end of that time he went to Troy, 
Ohio, where he was connected with the 
Adams Machine Shop for seven years, 
subsequently returning to Springfield. He 
was with the Spring-field Gas Engine Com- 
IDany five years, and two years with the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



663 



Foos Gas Engine Company, but in the 
meantime was spending his time working 
out some inventions that his practical eye 
saw were much needed. Having com- 
pleted a gearless gas engine, the only one 
invented, and applied for a patent, in 1904 
the Gearless Gas Engine Company was in- 
corporated with a capital stock of $20,000 
and the following officers : A. H. Thomas, 
president; C. W. Poster, vice president; 
and W. L. Yatos, secretary. The gearless 
gas engine is without a rival in the market, 
and being a wonderful invention for which 
there was an immediate demand, the suc- 
cess of the company was assured from the 
first. In addition, Mr. Thomas holds pat- 
ents on an adjustable cuff holder and a 
lawn-mower, both practical inventions 
which have been a success. 

In 1888 Mr. Thomas was joined in mar- 
riage with Miss Katie Foster, by whom 
he has five children, Earl F., Katherine, 
John, Isabelle, and Naomi. Religiously, 
he and his wife are members of the 
Church of Christ. Fraternally, he is a 
member of Springfield Lodge, I. 0. 0. F. 



JOHN BACON CRAIN, ex-county com- 
missioner, and owner of an excellent farm 
of one hundred and fifty acres located in 
Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
eight miles west of Springfield, on the 
south side of the Valley turnpike, was 
born in Springfield, Ohio, where the Ar- 
cade now stands. May 7, 1847, and is a 
son of John A. and Anna Matilda (Bacon) 
Grain. 

The great-great-grandparents of Mr. 
Crain, William and Jean Crain, came 
to America from Ireland in 1732, settling 
on the Manada, a branch of the Swatara 



River, in what was then Lancaster Coun- 
ty, now Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. 
Joseph, the second son of William Crain, 
was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 
1738. During the War of the Revolution 
he served as first Lieutenant in Cap. 
Richard McQuown's Company, of Colv 
Tim Green's Regiment, and was later 
commissioned Captain of the Second Com- 
pany of the Sixth Battalion, Pennsyl- 
vania Troops, under Col. John Rogers. 
Capt. Crain remained in active service 
until 1777. He was 'married to Mary 
Moore and their second son, John Crain, 
the grandfather of John B. Crain, was 
bom November 25, 1773, and came to 
Clark Coimty, Ohio, in 1806, from Han- 
over, Pennsylvania. He entered the pres- 
ent Charles R. Crain farm in 1806, and 
the old deed signed by President Madison 
is still in the possession of the family. 
John Crain was married to Lydia Reeder. 
John Adam Crain, the father of John 
B. Crain, was born October 14, 1811, in 
Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio. 
While still a boy he went to Springfield 
and subsequently became postmaster dur- 
ing President Harrison's administration. 
After the death of his father he bought 
out the other heirs and returned to the 
home farm in Bethel Township. He later 
retired and moved to Springfield where 
he died November 12, 1889. He was mar- 
ried to Anna Matilda (Bacon) a native 
of Spring-field, whose ancestors came from 
England in 1635. She died June 5, 1886. 
They had four children, as follows : John 
Bacon; Charles R., a resident of Bethel 
Township ; Mary, deceased ; and Edmund, 
a resident of Philadelphia. 

John B. Crain lived in Springfield, 
Ohio, imtil five years of age, when he was 



664 



HISTORY OF CLAE.K COUNTY 



brought by his parents to the farm in 
Bethel Township, where his youth was 
spent. His education was secured in the 
district schools of Bethel Township, the 
common schools of Springfield, and the 
Commercial College of Dayton, Ohio. In 
1873, Mr. Crain became a member of the 
firm of E. E. Hotsenpeller, millers, con- 
tinuing with this company until 1878. He 
then moved on the old Layton farm, which 
he purchased in 1871. Mr. Crain was 
married February 15, 1872, to Lydia Hot- 
senpeller, a daughter of Charles W. and 
Amelia (Eeitenour) Hotsenpeller. Five 
children have been bom to this union: 
Mary, who is the wife of Dr. C. M. Evans 
of New Carlisle, Ohio; Madge; Bertha; 
Kathleen, who married Harold McGregor, 
resides in Springfield; and John A., of 
New York. 

In 1897 Mr. Crain was elected county 
commissioner on the Republican ticket 
and served six years. 



MILTON H. HOCKMAN, a highly re- 
spected citizen of German Township, who 
is engaged in general farming and stock- 
raising on a farm of eighty-eight and a 
half acres, located six miles northwest of 
Springfield on the Joel Ebersole Road, 
was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, 
November 11, 1852, and is a son of Sam- 
uel R., and Anna Eliza (Gochenour) 
Hockman. He spent his early boyhood 
days in Virginia, coming to Ohio in 1867 
when fifteen years of age, with his par- 
ents, who first located near Urbana, 
Champaign County. His father was a 
miller by trade and operated a grist-mill 
in Virginia until his removal to Ohio, 
when he entered the employ of Parker 



Bryan as miller for three years. After- 
wards he rented and operated a mill north 
of Tremont for six years and in 1876 came 
to Clark County and purchased the Eagle 
City Mills in German Township from 
John H. Bryan and Jacob Messer. This 
property he operated until his death in 
1903. 

Mr. Hockman learned the miller's trade 
and was in partnership with his father 
from 1876 until 1888, when he sold his 
interest, finding himself unable to stand 
the work, and in the spring of 1888 came 
to his present farm, first buying a tract 
of thirty-four and a half acres, to which 
he later added twenty-four acres, and 
again thirty acres in the fall of 1907. 
Here he has since followed general farm- 
ing and stock-raising and has made many 
important improvements on the place, in- 
cluding the remodeling of the buildings. 

Mr. Hockman was married December 
23, 1879, to Ella Dietrick, a daughter of 
Jacob Dietrick, and they have three chil- 
dren, Ada Frances ; Nora, who is the wife 
of Irvin B. Shoup of Northampton and 
the mother of three children, Kennith, 
Carl, and Ellen; and Ida M. Hockman. 
Mr. Hockman attends the Dunkard 
Church, of which his wife is a member. 



F. E. MOSHER, auditor of the Amer- 
ican Seeding Machine Company at Spring- 
field, Ohio, is one of the best known busi- 
ness men and citizens of this place. He 
is a member of various business, fraternal 
and social organizations, and has a wide 
acquaintance throughout the county. 

Mr. Mosher was bom at Salisbury, New 
York, AugTist 8, 1870, and after attend- 
ing the piiblic schools for a time pursued 



AND KEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



665 



an academic course of study at Canastota, 
New York. He then became identified 
with the Eastman Kodak Company, with 
whom he continued for nine years, being 
in the capacity of auditor at the time he 
resigned. He then became connected with 
the Bickford & Huifman Co. division of 
the American Seeding Company located 
at Macedon, New York, continuing with 
them from 1899 until 1902, when he left 
their service to become secretary and 
manager of the Crandall Packing Com- 
pany at Palmyra, New York. July 1st, 
1903, he moved to Springfield, Ohio, and 
again entered the employ of the American 
Seeding Company. He served as assistant 
auditor until January 1st, 1905, since 
which time he has discharged the duties 
of auditor. He also is interested in the 
Standard Trimmer Company at Spring- 
field. In 1901 Mr. Mosher was joined in 
marriage with Miss Katherine Stevens, a 
native of Despatch, New York. Fratern- 
ally, he is a member of the order of Ma- 
son and Elks, belongs to the Country 
Club, the Masonic Club, Y. M. C. A., and 
the Springfield Commercial Club. 



A. L. DUFPEY, who has been promi- 
nently identified with «the city's business 
activities many years, has resided in 
Springfield, Ohio, for a period of twenty- 
eight years and is at present president and 
treasurer of the Springfield Planing Mill 
and Lumber Company. Mr. Duffey was 
born and reared in Highland County, 
Ohio, the date of his birth being 1859. He 
remained in his native community until 
he reached his majority, then came to 
Springfield, Ohio, and engaged as a wood- 
worker with Ehinehart & Bullard. He 



was next in the employ of St. John's Sew- 
ing Machine Company, later, of the 
Spring-field Engiae and Thresher Com- 
pany, and then served eight years as fore- 
man of the wood department of the A. C 
Evans Manufacturing Company. Upon 
leaving the employ of the last named com- 
pany, he was made first superintendent of 
the Ohio Planing Mill and Box Company, 
and in 1895 began his connection with the 
Springfield Planing Mill. He served as 
superintendent until 1903, then was 
elected president and treasurer of the 
company, whose affairs he has since 
directed with marked ability. Mr. Duffey 
Avas married in 1901 to Miss Mamie A. 
Johnson of Springfield. Fraternally, he 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, 
and belong to the Junior Order United 
American Mechanics. 



ELLIOTT D. WHEELER, owner of a 
fine farm of one hundred and twenty-nine 
acres located on Yellow Springs Pike, five 
miles southwest of Springfield, in Green 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, has been a 
resident there throughout his entire life. 
He was born on his present farm ia 
March, 1846, and is a son of John and 
Catherine (Inlow) Wheeler. 

Ebenezer Wheeler, grandfather of our 
subject, came to Green Township from 
New Jersey while this country was 
in a comparatively wild state and was 
among the earliest pioneers. The church 
on the hill near the "Wheeler farm was 
named in his honor. He and his wife were 
parents of eleven children. 

John Wheeler was born on the same 
farm as our subject and there grew to 
maturity, attending the primitive schools 



666 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of that early period. He followed farm- 
ing througliont life and also conducted a 
threshing outiit. His death occurred in 
1858. He married Catherine Inlow, a na- 
tive of Clark County, and a daughter of 
Abraliam Inlow. They were parents of 
seven children, of whom Elliott D. is the 
sole survivor. Politically, the father was 
a Republican but never an office seeker. 
Elliott D. Wheeler was reared and has 
always lived on the old Wheeler farm. He 
engages in general farming and stock- 
raising, and has met with more than aver- 
age success. He was united in marriage 
with Miss Amy Woliston, who was born 
in Springfield and is a daughter of John 
Woliston, who for many years followed 
carpentering in that city. Sis children 
were born to bless their union, namely: 
Walter, Nettie, Warren (deceased). 
Homer (deceased), Ralph, and Lola. In 
politics he has always been a stanch Re- 
publican and for some years served as a 
member of the School Board. Although 
too young to enter the army at the begin- 
ning of tlie Civil War, in 1864 he enlisted 
in the 100-day service and went to the 
front for that period. He is a man of 
many admirable qualities, and is held in 
highest esteem by his fellow citizens. 



HENRY WICKHAM, formerly one of 
Springfield's leading manufacturers, who, 
at the time of his death, on November 13, 
1907, was at the head of the largest house 
manufacturing piano plates and piano 
hardware in the world, had been more or 
less identified with Springfield interests 
since 1876. Mr. Wickham came of Eng- 
lish-Irish ancestry and was bom in the 
City of New York June 15th, 1854. His 



education was pursued along the line of 
his natural inclinations and he remained 
in his native city until 1876, when he 
came first to Springfield, at that time be- 
coming connected with the St. John Sew- 
ing Machine Company, of this city, hav- 
ing charge of its japanning department. 
Prom Springfield he went to Brooklyn, 
N. Y., where he established a piano plate 
manufacturing business, remaining there 
until September, 1889, when he returned 
to Springfield, which city continued to be 
the scene of his business successes during 
the remainder of a busy life. He asso- 
ciated with him John Chapman, a native 
of Newark, New Jersey, also a practical 
man in the business, and the concern was 
incorporated in the above year. Great 
preparations were immediately made for 
the carrying on of a large industry, eight 
acres of land being secured, adequate and 
appropriate buildings being erected there- 
on, and machinery being installed to make 
the plant one of the best and most cora- 
plete of its kind in the world. Experi- 
enced and capable workmen were brought 
together and each year the business as- 
sumed larger and larger proportions. 

On September 28, 1903, the whole plant 
was destroyed by fire, when Mr. Chapman 
retired and Mr. Wickham and James 
Johnson, Jr., organized a stock company 
known as the Wickham Piano Plate Com- 
pany. A fire-proof structure was erected, 
it being in every way a much more elab- 
orate plant, and here the business is still 
conducted. The manufactured articles 
include piano plates, piano hardware, the 
latter designation covering action brack- 
ets, pedal feet, pedal guards, bearing 
bars, organ pedal frames and all other 
devices. Their field of distribution covers 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



669 



the world. Mr. Wickham never lost his 
practical interest in the business, which 
he thoroughly understood in every detail, 
and as long as he lived he took a justifi- 
able pride in the fact that no matter how 
many changes entered into the business 
of many competitors, the same high stan- 
dard of perfection continued in his own as 
had prevailed at the beginning. 

On October 15, 1878, Henry Wickham 
was married to Theresa Murphy, who was 
born at West Jetferson, Ohio, and is a 
daughter of John Murphy, who was in a 
grocery business in Madison County, for 
a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Wick- 
ham became parents of five children, 
namely: Grace, who married L. C. Gor- 
such, residing at Spring-field; Edna, re- 
siding with her mother; Frank, residing 
at Springfield ; and John and Henry, both 
of whom are students in St. Mary's In- 
stitute, at Dayton, Ohio. Mrs. Wickham 
and family are members of St. Raphael's 
Catholic Church, at Springfield. Mr. 
Wickham was a consistent churchman and 
gave liberally in support of charity and 
to further benevolence. He was a mem- 
ber of the order of Knights of Columbus. 
He owned valuable real estate in Clark 
County, including a beautiful country 
home and the elegant city residence on the 
corner of Burnett Road and Harrison 
Street. In his political affiliation he was 
a Republican. 



CHARLES OSCAR BYMASTER, a 

well known resident of German Township, 
who is engaged in general agriculture on 
a farm of 134 acres, which he owns in 
partnership with his father, was born 
July 21, 3870, in German Township, 



Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
George W. and Mary J. (Tilton) Bymas- 
ter. 

Charles 0. Bymaster was reared and 
educated in his native township, and with 
the exception of twelve years spent in 
Springfield Township, where he operated 
a dairy in connection with farming, has 
always been a resident of German Town- 
ship. In March, 1905, Mr. Bymaster and 
family moved to his present farm, which 
is situated five miles northwest of Spring- 
field on the Clark and Miami Pike at the 
junction of the old Troy Road. He here 
follows general farming and is one of the 
most enterprising and progressive young 
agriculturists in the township. 

On December 23, 1897, Mr. Bymaster 
was joined in marriage with Mary E. 
Powell, a daughter of William . Sinclair 
and Eliza Powell, and of this union have 
been born three children— Paul, George, 
Ruth Lucille, and Charles Robert. Mr. 
Bymaster has always taken an active in- 
terest in politics and is an ardent sup- 
porter of the Republican party. 



, THOMAS H. ROBERTS, whose valu- 
able farm of 160 acres is situated in 
Moorefield Township and is the original 
quarter section which was entered by his 
father from the Government, almost 100 
years ago, is a leading citizen of this part 
of Clark County. Mr. Roberts was born 
on his present farm, March 28, 1836, and 
is a son of James H. and Mary (Wren) 
Roberts. 

James H. Roberts was born in Vir- 
ginia, in 1785, and came to Clark County, 
Ohio, in 1810. After securing his land 
and beginning its clearing and cultivation. 



670 



I-IISTOET OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mr. Eoberts rented it out to another early 
settler and moved to Lawrenceburg, In- 
diana, near Cincinnati, where he operated 
a tannery until the death of his first wife, 
after which Jie returned to his farm in 
Ohio. He added more land to his first 
purchase and at the time of his death, in 
1863, he owned 235 acres. Until 1832 he 
lived with his family in a log house, but 
then built a one-story brick one, and in 
the latter his son, Thomas H., was born. 
James H. Eoberts was mai-ried (first) to 
Jane Wilson, in Virginia, and they had 
one child when they came to Ohio, Will- 
iam, who was born in Virginia in 1808. 
Sis more children were born to that mar- 
riage in Ohio. Mr. Eoberts was married 
(second) to Mary Wren, and they had ten 
children, nine of whom survived infancy. 
The mother of these children died in 
1876. In every sense of the word, James 
H. Eoberts was a typical pioneer. He 
was a man of robust constitution, of en- 
terprising nature and of sterling char- 
acter. 

Thomas H. Eoberts was reared on the 
farm on which he was born and which has 
always been his home, with the exception 
of two years which he spent at Spring-field 
and an absence of four months in the 
army. He followed agricultural pursuits 
after completing the usual country school 
education, leaving home for the first time 
when he enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth 
Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
April 23, 1861. He served until Septem- 
ber 7, 1861, although his discharge papers 
were dated August 18, 1861, being sta- 
tioned during all this time in West Vir- 
ginia. Mr. Eoberts returned home and 
resumed farming. His property is situ- 
ated on what was once the Urbana and 



Charleston Eoad, just one-half mile south 
of the Mechanicsburg Tui'upike, about 
nine miles northeast of Spring-field. This' 
is a beautiful and fertile section of Clark 
County. 

On March 26, 1863, Mr. Eoberts was 
married to Marj^ Coffey, who was born in 
Pleasant Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
and is a daughter of William and Nancy 
(Curl) Coffey. Her paternal grand- 
father, Joseph Coffey, came to Clark 
County in 1803. Both her father and 
mother were born in Pleasant Township. 
Her maternal grandfather, Jeremiah 
Curl, was born in Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. 
Eoberts have six children, namely: 
Charles, James William, Annie, Elizabeth, 
Lucy and Mary. Charles Eoberts is the 
manager of the home farm. He married 
Josephine Warwick and they have five 
children: Ag-nes, Josephine, Thomas 
Edwin and John. James William Eob- 
erts is engaged in farming in Moorefield 
Township. He married Blanche Baldwin 
and they have one child, Blanche. Annie 
Eoberts married Eichard Marsh and they 
live in Indiana and have four children: 
Gladys, Grace, Elizabeth and Nathan. 
Elizabeth Eoberts married Harry Bruce 
and they live at Troy, Ohio. Lucy Eob- 
erts married Nathan Marsh and they have 
three children : Douglas, Emily and Mary 
Cathei'ine; and Mary Eoberts married 
George Maxwell. Mr. and Mrs. Eoberts 
have lived to see all their children com- 
fortably settled in homes of their own. 
He is a man of quiet tastes, devoted to his 
home and interested in local matters only 
so far as becomes a good citizen, taking 
no very active part in politics. He be- 
longs to the local post of the Grand Army 
of the Eepublic. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



671 



WILLIAM BAYLEY, president of the 
William Bayley Companj^, manufacturers 
of structural and ornamental iron work, 
has been a resident of Springfield, Ohio, 
since 1875. He was born in Baltimore, 
Maryland, July 28, 1845, and was there 
reared to maturity, attending the public 
schools during his youthful days. 

Mr. Bayley remained in his native citj' 
until he passed the age of twenty-five 
years, then went to Wilmington, Dela- 
ware, whei"e he conducted a machine shop 
one year. He removed to Springfield, 
Ohio, in 1875, and thereafter until 1889 
was identified with the Whiteley plant. He 
then entered the employ of the Rogers 
Fence Company, and subsequ6ntly the 
Rogers Iron Company, which three years 
later was succeeded by the William Bay- 
ley Company. The latter company was 
organized and incorporated with the fol- 
lowing officers : William Bayley, presi- 
dent ; W. D. Bayley, vice president ; Gr. D. 
Bayley, second vice president ; L. D. Bay- 
ley, treasurer, and A. Q. Dey, secretary. 
They do all kinds of structural, oi'nament- 
al and artistic iron work and have built' 
up an extensive business in this section of 
the state. 

In 1871 Mr. Bayley was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mary Dicus, of Balti- 
more, Maryland, and they have five chil- 
dren living, namely: William D., of Ash- 
ville. North Carolina ; Guy D., of Spring- 
field; Lee D., of Springfield; Elden D., a 
student at Chapel Hill College in North 
Carolina, and Mary, wife of Prof. J. H. 
Pratt, chief of the geological department 
of the state of North Carolina and an in- 
structor in Chapel Hill College. Fra- 
ternally our subject is a member of Clark 
Lodge, F. & A. M. He has taken an ac- 



tive interest in furthering the interests of 
the City of Springfield, and served two 
years on the board of park commission- 
ers. Religiously he and his wife are mem- 
bers of the High Street Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. 



ENOCH Iv. NAVE, a prosperous 
farmer and well known citizen of Green 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, who was 
born on what is now the Shobe farm in 
that township, August 24, 1844, is a son 
of Jacob, Jr., and Mary (Knable) Nave, 
and grandson of Jacob and Catherine 
(Garlough) Nave. 

Jacob Nave, Sr., was a native of Vir- 
ginia, and was a young man, unmarried, 
at the time he came to Clark County, Ohio, 
in 1807. The Garlough family, into which 
he married, came to this county at about 
the same time. He was a soldier in the 
War of 1812. 

Jacob Nave, Jr., was born on what is 
now the Shobe farm on the banks of the 
Little Miami River, August 22, 1811, and 
engaged in farming in Green Township 
throughout life, dying on the old home 
place in 1865, aged fifty-four years. He 
married Mary Knable, by whom he had 
eleven children, as follows : John G., a 
farmer of Green Township; Catherine 
(Shobe), formerly of Green Township, but 
now deceased; Margaret (Williams), of 
Madison Township ; Jacob H., who died as 
a result of injuries received at Beverly, 
West Virginia, during the Civil War; 
Enoch K., whose name begins this article ; 
William 0., of Tremont, Ohio ; Thomas, a 
resident of Springfield; Harriet (Eamy), 
of Plattsburg,Ohio;Eliza (Eichelbarger) ; 
Ezra L., who lives at Pitchin; and Ervin 



672 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Elroy, a cai'penter, of Madison Township. 
Mrs. Nave lived to the advanced age of 
eighty-six years,' surviving her husband 
nearly a half century. 

Enoch K. Nave was reared on the home 
place in Green Township, and lived under 
the parental roof until he was twenty-five 
years of age, when he struck out for him- 
self. When the Civil War was in pro- 
gress he enlisted for service in the Union 
Army, serving thirteen months in a cred- 
itable manner. Upon his return he re- 
sumed farming operations, which has been 
his life work. In 1894, he purchased his 
present farm of eighty-three acres, lo- 
cated about eight miles southeast of 
Springfield. He is now retired from busi- 
ness activity, enjoying the fruits of many 
years of toil. 

Mr. Nave was joined in wedlock with 
Miss Eachel McKinney, a native of Clark 
County, and they have three children liv- 
ing: William; Mayne (Mrs. W. H. 
Walker) ; and Mrs. Clara Garlough. Mrs. 
Nave died in October, 1881, and Mr. Nave 
took for his second wife, June 3, 1884, Ad- 
die Swisher, of Grallia County, Ohio. Po- 
litically, our subject is a Eepublican, and 
on January 1, 1908, he completed his sixth 
year as township trustee, an office he has 
filled with great credit to himself and the 
entire satisfaction of his constituents. Re- 
ligiously, he is a member of the Free Bap- 
tist church. 



JACOB BAKER, a prominent citizen 
and general farmer, owning seventy-five 
acres of valuable land in Mad River Town- 
ship, was born November 11, 1833, in 
Maryland, and is a son of Jacob and Han- 
nah (Der) (Youtsey) Baker. 



Mr. Baker's paternal ancestors came 
from Germany and a record is preserved 
in an old German Bible in the family, 
which shows that Conrod Baker, his 
grandfather, held high rank. The record 
does not further tell why Conrod and his 
two brothers left their native land and 
came to America, but the cause was prob- 
ably either of a religious or political char- 
acter. Two of the three brothers settled 
in Virginia, and all trace of them have 
been lost by the Ohio Bakers. Conrod 
Baker established himself in Maryland 
and acquired much land in the neighbor- 
hood of Middletown, Frederick County, 
Maryland. He reared several children, 
but they did not survive him, and his last 
days were spent with his daughter-in-law, 
the widow of his son, Jacob. 

Jacob Baker was reared on his father's 
estate, and he, too, became a large farmer. 
He married Mrs. Hannah (Der) Youtsey, 
a widow, who was born near Middletown, 
Maryland. No children were born to her 
first marriage, and the five born to her 
second union were : Elizabeth, who is the 
widow of Armstead T. M. Alexander, lives 
on the old homestead in Maryland ; Susan, 
who married T. B. Wiles, is deceased; 
Catherine, who died young; Philip, who 
was married (first) to Mary Smith, and 
(second) to a Miss Donovan; and Jacob, 
who was born four months after the death 
of his father. The latter had served as a 
soldier in the War of 1812. 

Jacob Baker remained with his mother 
through childhood, youth and early man- 
hood, and continued to live in Maryland 
for eleven years after his own marriage. 
His wife, Rachel Minnich, was born in 
Frederick County, Maryland, and at the 
time of marriage she was earning fifty 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



673 



cents a week and his wages were nine dol- 
lars a month. They left Maryland in Oc- 
tober, 1864, and after reaching Clark 
County, Ohio, lived for six months near 
Snyder's Mill, west of Springfield, from 
which place they moved to Woodington, 
Darke County. It was while living there 
that Mr. Baker learned of the death of his 
beloved mother, in her home in Maryland, 
at the age of sixty-nine years. From 
Darke County, Mr. Baker came to his 
present farm, which he bought of John 
Peterson. It was not in very good condi- 
tion and Mr. Baker subsequently tore 
down all of the old buildings and replaced 
them with substantial ones. His farm is 
now bounded on one side by the Eebert 
turnpike road, two miles of which Mr. 
Baker built and hauled the first load of 
stone over it for the building of the court- 
house at Springfield, three miles distant. 
Mr. Baker continues to carry on general 
farming on his land and has it carefully 
cultivated. 

Mr. and Mrs. Baker have five children, 
namely : Harlin C, Charles M. F., Isaiah 
S., Mary Elizabeth, and Anna L. Harlin 
C. Baker was born in January, 1855, mar- 
ried Julia Webber and lives at Cleveland. 
Charles M. F. was born in 1856. He man- 
ages his father's farm. He married Alice 
Dudley and they have one child, Stanley 
H. Isaiah S. was born in 1858, and re- 
sides in Champaign County, Ohio. He 
married Emma Esterline and they have 
ten children, namely: Elizabeth, who has 
always lived with her grandparents; 
Charles, Luther, Helen, Mary, Nellie, Wil- 
liam, Julia, Teddy, and an infant son. 
Mary Elizabeth Baker married George 
Sultzbach, and they live north of Spring- 
field. They have four children: Walter, 



Harry, Benjamin and Dorothy H. Anna 
L. Baker married Judge L. F. Young, of 
Springfield. Mr. Baker and family belong 
to the Lutheran Church, of which he has 
been a member for the past fifty-four 
years. Politically, he has long been a 
stanch Eepublican, but he has never con- 
sented to serve in any office except that 
of school director. He belongs to the 
Junior Order of United American Me- 
chanics. 



HON. JOHN L. ZIMMEEMAN, one of 
Springfield's leading citizens, a prominent 
member of her bar, and an active and 
successful politician, was born on a farm 
in Mahoning County not far from Wash- 
ingtonville. He comes of pioneer stock 
and possesses many of the sturdy quali- 
ties found in his grandfather, who came 
to Ohio and settled in Columbiana County 
in 1803. 

John L. Zimmerman's boyhood was 
spent on the paternal farm, and his early 
education was obtained in the country 
schools. He was ambitious, and when 
only seventeen years of age became a 
teacher and by his own efforts, in a spirit 
of independence, earned the money to en- 
able him to pursue academic and collegi- 
ate studies. He became a student in Mt. 
Union College, going from there in the 
fall of 1875 to Wittenberg College, at 
Spring-field, from which institution he was 
graduated with honors, in 1879. He im- 
mediately began the study of law, in the 
office of Judge J. K. Mower, with whom 
he remained two years, and in October, 
1881, he was admitted to the Ohio bar, 
and on May 1, 1882^ he opened his office 
at Springfield, where he has continued 



674 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



until the present. Mr. Zimmerman lias 
been twice elected president of the Clark 
County Bar Association. For eighteen 
years he has been a member of the board 
of directors of Wittenberg College, a part 
of that time being its president, and has 
also been a director of the Warder Free 
Library at Springfield, for a jDeriod of 
twenty-two years. In the business field 
he is vice-president of the E. W. Ross 
Company, a large enterprise of this city, 
in the manufacture of feed cutters, and is 
vice-president of the D. Q. Fox Company, 
wholesale grocers. 

In 1889, Mr. Zimmerman was married 
to Miss Helen E. Ballard, who is a mem- 
ber of one of the leading families of 
S]3ringfield, and they have two sons, typ- 
ical young Americans, Charles Ballard, 
aged sixteen years, and John L., Jr., aged 
eleven years. Their beautiful home is one 
of culture and refinement and is frequent- 
ly the scene of pleasant social functions. 

Mr. Zimmerman's name is well repre- 
sented in Springfield, attached, as it is, to 
four of the city's most substantial busi- 
ness blocks : the Zimmerman Building, on 
Ma^n Street; Citizens' National Bank 
Building, the three-story structure at No. 
7 West Main Street, and the five-story 
New Zimmerman Building, situated on the 
corner of Main and Limestone Streets. 
Mr. Zimmerman has been one of the city's 
most liberal benefactors. He donated to 
Wittenberg College the Zimmerman Me- 
morial Library, a splendid structure 
which elicits admiration from every. vis- 
itor. He gave liberally also to the build- 
ing of the Masonic, Knights of Pythias 
and the Odd Fellows' Homes, being a 
member of the two former organizations. 

Mr. Zimmerman calls himself a pro- 



gressive Democrat, the principles of Jef- 
ferson and Jackson claiming his adher- 
ence. He is a loyal party man and from 
early manhood had public offices urged 
for his acceptance, but he never permitted 
his name to be used prior to his candidacy 
for Congress in the Seventh District, 
against Hon. Walter Weaver. In later con- 
tests, when he has been brought forward 
for still higher honors, to his great credit 
may it be said, that in the heat of sharp 
political campaigns, no whisper has ever 
been heard impeaching his personal in- 
tegrity or the honesty of his motives. 



WILLIAM C. STEWART, a prominent 
resident of Green Township, and formerly 
a well known citizen of Spring-field, is lo- 
cated on the old Stewart homestead, and 
is occupied in farming. He has five hun- 
dred and forty acres of land, partly in 
Greene County, and farms on an exten- 
sive scale. 

Mr. Stewart was born on his present 
farm along the Little Miami, October 27, 
1835, and is a son of John Templeton and 
Ann (Elder) Stewart, a further record of 
whom may be found elsewhere in this 
work. He was reared on this place and re- 
ceived a meagre educational training in 
the schools of this vicinity. A natural stu- 
dent, he applied himself to jDrivate re- 
search, and is at the present time well read 
on all topics of current interests, being a 
broad gauged, liberal minded man. He 
was a httle past fourteen years of age 
when his father died, and he thereafter 
took care of his mother during her life- 
time, living on the home place. This con- 
sisted of 260 acres originally, Mr. Stew- 
art inheriting 129 acres of it, and the re- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



677 



maindei' of his property being acquired 
through his own hard work and judicious 
management. He remained on this place 
for fifteen years after his marriage, then 
in 1896, in order to give his daughter bet- 
ter educational advantages, moved to 
Springfield. Here he took rank among 
the substantial men and occupied a place 
high in the esteem of his fellow citizens. . 
In 1907, after eleven years of retirement, 
he returned to Green Township, and re- 
sumed his agricultural operations. 

Mr. Stewart was married September 9, 
1880, to Elizabeth Theodosia Sellers, a 
daughter of Albert and Harriet (Johnson) 
Sellers, of Cedarville Township, Grefene 
Coimty, Ohio. Mrs. Stewart's father was 
from Berkley County, Virginia, and her 
mother from an old family of Clark 
County, Ohio. Two children were the 
issue of this union: Lea Virginia, who 
died in infancy; and Hazel Marie, who 
was, on November 21, 1907, joined in mar- 
riage with Nathan Nesbitt Murray. Po- 
litically, our subject is a Republican and 
has served on the School Board and as 
supervisor. He belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias, and religiously is a member of 
the Presbyterian Church. 



WILLIAM MAHLON ROCKEL, the 

only child of Peter and Margaret Rockel, 
was born on the banks of Mad River, one 
mile east of Tremont City, July 18, 1855. 
It is tradition that the ancestor of the 
Rockel family was a German schoolmas- 
ter, who came to the colonies in 1752. 
The great-grandfather, Peter Rockel, 
having intermarried with one Anna Maria 
Brown, lived near Allentown, Pennsyl- 
vania, until 1822 ; he was a miller by oc- 



cupation. At this latter date he gathered 
together his belongings and with his wife 
and six children, leaving three elder ones, 
started in a wagon overland and landed 
one mile south of Tremont City in the 
same year. Here he purchased a small 
tract of ninety-six acres, which is still in 
the Rockel family. As his will on file in 
the probate judge's office shows, he died 
in 1824, when sixty-three years of age, 
his family here remaining being his wife, 
who died about 1841, and his son Adam 
and five daughters. Adam was born in 
Allentown, Pennsylvania, November 12, 
1793, and died May 13, 1884. In 1829 he 
married Mary M. Baker, daughter of 
Phillip and Elizabeth Baker. She was 
born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, in 
1810, and came with her father's and 
grandfather's family in 1813 to a tract of 
land which her grandfather had pur- 
chased a short distance west of Eagle 
City. She died in 1886. 

Adam Rockel did service in the War of 
1812, under General Henry Shearing. He 
had learned the shoemaker's trade, but 
was well educated, speaking and writing 
both the English and German languages, 
and served in various official capacities in 
German Township. 

Peter Rockel, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was the eldest son of Adam. 
He was born on the old homestead one 
mile south of Tremont City in May, 1831. 
In 1854 he married Margaret Shick, who 
was born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 
3833, and came with her father to Logan 
County, Ohio, in 1837. William Shick, 
her father, was born on the banks of the 
Potomac River, twelve miles above Wash- 
ington, in 1808. In 1825 he started for 
the West, stopping in Harrison County, 



678 



HISTOEY OF CLAKK COUNTY 



where in 1829 lie married Catherine 
Shawver. AVilliam Shick died in 1894, his 
wife having preceded him to the grave 
in 1891. They were people of good re- 
pute and resided for over a half-century 
one mile north of Bellefontaine. Mar- 
garet, the mother of the subject of this 
sketch, died in April, 1864. 

In 1866 the father remarried, his bride 
being Sarahi Ilges. After his first mar- 
riage he moved east of Tremont City on 
the banks of Mad Eiver, and after his 
second marriage in 1867 moved two miles 
further east on the Urbana Pike, where 
he died in 1896, having never changed his 
post office address. He was an active, en- 
ergetic citizen, well liked and popular in 
his community. For a number of years 
he was justice of the peace in Mooretield 
Township. 

William M. Rockel had the lot usually 
falling to farmers' sons, forty-five years 
ago the loss of his mother, at an early 
age, depriving him of the loving kindness 
and tender care that only a mother knows 
how to bestow upon a child. The means 
of attending school were not as good then 
as at this time, and being a small and 
rather delicate child, he did not start until 
eight years of age. The first school- 
house which he attended was one of the 
old-time log school buildings, located at 
the southeast corner of the cross roads 
west of Bowlusville. This building was 
shortly afterwards burned. It was a 
typical schoolhouse of the early days. A 
log had been omitted or taken out along 
the sides of the building. In this space 
single window panes or two of small di- 
mensions were put in horizontally, fur- 
nishing the light for the schoolroom. This 
Avas up so high that the little fellows had 



no opportunity of gazing outside, unless 
it were at the sky. Immediately below 
this window on each side was a broad 
board, which served for a desk, the larger 
pupils sitting with their faces to the light. 
The smaller pupils sat on benches around 
a stove in the center of the building. The 
next schoolhouse young Eockel attended 
.was what is known as Dears, in the same 
neighborhood, the brick for the building 
of which, in 1864, he helped to haul. 

In 1867-72 he attended the Franklin 
school district, on the Urbana Pike. He 
was very desirous of going to Wittenberg 
College, but other arrangements were 
made which ultimately defeated his in- 
tention of obtaining a collegiate educa- 
tion, and he accordingly went to live with 
his grandfather near Bellefontaine, where 
he attended the high school, being gradu- 
ated in 1876. 

In order to earn some money to assist 
in his education, in the winter of 1875 and 
1876 he taught the common school at 
Franklin, and while teaching this school 
he also kept up his studies in the high 
school. This was too much of a strain on 
his eyes and he had serious trouble with 
them, which materially interfered with 
his further education. 

In the fall of 1876, however, he gradu- 
ated in the business department of the 
Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and 
as his eyes would permit, took up some^ 
special studies in the following year. 

In 1877, having the previous winter 
commenced the study of Blackstone, he 
entered, as a student, the law office of 
Keifer & White, afterwards Keifer, White 
& Rabbitts. General Keifer was then in 
his first year in Congress. Charles E. 
White afterwards became Common Pleas 





PETER ROCKEL 



AND EEPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



67& 



judge. James H. Babbitts became county 
clerk, editor, and is now postmaster. He 
was admitted to the bar in April, 1879, by 
the old District Court, at London, Ohio. 

In the fall of this year he opened a law 
office in a rear room of the Kizer Build- 
ing, 251/0 East Main Street. All of his 
ancestors were of the Democratic faith, 
and he started out im life voting that way. 
In 1880 he was the nominee of the Demo- 
cratic party for prosecuting attorney, but: 
was defeated by the usual Republican ma- 
jority. For some time he had been dis- 
satisfied with the various views and pol- 
icies of the Democratic party. Not liking 
the position taken by it in the past on ma- 
terial national questions, and its then at- 
titude, local particularly, in regard to the 
temperance question, only the exemplary 
life of W. S. Hancock, the Democratic 
nominee for president, kept him in line in 
the presidential election of 1880. 

In 1881 he announced that he had left 
the Democratic party. This gave great 
oifense to many of his former Democratic 
friends, and many presaged and possibly 
hoped for dire results, and in the same 
spirit pressed for a reason. Feeling that 
whatever reason he might assign- would 
be misconstrued, he declined to give any, 
other than what he later stated in his pub- 
lic addresses. Some of his former Demo- 
cratic friends not being able to extract 
from him a reason, started one of their 
own, and gave out the report that he had 
said that there was no chance in the Dem- 
ocratic party to get any public position, 
and for that reason he had changed his 
politics. 

This was absolutely false; however, it 
was such a report as those who were not 
friendly to him were glad to believe, and 



it had considerable weight in preventing 
him from securing any political prefer- 
ment. In 1890 he was nominated for pro- 
bate judge by the Republicans, elected in 
the same year and re-elected three years 
thereafter. 

In 1904 he was an unsuccessful candi- 
date for Common Pleas judge, being sec- 
ond in a race of three. 

In 1889, unsolicited, he received the 
appointment by the Supreme Court as 
one of the examiners upon the board to 
examine applicants for admission to the 
bar, and served until he took up the active 
duties of probate judge. Not having a 
very large or active practice, he began 
along in the eighties to prepare articles 
of a legal nature, which were published 
in the Weekly Law Bulletin and the Cen- 
tral Law Journal. These led afterwards 
to his selection by the editors of the first 
edition of the American and English En- 
cyclopedia of Law to prepare some of the 
articles for that work. This was termin- 
ated \>j his incumbency of the judgeship. 
Shortly after his admission to the bar he 
had made a selection of questions from 
the Supreme Court decisions. The editor 
of the ' ' Bulletin ' ' coming in contact with 
these, requested the privilege to print 
Ihem, and this was done in 1886 in pampn- 
let form. Afterwards, on solicitation of 
Judge Charles R. White, he joined with 
him in 1889 in getting out the first book 
in Ohio on Mechanics' Liens, and in 1890 
his book on Township Officers was issued, 
which is now in its tenth edition. During 
his incumbency of the probate judge's of- 
fice a number of his decisions were print- 
ed, and upon his retirement from this po- 
sition he was engaged by the W. H. An- 
derson Company to prepare a work on 



680 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Probate Law and Practice. This came 
from the press in 1903, and is the leading- 
book in Ohio on this subject. In 1905 he 
was engaged by the American Law Book 
Company to assist in the preparation of 
an article on Mechanics' Liens, which ap- 
pears in Volume 27, CYC. In 1906 his 
guide to school officers was issued, and in 
1907 a guide for executors and adminis- 
trators. 

He became a Master Mason in 1883, 
and the Knights of Pythias in 1886, going 
through the chairs, etc., and in 1896-90 
served as judge advocate general on the 
Ohio Brigade of the LTniform Eank. 

In 1896 he became a member of the 
First Lutheran Church, of Springfield, 
and is now an elder of that organization. 
From 1897-1903, during the period of the 
erection of the first Y. M. C. A. Building, 
he was a director in that organization. 

In 1896 he was united in marriage to 
Miss Nettie Grace Curly, who then lived 
in Beatrice, Nebraska. Miss Curly was 
the daughter of Isaac L. Curly, and was 
born in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 
Of this union there are three children: 
Peter Curly Eockel, aged ten; William 
M., Jr., aged seven, and Margaret, aged 
four years. 

In 1904 Mr. Eockel moved to his farm 
south of the city, near Possum School- 
house, where he built a modern residence, 
in which he now resides. On retirement 
from the probate judge's office, 1897, he 
opened a law office in the Bushnell Build- 
ing, which he still occupies. 



JOSJEPH H. STAFFOED, owner of 
sixty acres of farm land on the west boun- 
dry line of Clark County, in Pike Town- 



ship, has been, up to date, a life resident 
of that community. He was born October 
3, 1848, on the home farm, and is a son 
of Finley and Catherine (Mitchell) Staf- 
ford. 

Finley Stafford was born on the old 
home place, on which his son, Joseph, now 
lives, in 1818, and was a son of George 
Stafford, who came from Virginia at a 
very early day and entered 219 acres of 
land. He had a large family of children, 
of whom Finley was the youngest son. 
The latter was born in the old log house 
on the farm, and during his younger days 
assisted greatly in clearing the land of its 
heavy timber. In his later days he erect- 
ed a good substantial brick house on the 
place, the one in which his son, Joseph H., 
now lives. He was joined in marriage 
with Catherine Mitchell, a native of Miami 
County, Ohio, and a daughter of Howard 
Mitchell. They lived on the old Stafford 
farm until 1887, when he retired from 
business activity and located at New Car- 
lisle, where his death occurred in 1894. 
They were parents of seven children, as 
follows: Loretta, who died young; Jo- 
seph Howard, whose name heads this 
biography ; Edwin, who died in childhood ; 
Albert, who owns a farm of ninety-eight 
acres adjoining that of Joseph H., and 
lives at New Carlisle with his mother; 
Clara, who died young ; Laura Cecil, who 
is the wife of Tully J. Scarff, of Clark 
County; and Charles Pence, who lives in 
Illinois. 

Joseph H. Stafford was reared and ed- 
ucated in Pike Township," attending the 
common schools. He was born in the old 
log cabin which stood on the home place 
for many years, and has lived on this 
farm all his life except two years spent 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



681 



on his Grrandfather Mitchell's farm after 
the latter 's death. He has followed gen- 
eral farming, raising some stock, and has 
met with good success. 

Mr. Stafford was married July 3, 1874, 
to Miss Laura B. Black, a daughter of 
Eobert and Ann (Wallace) Black, and 
they have five children — Florence ; Carrie 
F. (wife of Charles C. Wilson, by whom 
she has a son — Allen S.) ; Boss G. ; Walter 
T. ; and Grace. Fraternally, our subject 
is a member of Lodge No. 505, I. 0. 0. 
F., at New Carlisle, and also belongs to 
New Carlisle Encampment No. 222, I. 0. 
0. F. 



GEORGE K. EENST, trustee of 
Moorefield Township, is a leading citizen 
and resides on his valuable farm of forty- 
five acres, on which he was born, October 
3, 1865, and is a son of Noah and Mary 
(Maxwell) Ernst. 

Noah Ernst, father of George K., was 
born in Virginia and was a son of Jacob 
Ernst, who came to Moorefield Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, when the former was 
two years old. Noah Ernst was married 
twice, first to a Miss McKinnon, who left 
two children, namely: Martin Luther, 
who is deceased ; and Mrs. Emily J. Kip- 
linger. The second marriage was to Mary 
Maxwell, and the following children were 
born : Jacob, who is deceased ; Mrs. Fran- 
ces Ellen Maxwell ; Mrs. Sarah Hyle ; John 
L. ; George K., and Noah F. 

George K. Ernst was reared in Moore- 
field Township and after completing his 
early education in the country schools, he 
entered Wittenberg College, where he re- 
mained one year and then spent one year 
at Antioch College. When he returned 



home he engaged in farming, and this has 
been his main occupation ever since. It is 
one to which many intelligent, educated 
men have devoted their attention, and the 
time has come when agriculture is num- 
bered with the professions. 

Mr. Ernst married Elizabeth W. Wil- 
son, who is a daughter of Justus S. and 
Louisa (Bains) Wilson. The maternal 
grandfather of Mrs. Ernst, Horatio Bains, 
was born in Berkley County, Virginia, and 
in boyhood accompanied his parents to 
Warren County, Ohio. He was born in 
1791, and came to Clark County in 1811, 
settling in Moorefield Township. There 
he married Mary Miller, a daughter of 
Rev. Ralph Miller, who came to Clark 
County f^-om Kentucky, and in addition to 
becoming a large landowner, was a pio- 
neer preacher in the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. For many years Mr. and 
Mrs. Bains lived in Moorefield Township, 
where Mrs. Wilson was born. Justus S. 
Wilson was born in Champaign County, 
Ohio, and was a son of Reason Z. Wilson, 
of Virginia. Justus S. Wilson spent the 
greater part of his life in Champaign 
County, leaving there and moving to 
Moorefield Township in 1878, where he 
died eleven years later. He was a Knight 
Templar Mason. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson 
had five children. She sundved her hus- 
band and was a beloved member of the 
household of Mr. and Mrs. Ernst at the 
time of her death, March, 1908. Mr. and 
Mrs. Ernst have three children: Jennie 
Irene, who is a student in the Spring-field 
High School; John Wilson, and Sarah 
Frances. 

Mr. Ernst is sei'ving in his second term 
as township trustee, having been elected 
on the Democratic ticket in a township 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



which generallj" goes Republican. He has 
also served three terms as township asses- 
sor. Fraternally he is connected with the 
Junior Order of American Mechanics. 



AARON T. ALLEN, a well known edu- 
cator of Clark County, who at present is 
performing the duties pertaining to the 
office of market master, at Springfield, 
was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1856, and 
is a son of Dr. Aaron and a grandson of 
the Aaron Allen, who built the first steam- 
boat to ply on the OMo River between 
Cincinnati and Pittsburg. 

Aaron Allen was one of the enei'getic, 
progressive, far-seeing men of his day. 
He brought the first steam-power mill 
into Clark County, and he located it at 
what is now AUentown. He sawed in his 
mills the rails used for the Pan Handle 
Railroad, at a time when the rails were of 
wood construction, covered by strap iron. 
His son, Dr. Aaron Allen, who was a 
graduate of the Cincinnati Medical Col- 
lege in 1849, first practiced at Frankfort, 
Kentucky, later moving to Cincinnati, and 
then practiced for four years at Spring- 
field. Following these changes, he then 
located at Catawba, where he continued 
in the practice of medicine for twenty- 
eight continuous years. 

Aaron T. Allen was liberally educated, 
completing his studies at Wittenberg Col- 
lege, and at Lebanon, Ohio, after which he 
devoted himself to teaching, and for eigh- 
teen years taught school in Springfield 
Township, and for eight years longer in 
different parts of the county. When he 
retired from the educational field he in- 
terested himself in an insurance and col- 
lection business. On February 1, 1908, 



he assumed the duties of market master, 
to which office he was appointed by the 
Springfield Board of Public Service. 

In 1886, Mr. Allen was married to Hat- 
tie C. Bustrum, and they have five chil- 
dren, namely: Inez 0., Beatrice E., Vivi- 
an, Bernice and Livia. Mr. and Mrs 
Allen belong to the Luther Church. Fra- 
ternally, he is an Odd Fellow. 



. MARTIN LUTHER STIPP, one of 
Pleasant Township's representative men, 
whose valuable farm of seventy-one acres 
is situated on the Ellsworth turnpike, 
three miles from Catawba, was born in 
Clark Count}^, Ohio, December 21, 1851, 
and is a son of Abraham Stipp. 

Abraham Stipi^ was born in Virginia, in 
1818, and came to Champaign County, 
Ohio, in 1849. He rented a farm there 
upon which he resided until 1851, when 
he moved to the farm now occupied by his 
son, Martin Luther, in Pleasant Town- 
ship. His wife died on this farm in 1893 
and his death took place in 1896. They 
had two sons and one daughter, namely: 
Martin Luther; Elizabeth, who is the 
widow of T. N. Davisson, their one child 
dying in infancy ; and Henry M., who re- 
sides in ChamjDaign County. He married 
Belle Hardman and they have one child, 
Essie K., who was born in 1891. 

Martin Luther Stipp grew, to manhood 
in Pleasant Township and has always 
followed agricultural pursuits. The 
farm he owns was left jointly to him and 
his brother. In 1898 he purchased the 
latter 's interest and has carried on gen- 
eral farming here ever since, meeting with 
very satisfactory success. He is a man 
of practical but also progressive ideas. 



AND KEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



683 



and believes in the use of modern methods 
and good farm machinery. 

On October 25, 1877, Mr. Stipp was mar- 
ried to Arabella Bumgardrier, who is a 
daughter of Abraham Bumgardner and 
wife, the former of whom is deceased 
Mrs. Bumgardner was born January 31, 
1826, and she resides with Mr. and Mrs. 
Stipp. There were nine children in the 
Bumgardner family, as follows : George, 
who married Emma Vanskiver; Eli P., 
who was married (first) to Mahala Climer, 
and (second) to Maggie Yeazell; J. N., 
who married Sarah Stypes ; J. R., who is 
serving in the honorable office of mayor of 
Catawba, married Ella Earnhart; Ara- 
bella, who became Mrs. Stipp; Marietta, 
who married T. M. West, who is town- 
ship trustee, has five children ; Clara, who 
married Thomas Castello, resides at 
Springfield; A. L., who married Sadie 
Neer, resides in Greene County, Ohio, has 
had three children; and Charles V., resid- 
ing at Springfield, who married Jessie 
Garrett and has two children. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stipp are prominent mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
of Pleasant Township. He takes a good 
citizen's interest in public affairs, and has 
served for upwards of fifteen years on the 
School Board. 



SCIPIO EUGENE BAKER, president 
and general manager of the Foos Gas 
Engine Company, of Spring-field, Ohio, 
the largest and most important plant in 
the United States for the exclusive manu- 
facturing of Internal Combustion En- 
gines, has been a resident of Springfield 
since 1876 and is one of the most prom- 
inent citizens and leading business men 



of the city. He was bom June 12, 1860, 
in Donnelsville, Clark County, Ohio, a 
son of Dr. A. A. Baker, a native of Enon, 
and one of the leading pioneer physicians 
of this county. Ezra D. Baker, grand- 
father, came from New Jersey in 1805, 
and laid out the village of Enon, Clark 
County. 

Scipio E. Baker was reared and re- 
ceived his primary education in this coun- 
ty, later graduating, in 1881, from Witten- 
berg College, after which he engaged in 
the newspaper business and read law in 
Judge Mower's office for some time. He 
then formed a partnership with his father 
and D. R. Hosterman and established the 
Springiield Metallic Casket Company, of 
which he was general manager until 1890. 
In 1887 Mr. Baker promoted and organ- 
ized the Champion Chemical Company, of 
which he is president and principal stock- 
holder. The company started with a very 
small capital and has grown to large 
proportions and is the largest and most 
important concern of its kind in this or 
any other country. One of the principal 
products of the Champion Chemical Com- 
pany is the Baker Burglar Proof Metallic 
Grave Vault, an invention of Mr. Baker. 
In 1890 Mr. Baker became general man- 
ager and for fourteen years has been pres- 
ident of the Royal Salt Company, miners 
and shippers of rock salt, the mines be- 
ing located in Central Kansas, where they 
have an output exceeding 100,000 tons an- 
nually. He is also director of the West- 
ern Salt Company, of St. Louis. 

In 1897 Mr. Baker headed the corpora- 
tion which purchased the plant of the 
Foos Gas Engine Company, a co-partner- 
ship consisting of John Foos and P. P. 
Mast, who sold out their entire interest 



684 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



and retired from the company, the new 
corporation retaining the old name, how- 
ever. When Mr. Baker and partners as- 
sumed charge of the plant, the volume of 
business being done by the concern was 
very small, and not over a dozen men, in- 
cluding office and factory force, were em- 
ployed. The Foos Gas Engine Company 
now has a world-wide reputation, em- 
ploying several hundred men, and carry 
on an extensive foreign as well as do- 
doestic trade. Mr. Baker, who has been 
president and general manager of the 
corporation since its reorganization, has 
been largely instrumental in building up 
the plant from a small concern to the 
largest plant in the United States for the 
exclusive manufacturing of Internal Com- 
bustive Engines. 

Mr. Baker was united in marriage 
June 25, 1895, to Jessie Foos, a daughter 
of John Foos, one of the pioneer manu- 
facturers of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. 
Baker have one daughter, Margaret. Mr. 
Baker is one of the foremost men of 
Spring-field, enterprising and public-spir- 
ited, and is held in highest esteem by his 
fellow-men. Fraternally he is a Mason, 
having attained the degree of Knigh'f 
Templar. Religiously he is affiliated with 
the High Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

Mr. and Mrs. Baker reside in the ele- 
gant old Foos homestead, which is one of 
the finest residences in Springfield, and is 
situated on the comer of High and Syca - 
more Streets, having been purchased in 
July, 1904, from John Foos. 

One of the principal products of The 
Champion Chemical Co. is the Baker 
Burglar Proof Metallic Grave Vault, an 
invention of Mr. Baker's. 



SAMUEL J. KISSELL was born at 
Beatty, Clark County, Ohio, February 4, 
1876, and is a son of Silas G. and Mar- 
garet (McChire) Kissell. Silas G. Kis- 
sell, the father, was born in Maryland and 
came to Clark County when he was nine- 
teen years of age. He died in Mad Eiver 
Township, Clark County, in 1905. He 
and his wife, Margaret, were the parents 
of eight children. 

When Samuel J. Kissell was two weeks 
old his parents set out with their family 
to Mad Eiver Township, where the father 
owned a farm of 100 acres, on which Mrs>. 
Silas G. Kissell still lives. He attended 
the country schools during boyhood, and 
under his father's training and with his 
mother's encouragement, he developed 
into a capable farmer, and has devoted 
himself to agricultural pursuits entirely, 
with the exception of three years, when 
he traveled. He married Zella B. Eice, 
who is a daughter of William and Matilda 
(Gowdy) Eice. 

William Eice was born in Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, February 17, 1833, and died in 
April, 1907. He was a son of Edward 
and Lucy (Pool) Eice, natives of Ver- 
mont, who came to Clark County at an 
early day. On January 3, 1856, William 
Eice was married to Matilda Gowdy, who 
died July 10, 1906. She was a daughter 
of Andrew and Elizabeth (McBeth) 
Gowdy. They came to Springfield Town- 
ship in 1826 and settled on the farm 
which later passed into the possession of 
William Eice, and still later into that of 
his daughter, Mrs. Samuel J. Kissell. 
Mrs. Kissell was bom on the farm on 
which she still lives and on which she was 
married to Samuel J. Kissell on Decem- 
ber 31, 1902. 




MR. AND MRS. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WEIGEL 



AND REPEESENTATTVE CITIZENS. 



687 



Mr. and Mrs. Kissell lived in Mad 
River Township for three years following 
their marriage, coming to their present 
farm in the fall of 1906. Mr. Rice had 
lost his wife and desired to have his 
daughter near him. He lived but a few 
months longer, his last hours being 
soothed by the tender care of his daugh- 
ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Kissell. 
The latter have two children, Ruth 
Lamora and Esther Lorena. In politics 
Mr. Kissell is a Republican. 



JOHN R. ELVIN, Tural mail carrier, 
and the owner of 106 acres of tine farming- 
land in German Township, was bom in 
Hardin County, Ohio, November 7, 1850, 
and is a son of John and Elizabeth 
(Copeland) Elvin. 

John Elvin was born in England, where 
he lived until he was forty years of age. 
His first wife died there, leaving no chil- 
dren. He was married a second time, in 
Richland County, Ohio, to Elizabeth Cope- 
land, who was of English ancestry, but of 
American birth. John Elvin settled 
permanently in Hardin County, and there 
both he and wife died. Their four chil- 
dren all survive, namely : John R. ; Sarah 
A., who resides in Hardin County; Mary 
Elizabeth, who married George Hafer, re- 
siding in Hardin County; and James W., 
who is also a resident of Hardin County. 

John R. Elvin was reared and attended 
school in Hardin County. He followed 
farming there until he was thirty years 
of age, but in 1881 he came to Clark 
County and piirehased a farm in German 
Township, on which he resided tintil Oc- 
tober 17, 1902, when he moved to Tre- 
mont, having taken the rural mail route 



out from Tremont some six months pre- 
viously. He found it more advantageous to 
rent out his farm and remove to Tremont. 
Mrs. Elvin for the past two years has 
been compiling an exhaustive history of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church of this 
section. 

Mr. Elvin has been married twice, 
first on August 10, 1872, to Mary E. 
Pence, who died in Hardin County, and 
secondly to Eva J. Pence. Both ladies 
were daiighters of the late Samuel and 
Lucy (Swearingen) Pence, old and re- 
spected farming people of Clark County 
for many years. Mr. Elvin is prominent 
in the order of Knights of Pythias in this 
section, having passed all the chairs in 
the Tremont lodge, and at present filling 
the office of prophet and also serving as 
one of the trustees. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WEIGEL, 

justice of the peace and prominent citi- 
zen of Moorefield Township, residing on 
his valuable farm of fifty acres, and en- 
gaged in general agriculture, is a veteran 
of the Civil War. He was bom in Ur- 
bana Township, Champaign County, 
Ohio, Sptember 23, 1842, and is a son of 
Peter and Louisa Jane (Nitchman) Wei- 
gel. 

On both sides of the family the grand- 
fathers of Mr. Weigel were born in Ger- 
many, Grandfather Weigel near the 
storied Rhine. Many of the name live in 
York County, Pennsylvania, where they 
gave the name of Weigeltown to a vil- 
lage of some importance. The parents of 
Mr. Weigel were both born in Pennsyl- 
vania and came to Ohio prior to their mar- 
riage. 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Benjamin F. Weigel has practically 
taken care of himself since he was nine 
years old. For two years he worked for 
a Mr. Pierce, near Taylortown, and for 
two more years for the widow of Captain 
Lindell, who resided on the corner of 
Limestone and Rice Streets, which then 
mai'ked the corporation limits of Spring- 
field. Mrs. Lindell owned thirty acres of 
land, which she used as a garden farm. 
After Mr. Weigel left that place he en- 
gaged with J. S. Kitchen, in Green Town- 
ship, and he continued to work for the 
Kitchen family until September, 1861. He 
then enlisted for service in the Civil War, 
becoming a member of Company F, Forty- 
fourth Regiment, Ohio Vokmteer Infan- 
try. He engaged for three years, but was 
discharged in August, 1862, on account 
of trouble with his throat, which 
caused him to lose his voice. Dur- 
ing his term of service he was with 
the army under General Rosecrans, 
in Virginia. Mr. Weigel did not recover 
the use of his vocal chords until April, 
1863, and in the following June he re- 
entered the army, enlisting in Company C, 
One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infarrtry, to serve 
six months. He was honorably discharged 
March 4, 1864. 

While still in the army, Mr. Weigel 
rented a farm of 240 acres from J. S. 
Kitchen, but after his return Mr. Kitchen 
was called out on the 100-day service as a 
member of the National Guard, and Mr. 
Weigel volunteered to take his place, while 
Mr. Kitchen started operations on the 
farm. Thus, for the third time, Mr. Wei- 
gel's name was enrolled on the roster of 
his country's defenders, this time in Com- 
pany D, One Hundred and Forty-sixth 



Regiment, Ohio National Guards, and he 
was again honorably discharged, in Sep- 
tember, 1864. When he enlisted the sec- 
ond time, the regiment started out with 
Captain Howard D. John in command of 
his company, who was later made colonel 
of the regiment, and Richard Montjoy, 
later treasurer of Clark County, was pro- 
moted to be captain. During this enlist- 
ment, Mr. Weigel marched with his regi- 
ment through Kentucky, then on to Cum- 
berland Gap, where, in September, 1863, 
the Confederate commander. General Fra- 
zier, surrendered the Gap to the Union 
forces under General Burnsides, with 
2,250 prisoners. As a treasured trophy of 
the occasion, Mr. Weigel displays the 
sword that General Frazier carried on 
that day. Mr. Weigel participated in sev- 
eral battles, more or less severe, and en- 
countered all the hazards of war, on all 
occasions doing his full duty, but he es- 
caped all injury except the trouble with 
his throat above mentioned. 

Mr. Weigel then began farming opera- 
tions on the Kitchen farm. In February, 
1872, he moved to Springfield and went 
to work in the old Champion shop, which 
stood on the present site of the Arcade, 
where he remained until the first Monday ' 
in April, 1881, after which he served for 
two years as constable of Springfield 
Township. In 1884 he began work at the 
East Street shop, which was conducted by 
Mr. Whiteley, and he remained there as an 
employe until the business went into the 
hands of a receiver, some years later. For 
several years afterward, Mr. Weigel was 
variously employed — at laying street car 
tracks, at driving a car on the old Green 
line, and afterward, for five years and 
two months, he worked as a motonnan. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



During the last year of service he had the 
relief run, working every day on a dif- 
ferent line, his duties being to take note 
that the regular motorman kept his car 
appliances in first-class shape. In March, 
1898, he came to his present farm, which 
he had purchased from his father-in-law 
in the previous month. He does general 
farming and also raises horses, cattle, 
sheep and hogs. Seemingly, Mr. Weigel 
possesses the capacity to bring success out 
of almost everything to which he turns 
his attention. In March, 1906, he was ap- 
pointed a justice of the peace, and in the 
fall of the year he was elected to the office 
for a term of four years, on the Eepub- 
lican ticket. 

On November 10, 1864, Mr. Weigel was 
first married to Ann Jane Elder, who died 
April 30, 1871. She was a daughter of 
John and Phoebe Elder. They had three 
children, namely : Samuel E., John C. and 
Finley E., the last mentioned of whom 
died in infancy, two months before the 
death of his mother. Samuel E. Weigel, 
the eldest son, developed a liking for the 
sea, and left home when fourteen years 
of age and shipped on a vessel on which 
he sailed to many parts of the world. He 
lost his, life in the shipwreck of the 
"Neva," in Bast Indian waters, when he 
was almost twenty-one years old. The 
second son, John Charles, grew to man- 
hood and married, but developed con- 
sumption and went to Prescott, Arizona, 
in hope that the climate would restore 
him to health. He died there and is sur- 
vived by a daughter, Effie Mabel, who re- 
sides in Springfield. 

On September 8, 1872, Mr. Weigel was 
married, secondly, to Elizabeth Wolfe, 
who is a daughter of John R; and Anna 



(Eiegel) Wolfe. Both parents were born 
and reared in Pennsylvania, came as chil- 
dren to Clark County, Ohio, and later set- 
tled near Springfield. The old Wolfe 
homestead farm is now Calvary Ceme- 
tery. In March, 1881, John E. Wolfe pur- 
chased and settled on the farm on which 
Mr. and Mrs. Weigel reside. The latter 
have had four children, namely : Annie J., 
Matilda F., Mary Josephine, and Nicholas 
E. K. Annie J. resides at home, Matilda 
Frances Weigel was married November 
27, 1907, to Ira M. Mumper. She is a 
lady of superior education, and from the 
age of seventeen years has enthusiastic- 
ally devoted herself to teaching, fre- 
quently taking schools eight miles from 
home and driving back and forth each day, 
her final day of school work being the very 
one on which she was married. Mary 
Josephine, the third daughter, died aged 
twenty-two months. Nicholas E. K. 
Weigel, in 1901, married Ida May Isa- 
belle Hazlett, and they have three chil- 
dren— Euth Esther, Ida Frances and 
Katherine Margaret. Mr. Weigel 's fam- 
ily belong to the Moorefield Methodist 
Episcopal Church, of which he is a trus- 
tee. He belongs to the Moorefield Town- 
ship Soldiers ' Burial, and also to the Sol- 
diers ' Eelief Associations. Until within 
the past three years, the township had no 
Memorial Day services, although Mr. 
Weigel and many others belong to Mitch- 
ell Post, Grand Army of the Eepublic; but 
since then he, in association with Captain 
McConkey, have provided for this sacred 
day ceremonial and each occasion has been 
more enjoyed than the previous one. 
These veterans receive the honor to which 
they are entitled from their fellow-citi- 



690 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



JOHN H. GOWER, a general farmer 
who owns fifty acres of very fine land in 
Harmony and Springfield Townships, be- 
longs to a family that was established in 
Clark County in 1850. Mr. Gower was 
born in Pleasant Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, May 23, 1852, and is a son of James 
Z. and Eliza C. (Yeazel) Gower. 

James Z. Gower was born in Maryland 
and was a son of George Gower. In 1850 
he came to Clark County and taught school 
and studied medicine, remaining until 
after the birth of his son, when he moved 
to Michigan, where he lived one year, 
and from there to Indiana, where he con- 
tinued to practice medicine until his death, 
October 9, 1875, at the age of forty-five 
years. He married Eliza C. Yeazel, who 
was born in Moorefield Township, Clark 
County, April 24, 1834. They had two 
children: John H. and Elizabeth. The 
latter died in infancy. 

John H. Gower has lived in Clark 
County almost all his life, and has fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits. In 1878 he 
purchased his present farm, on which he 
has continued to make excellent improve- 
ments. He carries on general farming and 
handles thorough-bred stock. For about 
twenty years he dealt in imported stal- 
lions. On February 16, 1871, he was mar- 
ried in Clark County, to Mary E. Mc- 
Clellan, and they had the follow- 
ing children: Maurice H., Lottie A., 
Orrie L., Richard, Stuart M., Mary 
A., and James L. Maurice H., born 
October 26, 1873, married (first) Lillian 
E. Poffenberger, and they had three chil- 
dren: John M., Isabel and Harriet. He 
married (second) Ella Eaton, and they 
reside at Springfield. Lottie A., born 
October 11, 1875, married John L. Tuttle, 



and they have two children, John H. and 
Helen, and they live at Mansfield, Ohio. 
Richard, born April 1, 1883, died Decem- 
ber 6, 1888. Orrie was born May 5, 1877. 
Stuart M., born December 12, 1884, mar- 
ried Emma Burkhardt, and they have one 
child, John Ernest, and they reside on the 
homestead. Mary A., born April 4, 1887, 
married Harry Nicklen, and they live at 
Springfield. James L., born October 17, 
1889, is a student in the High School at 
Plattsburg, class of 1908. 

Mrs. Gower is a member, on the ma- 
ternal side, of the prominent Tuttle fam- 
ily. Her father, Jacob McClellan, was 
born May 4, 1830, and died in 1892. He 
married Rachel Tuttle, who still survives. 
She was born September 29, 1832. Mr. 
and Mrs. McClellan had five chil- 
dren, namely: Isabel, Mary E., Emma, 
Alice and William L. 

Mr. Gower and family belong to the 
Universalist Church at Spring-field. 



NATHANIEL M. CARTMELL, mem- 
ber of the Board of County Commission- 
ers, is one of the leading citizens of Clark 
County, and represents one of its oldest 
pioneer families. He was born on a farm 
in Pleasant ToAvnship, Clark County, 
Ohio, in 1848, and is a son of Thomas J. 
Cartmell. 

Thomas J. Cartmell (now deceased) 
was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and 
came to Clark County, Ohio, in 1805, with 
his parents, Nathaniel and Eliza Cart- 
mell, who made the entire trip on horse- 
back and located in Pleasant Township. 

Nathaniel M. Cartmell was reared and 
educated in Pleasant Township, where he 
has practically spent his entire life, en- 



AND EBPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



691 



gaged in farming. He is at present a res- 
ident of the village of Catawba, but con- 
tinues to carry on his farming interests in 
Pleasant Township. He was first -married 
in 1871 to Sally L. Ropp, who came from 
Loudon County, Virginia, with her par- 
ents, and they had one child, which died 
an infant. Mr. Cartmell's second mar- 
riage took place in September, 1906, to 
Louise Borger. 

Mr. Cartmell is a man of public spirit 
and has always taken an active interest 
in politics. He has served on the Board 
of Agriculture of Clark County for about 
twenty-one years, and was elected a mem- 
ber of the Board of County Commission- 
ers of Clark County in November, 1905. 
He is a member of the order of the 
Knights of the Golden Eagle. 



ORSON D. ESTLE, one of the trustees 
of Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
is located on a farm of 197 acres one mile 
north of Clifton and is extensively en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising. He 
was born three miles east of Clifton, 
March 4, 1857, and is a son of William H. 
and Eachel Ann (Farrow) Estle. Will- 
iam Estle, his paternal grandfather, was 
born in New Jersey, living near Shrews- 
bury until he was grown. Upon coming 
west to Clark County, Ohio, at an early 
date, he located east of Clifton on a part 
of the farm now owned by his son. He fol- 
lowed farming here until his death. 

William H. Estle, father of our sub- 
ject, was born September 3, 1828, on the 
place he now owns, three miles east of 
Clifton, and there grew to manhood. He 
attended the early district schools and 
then took to agricultural pursuits, farm- 



ing the home place until 1880, when he re- 
tired from business activity and moved to 
Clifton. He and his wife are surrounded 
by many friends of life-long standing, and 
are held in the highest esteem by all who 
know them. He was united in wedlock 
with Rachel Ann Farrow, who was born 
near Maysville, Kentucky, May 15, 1832, 
and came to Clark County at an early age. 
Six children blessed their imion, four of 
whom are now living. 

0. D. Estle was reared on the home 
place and during his boyhood days attend- 
ed the district schools. He remained at 
home and assisted in the farm work until 
the spring of 1878, when he rented the 
Peter Knott's place, farming it for two 
years. Then he returned to the home 
]3lace, remaining there until the spring of 
1888, when he moved to his present farm 
in Green Town-ship, occupying this as a 
renter until 1906, when his wife acquired 
the property as a devisee under the will 
of her deceased Uncle, James Anderson. 
He has been active and energetic in his 
farm work, following modern methods of 
agriculture and has been more than ordi- 
narily successful. He followed general 
farming and stock-raising, making a spe- 
cialty of Aberdeen Angus cattle, and hav- 
ing a herd of registered stock. 

Mr. Estle was united in marriage with 
Harriet A. xlnderson, on February 4tli, 
1880. She was born in Greene County, 
Ohio, on November 7th, 1855, and is a 
daughter of the late John Anderson, who 
vv'as born in Milnacraig, Scotland, in 
1807, and who at the age of thirteen years 
emigrated with his parents, James and 
Elizabeth (Ogelvey) Anderson, settling 
on Clark Run in Greene County, Ohio, 
and died in that county in 1855. 



692 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Four children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Estle, namely: Fi'ed, who married 
Bertha Rife and lives in Green Township : 
Rachel intermarried to Fred Stewart, 
who also lives in Green Township ; Bessie 
and Ellen. The two last mentioned are 
at home; Ellen is in attendance at school. 
Politically a Republican, Mr. Estle is 
serving as township trustee and is a mem- 
ber of the school board. Fraternally he 
is a member of the Knights of Pythias, 
whilst in religious attachment he and his 
family are Presbyterian. 



ALF JONES, a representative citizen 
of Pleasant Township, who resides on his 
well cultivated farm of twenty acres, be- 
longs to one of the old settled families of 
this section. He was born May 27, 1860, 
in Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Z. 
B. and Mira Jane (Ferguson) Jones. 

The family was established in Clark 
County by the great-grandparents, 
George and Eva Jones, who came to Ohio 
from Pennsylvania. They had the fol- 
lowing children : Mira, Nancy, Elizabeth, 
Catherine, Uriah, John and Josiah. John 
Jones, the grandfather of Alf Jones, was 
born in Pleasant Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, February 27, 1814. On Janu- 
ary 1, 1835, he married Mary B. Bodkin 
and they had three children born to them, 
as follows : George F., born in 1835, mar- 
ried Elizabeth Neer and they had three 
children; Lydia, born in 1836, married 
Samuel Melvin, had five children and died 
in March, 1906; and Z. B., who survives. 

Z. B. Jones, father of Alf Jones, was 
born December 27, 1837, in Clark County, 
where' he owns farming land and has in 
his possession a deed which bears the sig- 



natures of President Madison and his 
secretary, under the date of December 4, 
1811. The first marriage of Mr. Jones 
was to -Mira Jane Ferguson, who died 
February 18, 1885. She was a daughter 
of William and Margaret Ferguson. Of 
their four children the two survivors are : 
Alf, residing in Pleasant Township, and 
Bert, who was born in 1869, married 
Lillian Bratton and has one son, Howard. 
Z. B. Jones was married a second time, 
the lady being Ellen C. Ward, the cere- 
mony taking place March 14, 1895. Mrs. 
Jones is a daughter of Josiah and Rebecca 
(Veasy) Ward, natives of Maryland. 

Alf Jones attended the schools of 
Pleasant Township through his boyhood 
and since then has devoted his attention 
to farming. He manages and operates 
both his own and his father's land. On 
November 26, 1882, he married Anna 
Tavenner, who was born October 9, 1860, 
and is a daughter of Benjamin and Emma 
(Cook) Tavenner, the former of whom 
was born in 1830 and still survives, and 
the latter in 1834. Mrs. Jones is one of a 
family of nine children, the names of the 
others being: Charles, Effie, Harry R., 
Albert S., William, Amelia, Arthur and 
Lillian, all of whom survive, with the ex- 
ception of the youngest, who died in in- 
fancy. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one son, 
Harold F., who was born July 6, 1889. 
Mrs. Jones is a member of the M. P. 
Church at Catawba. Mr. Jones is one of 
the influential men of his community and 
has frequently been elected to office. He 
served three years as a justice of the 
peace, for a number of terms as a trustee 
of the township, and the excellent condi- 
tion which is remarked concerning some 
of the public highways in his neighbor- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



693 



hood may justly be attributed to his faith- 
ful performance of duty during the terms 
he has served as road supervisor. 



HENRY L. SCHAEFER, fimeral di- 
rector and prominent business man of 
Springfield, Ohio, enjoys the distinction 
of being the oldest man now resident in 
the city who was born here after its incor- 
poration. He was born in 1850, and is a 
son of Leonard and Rosina D. (Esslin- 
ger) Schaefer, both natives of Wuert- 
temberg, Germany. 

Leonard Schaefer was reared in the 
Kingdom of Wuerttemberg and received 
a liberal education in the schools there. 
In June, 1849, he came to the United 
States to seek his fortune in the New 
World, locating at Springfield, Ohio, 
where he was married in August of the 
same year. He engaged in general iron 
work for many years and made this city 
his home until his death in May, 1895. He 
survived his wife many years, she dying 
in June, 1869. 

Henry L. Schaefer was reared in 
Springfield and after completing the pre- 
scribed course in the common school, 
went to Gennany, where he attended a 
technical college at Stuttgart. Returning 
to Springfield, he worked in a machine 
shop until he was twenty-six years of age, 
then was employed as foreman and tech- 
nical draftsman for a period of eighteen 
years. Deciding to turn his energies in 
a new direction, in 1893 he took a course 
in the Chicago School of Embalming and 
returned to Springfield to follow that pro- 
fession. His undertaking establishment 
i&, located at No. 226 West Main Street, 
and he carries on a verv successful busi- 



ness. He also has been identified with 
other important business interests in the 
city, and is now a stockholder in the Clark 
County Building and Savings Association. 
Mr. Schaefer was married July 30, 1872, 
to Miss Bertha C. Orthmann, a daughter 
of Dr. Frederick Orthmann, and they 
have three children, as follows: Kath- 
eryn S., wife of Henry S. Carpenter, of 
Hamilton, Ohio ; Bertha C, wife of Will- 
iam S. Wead, of Springfield; and Theo- 
dore F., a graduate of Springfield High 
School and Wittenberg College, is asso- 
ciated in business with his father. Mr. 
Schaefer has taken an active interest in 
local polities, and served two terms as 
coimty cproner; he is now serving his 
third term as a member of the Board of 
Education. He is a member of St. John's 
Lutheran Church, and has served as pres- 
ident of the official board. He is a thirty- 
second degree Mason, a member of the 
Shrine, Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of 
Pythias, and other fraternal orders. Mr. 
Schaefer also is an active member of the 
Springfiqld Commercial Club. 



EARL ELLIOTT CALLISON, a gen- 
eral merchant in the village of Northamp- 
ton, who owns a farm of forty acres 
in Pike Township, and also rents a tract 
of 112 acres, was born March 17, 1878, at 
New Carlisle, Clark County, Oliio, and is 
a son of David F. and Mila (Burns) Calli- 
son, and a grandson of Robert Callison. 

Robert Callison, who now lives retired 
at the home of his grandson, owns a farm 
of thirty acres in Pike Township, in which 
he has spent the greater part of his life, 
following farming. He was born Decem- 
ber 21, 1823, in Pike Township, Clark 



694 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



County, Oliio, a son of Arthur Callison, a 
native of Virginia, who came to Ohio at a 
very early day and settled in the woods 
in Pike Township, where he died, aged 
sixty years. Eobert Callison married 
Alice Gr. North, who died November 7, 
1901, aged seventy-six years, and to them 
were born five children, two of whom died 
infants. Those reared were as follows: 
William A., David F., and Verlem 0. ; Da- 
vid F., being the only survivor. He was 
born on his father's farm in Pike Town- 
ship, December 10, 1858, and remained 
at home until the age of twenty-one, when 
he went to Columbus and engaged in the 
sewing machine business, and later moved 
to Philadelphia, where he continued in the 
same line, thence to New York City for a 
time, and at present is engaged in the real 
estate business at Brookl^ni, New York. 
David Callison was married in 1876 to 
Mila Burns, who was born at Medway, 
Clark County, Ohio, and died May, 1907, 
aged forty-seven years. She was a daugh- 
ter of Jacob Burns, who was one of the 
early settlers of that locality. Two chil- 
dren were born to David and Mila Calli- 
son: Earl E., and Ora C, the latter of 
whom is a resident of Dayton, Ohio, where 
she is assistant cashier in the Pan Handle 
Freight office. Earl Elliott Callison was 
an infant when his parents moved to Med- 
way, where they remained several years, 
and then located at Dayton for a short 
time. Earl E. then came to Pike Town- 
ship and made his home with his grand- 
father, spending most of his boyhood days 
on the farm. His educational training 
was received in the common schools of Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, and Philadelphia. In 1894 
he entered a dry goods store at Brooklyn, 
New York, where he continued for three 



years, and then returned to the farm, 
where he remained until September, 1907, 
when he purchased the A. W. Eyman gen- 
eral store at Northampton. Mr. Calli- 
son carries a complete line of dry goods, 
notions, hardware, and groceries, and con- 
ducts his business enterprises along mod- 
ern lines. On October 24, 1901, Mr. Calli- 
son was united in marriage with Hetty B. 
Stephenson, a daughter of H. G. and Anna 
E. (Dillahaunt) Stephenson, and to them 
have been born two children : Eobert, and 
Harold. In politics Mr. Callison is a Ee- 
publican, and his fraternal connection is 
with the Knights of Pythias, the Junior 
Order of American Mechanics. 



JOHN S. SWAIDNEE, a representa- 
tive farmer of Springfield Township, who 
owns sixty-five acres of valuable land sit- 
uated on the Columbus Eoad, is part 
owner also of another farm of 280 acres 
which is situated in Moorefield Township. 
Mr. Swaidner was born in Allen County, 
Indiana, November 12, 1856, and is a son 
of John and Elizabeth (Eaby) Swaidner, 
l)oth of whom are now deceased. 

John S. Swaidner was reared in Allen 
County and remained on his father's farm 
until he was seventeen years of age, when 
he attended the township high school. 
When nineteen years old he began to 
teach, during the first year in DeKalb 
County, and for six years more in Allen 
County, Indiana. Mr. Swaidner completed 
Ms education at Adrain College, Adrain, 
Michigan, and it was during his college 
life that he met the lady who subsequently 
became his wife, she being a student of the 
college at the same time. They were mar- 
ried on March 23, 1882. Mrs. Swaidner 




CHARLES E. PATRIC 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



697 



was formerly Emma F. McKillip. She 
is a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Mc- 
Killip, people of substance and promi- 
nence in Moorefield Township. Mr. Mc- 
Killip died May 12, 1904, but his widow 
survives and resides on the old home- 
stead. 

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Swaidner 
took up their residence with Mr. and Mrs. 
McKillip, where they remained for ten 
years, Mr. Swaidner teaching school in 
Moorefield Township for several years. 
In 1892 they settled on the present farm 
in Springfield Township, on which Mr 
Swaidner carries on general farming. Mrs. 
Swaidner inherited the second farm from 
her father, and it is under rental. Mr. 
Swaidner fell heir to a third interest to 
160 acres of his father's estate in Indiana 
in 1908. He and his wife have had three 
children, namely: Daniel B., who died 
aged five months ; Emma, Laura, and Jes- 
sie B. 

Mr. Swaidner is a Eepublican in his 
political views. He was elected township 
trustee of Moorefield Township and 
served on the Springfield Township 
School Board for eleven years, during five 
of which he was president of the board. 
While thus serving he performed a useful 
and important work, as it was through his 
persistent efforts that music and school 
libraries were installed in the township 
schools. 



CHAELES E. PATEIC, who may 
justly be termed the father of those agri- 
cultural implements, the Superior Drills, 
which have carried the name of Spring- 
field all over the United States and to re- 
mote foreign lands, came first to this city 



in 1867, and has made it his permanent 
home since 1883. Mr. Patric was born at 
Poughkeepsie, New York, September 6, 
1837, and is a son of Eichard F. and Be- 
thia (Patric) Patric. 

The founders of the Patric family in 
America were born in Scotland, and set- 
tled in Coimecticut about 1635. Abel Pat- 
ric, the paternal grandfather, served in 
the lievolutionary War and had many 
thrilling adventures, through which he 
lived, and died in his peaceful home in 
Eastern New York. His son, Eichard F. 
Patric, father of Charles E., was born in 
Connecticut, but later moved to a farm 
near Poughkeepsie, New York, and still 
later to Wayne County, in the same state. 
He was engaged in a lumber business 
during his active years. His death took 
place in Monroe County, New York, in 
1855. His widow survived him until 1863. 
They were zealous and worthy members 
of the Baptist Church. 

Charles E. Patric was the ninth child 
in his parents ' family of ten children, and 
with his brothers and sisters he enjoyed 
the same educational advantages in the 
district schools. Later he had academic 
training at Hornellsville, after which he 
returned to Wayne County and for a time, 
prior to starting out independently, he 
was associated in business with his father. 
He was connected subsequently, until 
1864, with manufacturing and milling in- 
terests at Victor, in Ontario County, and 
then entered into manufacturing, at 
Shortsville, New York. In the meanwhile, 
Mr. Patric had been quietly developing 
a natural talent for invention, one that in 
the course of time has closely approached 
genius. After many experiments and in- 
numerable valuable inventions, in 1865 he 



698 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



succeeded in completing what is known as 
the "double force feed grain distributor 
for grain drills." In the fall of 1866 he 
moved to Macedon, New Yoi*k, where he 
was able to secure better facilities for per- 
fecting his great inventions. In May of 
the following year, Mr. Patric came to 
Spring-field, and here he set forth the mer- 
its on his inventions before capitalists of 
this section, who quickly recognized their 
merits and lost little time in organizing 
for their manufacture. 

In 1878 Mr.- Patric returned to Roches- 
ter, New York, where he had established 
a foundry and machine works, and while 
experimenting, he succeeded in making an 
entirely new drill, one which was superior 
in every way to the former inventions, 
and this fact naturally suggested the name 
of the "Superior Drill." In the fall of 
1883 Mr. Patric came back to Spring-field, 
and here he organized The Superior Drill 
Company, which was then incorpoi-ated 
with a capital stock of $250,000. Mr. Pat- 
ric has continued as a director and one of 
the heaviest stockholders of this company, 
which, with the exception of one indus- 
try, controls the largest business done at 
Spring-field. His brain is still active, al- 
though he has taken out more than forty 
patents on grain drills and seeding ma- 
chines. 

His latest invention consists of a Seed 
Planter, adapted to the use of the gard- 
ener, florist, nurseryman or seedman. It 
plants perfectly all kinds of seeds, from 
the finest seeds to and including the wrin- 
kle peas and lima beans, either in drills 
or hills. It is constructed upon thor- 
oughly scientific principles, using an ab- 
solute "force feed," insuring absolute 
control of the quantity sown, and will sow 



exactly the quantitj^ it is set to sow, and 
without injury to the seed. It opens the 
furrow, plant the seed, covers it, and 
presses the soil over the seed, all at one 
operation, and as fast as the operator can 
walk. It is a model of simplicity and will 
last for years. It weighs but nineteen 
pounds, and a boy can operate it with 
ease. A great deal of time and money 
have been expended in perfecting this lit- 
tle machine, on which patents are pend- 
ing. 

Mr. Patric 's other business connections 
include the vice presidency of The Foos 
Gas Engine Company, the presidency of 
The Spring-field Metallic Casket Company, 
and a directorship in the Springfield Na- 
tional Bank. His name stands ever for 
business integrity and personal honor. 

In 1907 Charles E. Patric was married 
to Mary Jane Veazie, who is a daughter 
of Judge Veazie, of Natchez, Mississippi. 
They reside in an elegant home at No. 1314 
East High Street. Spring-field. 

In political sentiment Mr. Patric is a 
Republican, but his aims and thoughts 
have always been far removed from po- 
litical office. He has been an active pro- 
moter of Spring-field's commercial inter- 
ests ever since making this city his home, 
and as such is one of her most representa- 
tive men. 



FRANK H. ROLFES, city treasurer, 
and a life-long resident of the City of 
Spring-field, Ohio, where he was born 
March 20, 1877, is a son of Frank H. 
Rolfes. Sr., and Mary (Storch) Rolfes. 

Frank H. Rolfes, Sr., who died in Feb- 
ruary, 1908, in his seventy-seventh year, 
was born in Germanv, and came to this 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



699 



country in about 1854, locating in Spring- 
field, Ohio, where he followed his trade as 
machinist with success for many years. 
Mrs. Rolfes preceded her husband to the 
grave by several years. 

Frank H. Rolfes, Jr., was reared in 
Springfield, and early in life left school 
to learn the tool-maker's trade with the 
Warder, Bushnell & Glessner Company, 
with whorp he remained for a period of 
twelve years, after which he was engaged 
with the Foos Manufacturing Company 
for two years. He then accepted the po- 
sition of secretary of the Springfield 
Water Works, serving in that capacity 
for two years, and on November 5, 1907, 
was elected city treasurer of Spring-field. 
Mr. Rolfes has always taken an active in- 
terest in politics and his popularity 
among his associates was duly attested 
by his election as city treasurer, he being 
one of the only two Republicans elected to 
city office at that election. 

Fraternally, Mr. Rolfes is a member of 
(he Knights of Pythias order and the B. 
P. 0. E., and is religiously affiliated with 
St. John's German Lutheran Church. 



JOHN H. BECKER, general farmer 
and stock-raiser, residing on his well-cul- 
tivated farm of ninety-three acres, which 
is situated to the east and south of Tre- 
mont, in German Township, was bom in 
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, January 
1, 1841, and is a son of John and Eliza- 
beth (Zimmerman) Becker. 

John H. Becker accompanied his par- 
ents to Clark County in 1848, and although 
he was then a small boy, he remembers 
the long wagon journey and many of its 
hardships. For one year the family 



lived near the present site of the Chil- 
dren's Home and then settled in German 
Township, near Eagle City, the father 
purchasing a farm at this point. This was 
the home of John H. Becker until he 
reached manhood. He attended the coun- 
try schools and assisted in the manage- 
ment of the farm. On February 22, 1862, 
Mr. Becker enlisted for service in the Civil 
War, entering Company E, Sixtieth Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and re- 
mained in the service for one year. At 
Harper's Ferry, following the battle of 
Antietam, Mr. Becker, with his whole reg- 
iment, was captured by the enemy, but 
was i>aroled two days later and was sent 
to Chicago, where he was finally dis- 
charged. 

In 1864 Mr. Becker was married in Ger- 
man Township, to Elizabeth Neff, who is 
a daughter of Christian Neff, who was a 
pioneer and prominent citizen in the 
neighborhood of Tremont City. Mr. and 
Mrs. Becker have two children : Iva, who 
married J. E. Armstrong, a farmer of 
Logan County, Ohio, and has one daugh- 
ter, Elizabeth; and Carrie, who married 
Indn Ilges, and has one son, John Ed- 
mund. Mr. and Mrs. Ilges reside with 
Mr. Becker, Mr. Ilges operating the farm. 
This was formerly the old Christian Neff 
farm. Mr. Becker is not actively inter- 
ested in politics. He is a member of the 
fraternal Order of Red Men. 



SETH W. SMITH. Among the men 
who have helped lay broad and deep the 
prosperity of the community in which he 
lives is the subject of this review, who 
was bom on the farm where he now lives, 
January 24, 1843. His parents were 



700 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Seth and Deborah (Wilclman) Smith. 
His father was born in Eastern Tennes- 
see, where they were temporary sojourn- 
ers, as the grandfather, Seth Smith, was 
born in Pennsylvania, and had gone thence 
to Virginia. Having lived fourteen years 
in Tennessee, they removed in 1800 to 
Highland County, Ohio, and in 1811 set- 
tled upon the farm where Seth W. Smith 
now resides. At this early day the grand- 
parents were among the first pioneer set- 
tlers of this part of Ohio, and the country 
was in an undeveloped state. The ex- 
periences which they encountered were 
varied and interesting. Indians were 
plentiful, but were peaceably inclined. 

The grandfather purchased the Fitz- 
hugh survey, which was supposed to 
comprise 1,000 acres, but proved to con- 
tain 1,120 acres. On the land was a 
primeval log house, which they occupied 
until 1817, when they manufactured brick 
on the farm and constructed a substantial 
two-story brick house, which stood for 
many years, or until 1899, when the sub- 
ject of this record had it torn down and 
erected his present commodious and mod- 
ern residence. The grandfather resided 
in his home in Clark County, until he was 
an old man, honored and respected by all 
who knew him. He had come to Ohio 
when it was but a territory, landing at 
Paint Falls, Ross County, to which his 
elder brother, Jacob, had come in 1796. 
Of the brothers left in Tennessee, some 
of their descendants removed to Ver- 
milion County, Illinois, whence some 
members of the family removed to Ore- 
gon. In the pioneer spirit which caused 
the grandfather to seek a home amid the 
wild scenes of Ohio, may be traced with 
interest those sturdy qualities inherited 



from his ancestor, the great-great-grand- 
father of the subject of this review, who 
was born in England about 1680 and was 
one of those who, actuated by their Chris- 
tian faith, became a follower of William 
Penn, and with him, accompanied by two 
other brothers, came to America. One of 
the brothers settled in New York, or one 
of the New England states, and one in the 
Carolinas. There has been no reliable ac- 
count of the descendants. One son, the 
great-grandfather, Joseph Smith, was 
born about 1720. He was educated and 
reared in the Quaker faith, as was also 
his wife, who in her maidenhood was 
Rachel Bales. After his marriage he set- 
tled in Maryland, near Bladensburg, and 
rented a farm and conducted a mill on 
Permugen Creek. He finally removed to 
a farm five miles from Winchester, 
Maryland, where they remained for a 
number of years on rented land. After a 
few years they decided to make a change 
and accordingly drove across the moun- 
tains to where Brownsville, Pennsylva- 
nia, now stands, but not liking the loca- 
tion they returned without unloading 
their goods. While crossing the moun- 
tains they were attacked by robbers, but 
drove them off. They returned to the 
farm they had occupied near Winchester, 
and there spent their remaining days. 

Among their many children was Seth, 
the grandfather of Mr. Smith, the name 
being thus handed down to the third gen- 
eration — the subject of this review. In 
the grandfather's family were the follow- 
ing children — Jacob and Samuel, who 
died in early childhood; Mary, who mar- 
ried David Littler; Rachel, who married 
Nathan Linton; Ruth, who married 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



701 



Jeptha Johnson ; and Seth, the youngest 
child. 

Seth grew to manhood in Clark County, 
receiving a good education for the period. 
The country was still new at that time 
and the educational advantages enjoyed 
were not those of the present time, but 
the brave and energetic spirit inherited 
from his forefathers and cultivated by his 
own efforts was his, and he did much to- 
ward promoting the growth and develop- 
ment of his community. He inherited 
about two hundred and sixty acres of land 
from his father, which he cultivated 
and improved, adding to it until he be- 
came the owner of considerable land 
and in time gave each of his chil- 
dren a good farm. In his remembrance 
Indians were very thickly settled around 
the locality in which the family lived, 
but they were friendly inclined and 
made very little trouble. While the fam- 
ily lived in Highland County one evening 
they had been away from home and on re- 
turning found the house lighted up, and 
on looking in they found the floor cov- 
ered with Indians, who had come in and 
built a fire in the wide, open fireplace, de- 
siring to warm and rest themselves. On 
receiving their supper they departed in 
peace. On one occasion a young Indian 
became enamored of his sister, the aunt 
of the subject, and desired to make her, as 
he termed it, his "pretty squaw." As the 
recipient of this adoration did not favor 
his suit, he showed his disfavor by taking 
a lump of charcoal, chewing it, spitting it 
in his hands and rubbing it over his face. 
Seth Smith, the father, was born July 
n, 1798. He was an anti-slavery man, a 
great temperance man and earnestly did 
he advocate the principles in which he be- 

38 



lieved. He was a birth-right Friend, be- 
ing a direct descendant on both sides of 
the family of members of that sect. 

He was married February 25, 1824, to 
Deborah Wildman, daughter of John and 
Elizabeth Wildman. To them were born 
seven children, three of which died in 
early childhood. The eldest son, Samuel, 
married Esther Cook, who died in Sep- 
tember, 1885, leaving three children. He 
died in February, 1901. Ruth married 
Samuel Hadley, of Wilming-ton, Clinton 
County, Ohio. Oliver married Margaret 
Negus and to them were born six children. 
After living for several years in Clark 
County, they moved to Kansas and thence 
to California, where he died in 1896. 
The mother, Deborah W. Smith, departed 
this life January 2, 1858. In 1860 Seth 
Smith, the father, married Anne Hollings- 
worth, with whom he lived until his death 
in 1876, being buried at Selma, Ohio. 

The boyhood days of Seth W. Smith 
were spent on the home farm. He re- 
ceived a good common school education 
and after teaching a few years attended 
Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, for 
two years and one year in the Agricult- 
ural College, at Lansing, Michigan, thus 
being well fitted for the practical duties 
of business life in after years. In 1872 
he married Marion Griffith, of Alliance, 
Ohio, and they took up their residence 
on the home farm, this union being broken 
by her death in just one year. In 1878 he 
married Hannah Lewis of New Vienna, 
Ohio, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Hos- 
kins) Lewis. They were blessed with five 
children, namely : Oscar L., Lewis H. and 
Mary Emma D., while two died in infancy. 

Oscar L. Smith was born August 23, 
1879. In 190.3 he married Jean Blanche 



702 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Ervin, of Cedarville, Ohio, where he is 
now engaged as Cashier of the Exchange 
Bank. Lewis H. Smith was bom Janu- 
ary 30, 1880. In 1905 he married Eula 
Elder of Sehna, Ohio. They wow reside 
on the old home farm. In 1906 there was 
born to them a son, Lewis Elden. 

Mr. Smith has been identified with 
agricultural interests here and with bank- 
ing interests in Cedarville, Ohio, and his 
individual interests have been blended 
with the welfare and improvement of his 
county and township. 



FEEDEEICK FISSEL, general farm- 
er, residing on his farm of fifty-one acres, 
situated in Section 17, on the National 
Eoad, about three miles east of Spring- 
field, was born in Prussia, Germany, De- 
cember 5, 1840. His parents were Charles 
and Susanna (Dihme) Fissel, both of 
whom died in Germany. 

Frederick Fissel grew to manhood in 
Germany, where he learned the tailor's 
trade, after which he served for two years 
and two fnonths in the German army. 
Wlien released, after performing the mili- 
tary service demanded by the laws of the 
Fatherland, he sailed for America, land- 
ing at the port of New York, July 1, 1867. 
He worked at his trade in that city for one 
year and, July 1, 1868, reached Spring- 
field, Ohio, where he continued to work 
at his trade until 1881. 

In 1869, Mr. Fissel was married to 
Amelia Vollmer, who is a daughter of 
John and Susanna (Eberle) Vollmer. 
John Vollmer was born and was reared in 
Wittenberg, Germany, and came as a 
young man to Reading, Pennsylvania, 
later coming to Springfield. He was a 



shoemaker by trade and he acquired 
thirty-five acres of the farm on which Mr. 
Fissel resides. Mr. and Mrs. Vollmer had 
nine children, the four survivors of the 
family being: John, who lives with Mr. 
Fissel; Jacob, who resides in Hannony 
Township; Mrs. Mary Kemler, and Ame- 
lia, Mrs. Fissel. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fissel moved to their own 
farm in 1874, and to his brother-in-law's 
farm in 1881, and have been engaged in 
agricultural pursuits since that time. 
They have seven surviving children, 
namely : Emma, who married Conrad Ger- 
hardt, and has four children — Agnes, 
Mary, Frederick and Catherine; Charles, 
residing in Florida, who has no family; 
Minnie, who married William Gebhardt, 
and has two children — ^Charles and Ed- 
ward; Mary, who married Thomas Dow- 
den, and has three children — ^William, 
Edith and Hazel; Fredei'ick, who resides 
in Springfield; Augusta, who married 
Henry Dersch; and Henrietta, who mar- 
ried Wilbur Hoyle, and has two children 
— Elizabeth and Paul. George, who was 
the fourth born child in the family, died 
when two years old. Mr. Fissel is a mem- 
ber of the Fifth Lutheran Church at 
Spring-field. 



OLIVEE J. MILLER, a well known 
resident of Bethel Township, who is en- 
gaged in general farming on a tract of 
fifty-five acres, situated about ten miles 
west of Springfield, on the south side of 
the Valley Pike, was born on the old home 
farm in Bath Township, Greene Countjs 
Ohio, April 12, 1846 and is a son of Sam- 
uel and Mary (Warner) Miller. 

Samuel Miller was a native of Lancas- 



AND KE PRESENT ATI VE CITIZENS. 



703 



ter County, Pennsylvania, and wlien just 
a boy his father, Samuel, Sr., packed his 
household goods in a wagon and bi-ought 
his family over the mountains to Ohio, 
where he settled on a tract of timberland 
in Bath Township, Greene County, and 
resided there the remainder of his life. 
Samuel, father of Oliver J., was reared 
on this farm and assisted in clearing the 
land. He married Mary Warner, a native 
of Baltimore, Maryland, whose parents 
came to Ohio when she was eight years 
old and settled in Bath Township, Grreene 
County, on a farm adjoining that of Sam- 
uel Miller, and the two children were 
reared together, and became lifelong com- 
panions. Samuel Miller's death occurred 
first, when seventy-one years of age, his 
widow surviving him ten years. They 
were the parents of twelve children: 
George W., who enlisted in the Forty- 
fifth Regiment Ohio Vohmteer Cavalry, 
died in the army: Harrison, member of 
the One hundred and tenth Regiment Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, died in the army; 
Henry, who served in the army, enlisting 
in the One hundred and fifty-fourth Regir 
ment Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Chris- 
tenia, widow of John Shrodes; Oliver 
James; William, who died young; Leah 
C, who is the widow of Elias Trubee, who 
was a member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic ; Martha J. ; Eliza Ellen ; Reuben 
A.; Mary Alice, deceased, who was the 
wife of Andy Miller ; and John C. 

Oliver James Miller was reared to man- 
hood on his father's farm, devoting his 
time to agricultural work and to his edu- 
cation, which was received in the district 
schools of the township. In 1862, after 
the outbreak of the Civil War, although a 
mere lad of sixteen years, he decided to 



give his services to his country, and was 
twice accepted as a recruit, but was each 
time compelled to withdraw, by his father, 
who considered him too young to enter 
the army. His third attempt was success- 
ful, he enlisting on his eighteenth birth- 
day, April 12, 1864, in Company K, One 
and fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
remaining in service 120 days, and wasi 
mustered out in September, 1864. He 
participated in several skirmishes and the 
battle of New Creek, Virginia. He then 
returned to his father's farm and on Oc- 
tober 20, 1868, was united in marriage 
with Susan Kreider, a daughter of Henry 
and Susan (Kirkwood) Kreider. Mr. 
Miller and family continued their resi- 
dence in Greene County until 1900, when 
he came to Clark County and purchased 
his present farm of fifty-five acres, the 
old Reuben Harnish farm in Bethel Town- 
ship, where he has since been engaged in 
general farming. Mr. Miller grows about 
three acres of tobacco each year. The 
greater part of the improvements, includ- 
ing out buildings, the commodious house, 
etc., were on the land at the time of his 
purchase. 

Ten children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Miller, namely: George W., 
married Sadie Turner and has a family 
of six children; Susan, married M. Wel- 
ter, and has four children ; Olympia ; Mary 
Ann, wife of Lewis Grindle, has two chil- 
dren; Gertrude; Myrtle, married W. B. 
Kauffman ; Harry, died aged eight years ; 
Orey 0. ; Grace, and Sarah. 

Politically Mr. Miller is an adherent of 
the Republican party. Fraternally he is 
associated with the I. 0. 0. F. of Fair- 
field, Ohio, being a member of the En- 
campment. 



704 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



EDGAR W. ALBIN, superintendent 
of the Clark County Infirmary, and a life- 
long resident of Clark County, is rec- 
ognized as one of the leading and repre- 
sentative citizens of this community. He 
was born April 27, 1854, in Mad River 
Township and is a son of George and 
Mar^- (Martin) Albin. 

George Albin was born January 2, 1790, 
in Clarksburg, Virginia, and was a soldier 
in the War of 1812, serving with Duncan 
McArthur, and was in active service at 
the time of Hull's surrender. In 1810 
he came to Ohio and located on a farm in 
Mad River Township, being one of the 
most prominent pioneer settlers in Clark 
County. The site of Springfield was then 
covered by timber, and when the streets 
were laid out Mr, Albin assisted in clear- 
ing off the trees and hazel brush. He 
continued occupied in farming here until 
his death in 1872 at the advanced age of 
eighty-two years. He was buried in the 
old Knob Prairie Cemetery near Enon. 
Politically he was a Republican. 

Edgar W. Albin was reared in Mad 
River Township, receiving his primary 
education in the district schools later at- 
tending Wittenberg College for two 
years. After leaving school he spent 
some time in traveling, after which he en- 
gaged in farming in Green Township with 
much success for a period of thirty-one 
years. On February 1, 1907, he assumed 
the duties of superintendent of Clark 
County Infirmary and has since served 
very efficiently in that capacity. 

In 1874 Mr. Albin was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Martha J. Ross, a 
daughter of E. A. and Elizabeth (Wright) 
Ross of Mad River Township. Mr. and 
Mrs. Albin have five children living, name- 



ly: Daisy Maude, wife of Walter 
K. Weimer of Moorefield Township; 
Evangeline, wife of Jacob Milton Gog- 
henour of Montgomery County, Ohio; 
George C, who is engaged in the experi- 
mental rooms of the National Cash 
Register Company of Dayton, Ohio ; Earl, 
who is employed as inspector of the Na- 
tional Cash Register Company of Day- 
ton; and Rosa, who is attending Willis 
University at Springfield, Ohio. 

Mr. Albin is a man of public spirit and 
enterprise and for over thirty years has 
taken a prominent part in politics, hav- 
ing served for many years on the Board 
of Education and in many other minor 
offices in Green Township. Fraternally 
he is one of the most prominent members 
of the Knights of Pythias, and has filled 
all the offices of that order and was a Rep- 
resentative to the Grand Lodge. He is 
also a member of the Junior Order of 
American Mechanics. Mr. Albin is an ac- 
tive member of the Bethel Lutheran 
Church. 



JAMES M. COLLINS, who resides on 
his well-improved farm of eleven acres or 
more, which is situated one-half mile 
north of Tremont, on the Valley Turn- 
pike Road, Clark County, owns another 
farm of thirty-six and one-half acres in 
Mad River Township, Champaign County. 
Mr. Collins was born in Orange County, 
Virginia, July 26, 1838, and is a son of 
Jerome B. and Jane (Burruss) Collins. 

James M. Collins was reared in Vir- 
ginia, and in his boyhood attended the 
country schools and worked on his 
father's farm. In August, 1860, he ac- 
companied his father to Ohio. They set- 




REV. AND MRS HARVEY H. TUTTLE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



707 



tied first in Oliampaign County, where the 
eldest son, Tandy Collins, had already 
made his home. For a few years James 
M. Collins resided with his brother, the 
father dying there soon after coming to 
Ohio. The mother survived to the age of 
eighty-eight years. In 1866, James M. 
Collins came to Clark County and in 1870; 
he was married, at Delaware, to Rosanna 
Frey. Her father, John Jacob Frey, was 
lost on the Isthmus of Panama, when on 
his return trip to Ohio, having been a suc- 
cessful miner in California. 

Mr. and Mrs. Collins have seven chil- 
dren, namely: Clement V., an attorney 
at law, with offices in the Bushnell Build- 
ing, Springfield, who married Nora "Wood- 
ard and has one child, George C. ; Carrie 
Anna, who married Joseph N. Pence, and 
has two children, Ethel Irene and Jose- 
phine; Isabel, who is a school teacher in 
the Northern School building at Spring- 
field; Mary, who teaches in the public 
schools at Columbus; Martin S., who is a 
student in the Baltimore Medical College, 
at Baltimore, Maryland ; Maude, who mar- 
ried Dr. Nevin Sandow, of Columbus ; and 
Jennie T., who is a student at Witten- 
berg College. The present pleasant fam- 
ily home was erected in 1888. Mr. Collins 
and family belong to the Baptist Church. 



REV. HARVEY H.TUTTLE,pastor of 

Sinking Creek Baptist Church, Springfield 
Township, also one of the leading farmers 
of Clark County, is a scion of one of the 
most prominent families of this section 
cf the state. He was born September 
20, 1842, his parents being John and Mar- 
garet (Prickett) Tuttle, and he is a grand- 



son of Sylvanus Tuttle, one of the notable 
pioneers of the county. 

The history of this pioneer ancestor 
of the Tuttles is so typically representa- 
tive of that of the best class of early 
settlers in this section that a sketch of it 
may be here given, condensed slightly 
from an historical article written by the 
subject of this notice, Mr. Harvey H. 
Tuttle. 

"Soon after the glad ending of the long 
struggle for liberty in America, a stalwart 
young man decided to try his fortune in 
the new west. He had seen service as a 
New Jersey 'minute man' at the battle of 
Monmouth, and no doubt at other places. 
It was his duty as a 'minute man' to be 
ready to respond to any call the cause of 
liberty might make on him within the 
limits of New Jersey colony. He had 
three older brothers, two of whom, at 
least, were with the patriot army under 
General Washington. One lost his life 
while crossing the Hudson River above 
the city of New York while in the service. 
The other served in the army seven years 
and received a pension of $60 per annum 
during life. 

"But the subject of our sketch, a rugged 
young man, six feet in height, thought of 
the western country. He loved a comely 
maiden named Mary Brown. She was of 
medium height, with dark eyes and hair, 
and rosy cheeks, the very picture of en- 
durance and hardihood. She too was in- 
clined to tempt fortune in the wilds of the 
west. So Sylvanus Tuttle and Mary 
Brown were united in marriage about the 
year 1784. 

"They soon started for the west, hav- 
ing as their objective point southwestern 
Pennsylvania. Starting from Morris- 



708 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



town, New Jersey, they would cross the 
upper Delaware River, and most likely go 
to Harrisburg, at which point they would 
intersect the great wagon road from Phil- 
adelphia to Pittsburg. This route was a 
veritable thoroughfare for the multitude 
of emigrants to the West. Probably the 
young wife rode the single horse they 
owned, the same horse carrying a few 
articles of clothing and some cooking 
utensils. They may possible have had a 
second animal which served to carry the 
yoimg husband. However this may be, 
we may be quite sure that only the veriest 
necessities would be carried with them, 
since neither of these young people had 
much of worldly goods. We can be sure 
of but one article, viz: the rifle which 
young Sylvanus carried at the battle of 
Monmouth. This heirloom has been kept 
in the family, and is now in the posses- 
sion of James T. Tuttle, a great grandson. 
At what point in western Pennsylvania 
the first home was built we do not know 
now, nor do we know the exact period of 
time spent here. But while here Thomas 
Tuttle, the father, visited them, and re- 
mained with them until they decided to 
go down into Virginia, when he returned 
to Morristown, New Jersey. 

"The new location was in the vicinity 
of Clarksburg, Virginia, now West Vir- 
ginia. Here they remained for fifteen or 
sixteen years. Here most of their chil- 
dren were bom. Here the older children 
received their education, for all of them 
could read and write, and the boys, at 
least, were very apt and skillful in 
arithmetic. But here also they were 
trained in industry and frugality, in 
hardihood and self-reliance, acquirements 
that became exceedingly useful in after 



life. Here also in some quiet fertile val- 
ley, the family gradually accumulated 
something of this world's goods. In those 
times the clothing and food were all pre- 
pared in the home, the clothing from the 
wool of a little flock of sheep and from 
flax which they grew. The men would 
shear the sheep, then the mother and girls 
would manufacture the wool into clothing, 
often displaying much skill and ingenuity 
in the colors and patterns of the flannel 
cloth. In like manner, after the flax was 
pulled and broken and skutched to re- 
move the outer bark, it would be turned 
over to the women for manufacture. 
Thus we can easily understand how the 
oldest, a girl named Eunice, became ex- 
ceedingly skilful at the spinning-wheel 
and loom, not only in duplicating a pat- 
tern of cloth she might chance to see, but 
even in inventing new ones. 

"But here in their quiet home in Vir- 
ginia, the rumors of the rich valleys and 
fertile lands of the Ohio country reached 
them. Perhaps some adventurer who had 
been there would tell of its beauty and 
fertility in such glowing terms as to 
awaken a desire to find a home there. 
Most probably they were renters of a 
farm from some large land-holder in Vir- 
ginia. Then in the ordinance of Congress, 
passed in 1787, by which all the country 
northwest of the Ohio was admitted to 
the Union, ample provision was made for 
free public schools in setting apart sec- 
tion 16 in every township for school pur- 
poses. These advantages, with the grow- 
ing needs of their now large family, in- 
duced Sylvanus Tuttle and his wife to 
again try the fortunes of the Ohio coun- 
try where the government was selling such 
beautiful and fertile lands at a merely 



AND EEPRBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



709 



liominal price and on most advantageous 
terms. 

"December 22, 1803, the eldest daugh- 
ter, Eunice, was married to a man n^med 
Morris Reece. When grandfather and 
grandmother decided to emigrate to Ohio, 
Mr. Eeece and his young wife decided to 
be of the company. So the preparations 
for the journey went forward. * * * 
Grandmother did not forget that they 
were going to a new wild country, 
so she took with her all kinds of garden 
seeds, apple seeds, and peach seeds to 
plant at the new home. The trees in the 
old orchard, now quite gone, were grown 
from the apple seeds brought from Vir- 
ginia. There were, besides the Tuttle and 
Reece families, two other families, by 
name Robey, who made the journey to- 
gether. 

"There were in the Tuttle families the 
father and mother, six boys, two girls, be- 
sides Mr. and Mrs. Reece. They brought 
a flock of eighteen or twenty sheep and 
two or three cows. The sheep were in 
the charge of the seven year-old boy 
Caleb. * * * Their course would bring 
them through Marietta, Ohio, a distance 
from Clarksburg of eighty or ninety 
miles. The road would be over rough 
mountain trails called roads. The roads 
were so steep that often it would be nec- 
essary to chain saplings or small trees to 
the rear axle of the wagons to hold them 
back so the teams could guide the wagons 
down the steep inclines. All the way they 
camped out along the roadside. At Mari- 
etta one of the older boys, Thomas, took 
sick with a malignant fever,, and the jour- 
ney was delayed two weeks, the families 
encamping and the sick boy and his nurse 
finding accommodation Avith some hospit- 



able settler. It was necessary for the lit- 
tle seven-year-old Caleb to go a few miles 
in advance to find accommodation for his 
flock. Here he stayed with the sheep until 
the journey was resumed. After a sick- 
ness of two weeks Thomas died and was 
buried among strangers in some lonely 
spot not far from Marietta. Then with 
sad hearts the parents, brothers and sis- 
ters resumed their journey. The next 
town of any importance would be Athens, 
•the seat of Ohio University, and the next 
place would be Chillicothe, then the cap- 
ital of the new state. Then from Chilli- 
cothe to the vicinity of Springfield, over 
the old Chillicothe road, now the South 
Charleston pike. When they reached the 
vicinity of Springfield, they encamped the 
first night on the spring branch in front 
of the old Reid homestead, not far from 
Reid's schoolhouse. 

"The arrival in what is now Clark 
County was probably about the last of 
October, 1806. They finally located along 
Buck Creek, about six miles east of New 
Moorefield, and near Catawba Station on 
(he Delaware branch of the C. C. C. & St. 
Louis Railway. The Tuttle and Reece 
families located near each other on lands 
belonging to Mr. Van Meter, a large land 
owner in this region. Here they spent 
about a year and a half. The first winter 
would be the hardest. They had no wheat 
and only what corn and other provisions 
tiiey could buy, and we may be sure that 
money was a scarce article with these new 
settlers and must be carefully husbanded 
to secure land from the government on 
which to build up the new home.- But 
they would not lack for meat. Morris 
Reece was a marksman of wide repute in 
his old Virg-inia home, and as game was 



710 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



quite plentiful, he was able easily to pro- 
vide both families with abundance of 
meat. It was an understanding between 
the two families that whenever Morris 
Reece's ritle was heard to crack there 
would be meat to be had, generally bear 
meat or venison. Grandfather and the 
two older boys would possibly find some 
employment with the rich Van Meter, in 
flailing out his crop of wheat getting their 
wages, it may be, in corn or sometimes 
wheat. 

"To get the meal or flour they would 
probably have to go to the little grist mill 
of Simon Kenton, at what is now the La- 
gonda suburb of Springfield. This mill 
probably passed into the hands of Nichol- 
as Prickett a year or two later. 

"Mrs Van Meter was a kindly disposed 
woman, and would bring her coffee- 
grounds to grandmother that she might 
get a mild sort of coffee from them for 
her family. G-randmother would quietly 
take them, but her pride of independence 
would not suffer her to use them when 
there was not special need or benefit to 
be derived. So when Mrs. Van Meter was 
gone she would throw out the grounds. 
They contented themselves with mush and 
milk, corn pone, bear meat, and venison, 
and towards spring they could have a re- 
freshing drink from the tea of the fragrant 
spice bush, and the sassafras root. As 
the spring drew on they would be busy 
making a little sugar from the sugar tree, 
for they lost no opportunity to provide the 
necessaries and as many of the luxuries 
of life as their own labor could secure. 

"The spring would find all busy. 
Grandfather .and the boys getting in a crop 
of corn and flax from which to manu- 
facture tow and linen garments. The 



potato crop, too, would not be forgotten. 
We can readily imagine that as soon as 
possible a garden would be planted under 
the care of the women and younger boys. 
Then as soon as the sheep were shorn 
would come a busy time for grandmother 
and the gii'ls. The wool must be scoured, 
carded into rolls, spun into yarn, dyed 
and woven into cloth to make garments 
for the family. The previous winter may 
have been long and tedious, but the sum- 
mer was busy and fleeting. 

"However busy they were, grand- 
father did not forget the one object they 
had in view in coming to the wilds of 
Ohio, viz., to secure a home. He selected 
a quarter section of land on the Sinking 
Creek, about one and a half miles above 
its mouth. Here was water for the home 
and for cattle, and yet only a small part 
of the land was crossed by the stream. 
Here, too, was a fine sugar bush, so fine 
as to attract the attention of some wander- 
ing tribes, who came every spring in Feb- 
ruary and March to make sugar, encamp- 
ing along the creek. 

"Others, however, looked with longing- 
eye on this fertile quarter section, and 
grandfather and grandmother soon de- 
cided that if they secured the land they 
would have to use strategy. Grandfather 
and the older boys were busy at home. 
Who then should make the journey to 
Cincinnati, where the nearest government 
land office was located, and enter the land? 
The lot fell upon Caleb, the eight-year-old 
boy who had shown himself so efficient 
and self-reliant the previous year in car- 
ing for the sheep throughout the long 
journej^ from Clarksburg. Secretly he 
was equipped for the journey. Plain and 
explicit instructions were given him as 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



711 



to the number of range, section, etc. Fifty 
dollars in gold were securely fastened to 
his sturdy little body. Thus equipped he 
set out on one of the old horses for Cin- 
cinnati. In a few weeks he returned, hav- 
ing correctly entered the land, and bring- 
ing a receipt for the first payment, which 
also described the land. It is not difficult 
to imagine that our grandparents were ex- 
ceedingly relieved of anxiety and much 
gratitied at the result of their scheming. 
Another winter was passed in the Van 
Meter cabin. Then, when the winter be- 
gan to wane, the two older boys were sent 
to the future home to cut the timber for 
the log cabin, and to clear some land for 
the next season's crops. They built a 
sort of tent or hut for a temporary 
shelter, and for weeks spent their entire 
time at the work of chopping, burning- 
brush, etc., returning home Saturday 
evening to spend Sabbath with the family. 
Soon the Indians came for their usual 
spring sugar-making. Sometimes the 
boys would go down to the Indian camp 
in the sugar bottom to while away an 
evening with the Indians and engaging in 
their pastimes. 

"Wlien the early spring came, the logs 
for the cabin were all ready and at an ap- 
pointed day the neighbors came from far 
and near, and by sun-down the cabin was 
up and under roof and chinked, ready for 
a mud plaster on the cracks between the 
logs. Then a capacious but rude chimney 
was built, the lower part of nigger-heads 
or boulders laid in clay mortar, the upper 
part of clay and sticks. 

"In a year or two a new house was 
built. This one is hewn of logs, and two 
stories high, with two large rooms on the 
ground floor. This house, when com- 



pleted, was a palace compared with the 
cabins in which they had found shelter 
hitherto. Here were celebrated weddings 
and infairs — as receptions were then 
called — and here the young people 
gathered for merry-making, such as husk- 
ing-bees, etc. 

"In 1812, October 30, the eldest son was 
married to a Miss Ellsworth; one of a 
family in the settlement; and on Decem- 
ber 31st of the same year the second 
daughter married Aquilla Ellsworth of 
the same family. October 7th, 1813, the 
remaining daughter married Charles Bot- 
kin, and settled a few miles east of the 
homestead. In the meanwhile the eldest 
daughter, Eunice Reece, had buried her 
husband, and with her two children, found 
a home with her parents. During the War 
of 1812 with England, the two oldest boys 
were in the service for a short time, guard- 
ing a supply train which brought provi- 
sions for the army under General Hull." 

February 23, 1815, John Tuttle mar- 
ried Margaret Prickett, a daughter of 
Nicholas Prickett, who some years be- 
fore had brought his family from Cler- 
mont County and settled at Lagonda. He 
purchased the grist-mill of Simon Kenton, 
which he improved and ran as long as he 
lived. 

In the year 1822, March 21st, Caleb 
Tuttle married another daughter of this 
miller's family, Mary Prickett. 

In the spring of 1816 a Baptist Church 
was organized in the community, one mile 
south of the Tuttle homestead. Nicholas 
Prickett was one of .the founders.. From 
the records we learn that Sylvanus Tuttle 
was received into membership in this 
church in October, 1816, and in November 
Mary Tuttle became a member. They 



712 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



could have preaching service but once 
each month, and at these services, which 
were held both Saturday and Sunday, one 
or more were received into the little 
church. A few years later Sylvanus Tut- 
tle was elected to the office of deacon in 
this church, in which capacity he served 
until his death. 

In the year 1821 the present brick dwell- 
ing-house was built. The bricks were 
made and all the material for the house 
was gotten from the farm, except the 
hardware and lime for the mortar. As 
the years went on, one by one the chil- 
dren, as children will, formed homes else- 
where. Then came grandchildren to live 
with and help the grandparents in their 
old age. In these early years all the wheat 
or rather the flour must be hauled all the 
way to Cincinnati for market. To get a 
little money was very difficult and money 
was very scarce. The people lived in a 
plain, simple manner. Salt was one of 
the most difficult articles to obtain, and 
had to be hauled from Cincinnati or San- 
dusky. There were no roads at that time 
worthy of the name, and bands of hostile 
Indians were ready to shoot any white 
man who might unwarily fall in their way. 

Sylvanus Tuttle died on January 1, 
1843, at the good old age of eighty-one 
years, seven months, and nineteen days; 
and Mary Tuttle, his wife, died May 26, 
1848, aged eighty years, eleven months, 
and nine days. 

John Tuttle, son of Sylvanus and Mary 
Tuttle, was born in Virginia, and accom- 
panied his parents in their journey to 
Ohio, as above recorded. He shared in 
the pioneer hardships experienced by the 
rest of the family, and on one occasion, 
in company with some neighbors, made 



the long and dangerous journey to Cin- 
cinnati, for salt. His marriage to Mar- 
garet Priekett, on February 23d, 1815, 
has been already recorded, as likewise the 
birth of their son Harvey H., whose name 
begins this article. 

The latter was reared in Spring-field 
Township, attending the school known 
as Congress Hall. Afterwards he was 
graduated from Wittenberg College, 
Spring-field, in the class of 1867, and three 
years later was graduated, in the class of 
1870, from the Theological Seminary at 
Upland, .Pennsylvania. Previous to that, 
on September 2, 1861, at the age of nine- 
teen, he had enlisted in Company F, 
Forty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as 
a corporal, and sei'ved with that com- 
pany seventeen months. When a baby, 
about twenty months old, he had met with 
an accident by which he had lost two 
fingers; and in the war he had another 
finger on the same hand shot off, while on 
picket duty near Georgetown, Kentucky. 
He was discharged for that reason Decem- 
ber 27, 1862. He then re-enlisted in the 
100-day service as second lieutenant in 
Company D, One hundred and forty-sixth 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he 
served until September 7, 1864, when he 
received an honorable discharge. He then 
returned to Wittenberg College, which he 
had left to enter the army. His mental 
equipment was completed at Crozer Semi- 
nary, on leaving which, he was married 
June 14, 1870, to Laura J. Luse, daughter 
of John Luse. He then took the pastorate 
of two churches — one at Bradford Junc- 
tion and one at Covington, both in Miami 
County, Ohio. He remained thus oc- 
cupied for about two years, when his 
health failed and he quit pastoral work, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



713 



and took up his residence on his present 
farm, which was then owned by his father- 
in-law, his advent here being in January, 
1874. In the spring of 1888 Mr. Tuttle 
went to Granville, Ohio, where he lived 
for sixteen years, returning to his farm in 
Clark County in 1904. For a number of 
years he was librarian for the Dennison 
University at G-ranville. On the reorgani- 
zation of the Sinking Creek Church in 
1883 he became the pastor, which position 
he still holds. While a resident of Gran- 
ville he frequently returned to officiate as 
pastor of this church. 

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle num- 
bers nine children, all of whom are mar- 
ried but two. They have twelve grand- 
children. Their children are as follows: 
Laura May, wife of Professor Price, prin- 
cipal of the Pillsbury Academy, Owanton- 
na, Minnesota; John Luse, who married 
Lotta Gower ; Martha Byrd, wife of Pro- 
fessor E. J. Owen, also of Pillsbury Acad- 
emy; A. J. Tuttle, who married Frances 
Davidsor., a missionary in Assam, India ; 
Margaret Ann, wife of Edward H. Jes- 
son, Y. M. C. A! secretary at Berwick, 
Pennsylvania; Harvey Wallace, single, 
who is now preparing for evangelistic 
work ; George Clyde, who married Cathar- 
ine Evans, and is a reporter on the Colum- 
bus "Citizen;" Mary Catharine, a music 
teacher in an academy at Toulon, Illinois ; 
Alice, wife of Oscar Laybourne, who re- 
sides at home with her parents. 

Mr. Tuttle is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic. He is a man of 
much force of character, an able and faith- 
ful minister of the Gospel, having much 
persuasive force in the pulpit, and is also 
a ready and capable writer. His two 
hundred and fortv-tive acre farm is one 



of the most valuable in Clark County, and 
is kept by him in fine condition. As a 
grandson of one of the most conspicuous 
among- the pioneers of this section, he is 
especially well-informed in regard to local 
history in which he takes an intelligent 
and patriotic interest. He and his fam- 
ily are as highly esteemed as they are 
well known in every part of the county. 



CHARLES BAUER, a member of the 
city council of Springfield, has been suc- 
cessfully engaged in business here for 
many years. He was born at Springfield, 
Ohio, in 1869, and is a son of Jacob Bauer. 

Jacob Bauer, father of Charles, was 
l3orn in Germany and was an early settler 
at Spring-field. He worked in the Ross 
Mitchell flour mill, which then stood on 
the site of the International Harvester 
plant. Later Ke conducted a dairy and 
operated a milk wagon through Spring- 
field, although his patrons were few be- 
cause the population was limited at that 
day. He died in 1899. 

Charles Bauer was educated in the 
schools of Springfield, and while still a 
boy went to work for the Warder, Bush- 
nell & Glessner Company, with whom he 
remained for fifteen years. He then em- 
barked in a feed, flour and grain business, 
to which commodities he later added coal 
and cement, and has been so engaged ever 
since. 

On December 23, 1905, Mr. Bauer was 
married to Vinnie Peden. He has taken a 
very active part in city politics. For five 
years he served as a member of the school 
board from the First Ward, during two of 
which he was its president. His present 
standing in the council is that of a mem- 



714 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ber at large. .His business judgment is 
valued on the board and his integrity and 
efficiency as a citizen is very generally 
conceded. He is a popular member ol a 
number of fraternal orders, including the 
Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Red Men, 
and the Knights of Pythias. 



ERNEST BURKHARDT, a leading 
farmer and dairyman of Springfield 
Township, residing on his farm in Section 
17, on the old Columbus road, two and a 
lialf miles from Springfield, was born in 
AVittenberg, Germany, November 27, 1847. 

He is a son of Ludwick and Caroline 
Burkhardt. 

Ernest Burkhardt was reared in Ger- 
many, where he learned the cabinet-mak- 
er's trade and after coming to Amei'ica, 
in 1867, he worked at this trade at Cincin- 
nati for a year. His elder brother, Lud- 
wick Burkhardt, was engaged in a butcher- 
ing business in that city and Ernest 
learned that trade with him, after which 
he carried on a butchering business of his 
own and owned two mai'kets in Cincin- 
nati. In 1884 he moved to his present 
home, purchasing at that time seventeen 
acres of land on which stood a fine brick 
house and a barn. He built on his land 
a frame slaughter-house, which subse- 
quently burned down. He then replaced 
it with a brick one" and continued in tlie 
meat business until 1898. To his original 
purchase he added more land, and his 
farm in Springfield Township now con- 
tains thirty-eight acres. He owns also a 
farm of eighty-five acres in Moorefield 
Township. 

In Cincinnati, Mr. Burkhardt was mar- 
ried to Emma Oehler. who is a daughter 



of Frederick Oeliler. Mr. Oehler was 
born in Germany but his daughter is a 
native of Cincinnati. Mr. and Mrs. Burk- 
hardt have seven children, namely: Lula, 
Emma, who married Stewart Gower, re- 
siding in Cincinnati ; Elma, Alice, Ernesi, 
Bertha, and Ruth, all residing at home. 
Another daughter, Clara, died at the age 
of two years. Mr. Burkhardt is consid- 
ered one of Springfield Township's pros- 
perous citizens. He is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias. In politics he is In- 
dependent. 



MICHAEL B. WILSON, a representa- 
tive citizen of Harmony Township, where 
he owns one hundred and twelve acres of 
valuable land which he devotes to gen- 
eral farming, was born in 1845, in Clark 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Michael 
and Lavina (Henry) AVilson. 

The Wilson family is an old one in 
Harmony Township, the grandparents, 
Michael and Temperance Wilson, having 
had their home here and reared a large 
family. One son, Michael, was born in the 
same township and when he attained man- 
hood, he married I^avina Henry. They 
liad a family of thirteen children born to 
them, to whom they gave the following 
names : Jasper, James T., Temperance, 
Elizabeth, Jefferson, Johnson, Michael B., 
Tjavina, Washington, Emma, Anna, Fre- 
mont and Skillman. Jasper married 
Ellen Prugh and they had four children: 
Wilburt H., Charles, Samuel and Elesta. 
Jasper Wilson served in the Civil War. 
James T. married (first) Abigail Turner 
and they had five children : Temperance, 
Nora, Samuel, Ada and Anna T. He 
married (second) Ida Tingley, and they 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



715 



had one daughter, Bessie. Temperance, 
daughter of James T., married Edgar 
Sweete, and they have one son, Chandler. 
Nora Wilson is deceased. Samuel mar- 
ried Dollie Tingley and they have five 
children, namely: William, Cai'l, Delma, 
Horace and (Jltnna. Ada married Chance 
Mahoney and they have three children: 
Maild, Nellie and Edna. Anna died aged 
fifteen years. 

Temperance Wilson, eldest daughter of 
Michael and Lavina Wilson, died aged two 
years. Jefferson, the next son, was killed 
while serving as a soldier in the Civil 
War. Johnson married Julia West and 
they have the following children: How- 
ard, Effie, Alta, Walter, Mary and Floyd. 
Johnson Wilson served in the Civil War. 
The three brothers were brave soldiers, 
but only two lived to reach home. Lavina 
married Edmund West and at death left 
one child, Lillie. Washington Wilson 
married Frances Porter and they have 
four children : Porter, Charles, Nina and 
Washington. Both Emma and Anna are 
deceased. Fremont Wilson married 
Minerva Sharp and they have the follow- 
ing children : Mary, Lavina, Clara, Ross, 
Wealthy and Methia. Skillman, the 
youngest of the family, married Lida 
Sidebottom. 

Michael B. Wilson has lived in Clark 
County all his life and since boyhood has 
followed agricultural pursuits. His land 
was purchased from his father by himself 
and wife and is divided into two tracts, 
one containing fifty-five acres and the 
other fifty-seven acres. It is as good land 
as can be found in Harmony Township. 
Mr. Wilson was married in 1871, to Es- 
tella Roberts, who was born in Madison 
County, Ohio, but who has lived in Clark 



County for thirty-seven years. She is a 
daughter of Charles and Harriet (Me- 
Cann) Roberts, the former of whom was 
born in 1805 and died in 1853. The latter 
was born in 1814 and died in 1890. They 
were married in 1832 and had nine chil- 
dren, nam-ely: John, Henry, Benjamin F., 
Catherine, Charles, Harriet, Peter, Mary 
E., and Estelle, five of whom are deceased. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have, two children, 
namely : Nellie F. and Frank R. Nellie 
F. was born October 14, 1876, married 
Ralph Christ 'and they have two children, 
Glen W. and Katherine E. Frank R. was 
born January 20, 1882, married Myrtle 
Neer and they live in Harmony Town- 
ship. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of 
the Christian Church and he is serving as 
a deacon in Wilson Chapel. He belongs 
to Lodge No. 345, Odd Fellows, at Vienna 
Corners. 



ROBERT M. LeFEVRE, superintend- 
ent of the Ohio Pythian Home and one 
of Springfield's well known and highly 
respected citizens, was born in York Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, in 1857. 

Mr. LeFevre was seven years old when 
his parents moved to Union City, Indiana, 
where he spent his boyhood days. When 
sixteen years old his mother died, after 
which he returned to Ohio, locating at 
Troy, where for some time he worked on 
the farm. He was later employed as a 
body maker in a carriage works of Troy. 
He then engaged in the grocery business 
as a salesman, after which he returned to 
the farm, remaining there for about four 
years. In April, 1896, he came to Spring- 
field as superintendent of the Ohio 



716 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Pythian Home in which capacity he is still 
serving, Mrs. LeFevre occupying the posi- 
tion of matron. 

On May 4th, 1882, Mr. LeFevre was 
united in marriage with Clara Ida Ear- 
hart of Miami County, Ohio. Fraternally 
Mr. LeFevre is past chancellor of the 
Knights of Pytliias of the Domain of 
Ohio ; also is a York Rite Mason, a mem- 
ber of the Modern Woodmen ; and a past 
Grand of the I. 0. 0. F. Mr. and Mrs. 
LeFevre are members of the Christian 
Church of Springfield. 



MRS. MARY ANN ULERY, widow of 
George Ulery, who was one of the promi- 
nent farmers of Pike Township for many 
years, is a well laiown and highly es- 
teemed resident of this township, where 
she was born, not far from her present 
home, on August 3, 1832. 

The parents of Mrs. Ulery were John 
and Elizabeth (Leffel) Funderburg. They 
had two children, Mary Ann and Samuel, 
the latter of whom is deceased. Both par- 
ents died when she was a child and she 
was reared by her maternal grandfather, 
Samuel Leffel, who was an early settler 
of Pike Township. Her brother was 
reared" by the Funderbergs and he became 
a school teacher and a Dunkard preacher. 

Mary Ann Funderburg attended the old 
log schoolhouse near that old landmark, 
the Black Horse tavern. On October 5, 
1848, she was married to George Ulery, 
who was born in Lancaster County, Penn- 
sylvania, December 3, 1826, and died in 
Clark County, Ohio, February 13, 1878. 
He was a son of John and Elizabeth Ulery 
and a. grandson of Daniel Uleiy, who was 
born in Wertemberg, Germany. George 



Ulery became a large farmer and acquired 
three hundred acres of land which he left 
to his family and his widow continues to 
reside on the old homestead. He later 
became a minister in the Brethren in 
Christ Church. There were nine children 
born to George and Mary Ann Ulery, as 
follows : Elizabeth, who was born Novem- 
ber 20, 1849, died aged eleven years ; Sam- 
uel, who was born January 21, 1851 ; Will- 
iam, who was born June 4, 1854; John B., 
who was born December 6, 1856, died No- 
vember 3, 1884; Mary, deceased, who was 
born May 8, I860: Isaac, who was born 
April 3, 1862, is proprietor of the leading 
hardware store at New Carlisle, Ohio ; 
Ezra, who was born March 30, 1864; 
Lucinda, who was born May 20, 1867, died 
aged two years ; and George W., who was 
born February 22, 1871, and is a promi- 
nent farmer of Pike Township. 

Mrs. Ulery is a valued member of the 
Brethren in Christ Church. She has lived 
a long and useful life and has a wide cir- 
cle of warm friends and hearty well- 
wishers. 



JOHN F. TROUT, residing on his valu- 
able farm of forty acres of land situated 
in Section 5, Springfield Township, was 
born in German Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, February 14, 1856, and is a son of 
Philip and Sarah (Baker) Trout. 

Philip Trout was a son of David Trout, 
and in his boyhood accompanied his father 
from Virginia to Clark County, Ohio. He 
was reared in German Township, where he 
later became a successful farmer and at 
the time of his death in 1902 he owned one 
hundred acres of land. He married 
Sarah Baker, who was a daughter of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



717 



Jacob Baker, of Clark County. She died 
November 11, 1892. Philip Trout and his 
wife had fourteen children, nine of whom 
still survive. 

John F. Trout grew up on his father's 
farm in German Township and attended 
the district schools, the township high 
school and the National Normal Uni- 
versity, at Lebanon, Ohio. For several 
years following he taught school in Ger- 
man and Harmony Township and then be- 
gan to farm in partnership with his 
brother Jacob. They owned the home 
farm together and continued to operate it 
until 1905, when the subject of this sketch 
desired to move to his present farm in 
Spring-field ToAvnship. They then sold the 
property in German Township and Mr. 
John F. Trout has been established here 
since November 14, 1905. His land is a 
very productive property under his care- 
ful methods and he raises grain and stock. 
On June 25, 1902, Mr. Trout was married 
to Elizabeth Hison, who was born in 
Highland County, Ohio. 



ADAM BAKER, one of German Town- 
ship's leading citizens and large land- 
owners, whose three farms, aggregating 
three hundred and twenty-five acres, all 
lie in this township, with the exception of 
eight acres in Moorefield Township, was 
bom on the farm on which he lives, near 
Eagle City, Clark County, Ohio, April 26, 
1841. His parents were Adam and Susan- 
nah (Klinefelter) Baker. 

The father of Mr. Baker probably grew 
to manhood in York County, Pennsyl- 
vania, but in 1885 he came to Clark Coun- 
ty with his wife, from Maryland. For six 



inonths after reaching Spring-field, they 
conducted a hotel there. Adam Baker, 
the elder, then bought the farm on which 
his son Adam resides and also a mill and 
distillery which stood on the place. He 
operated the mill for some ten years, 
after which he gave his attention to gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising, feeding 
many hogs. He lived on this farm until 
his death, which took place in 1863. His 
widow then removed to Springfield, where 
she died in 1879. They were the parents 
of twelve children, nine of whom reached 
maturity, the four survivors being: 
Elnora ; Johanna, who is the wife of Alex- 
ander Baker and lives at Springfield; 
John W., who resides at Topeka, Kansas ; 
and Adam. Those deceased were: Mrs. 
Elizabeth Ferree, William, Cornelius, 
Sarah Ann, George Washington, and 
three infants. 

Adam Baker, bearing his father's name, 
was reared on the old home farm, on 
which he has lived continuously, with the 
exception of fifteen months spent at 
Snyderville. He has followed farming 
and stock-raising, buying, selling and 
feeding man}'- cattle and hogs. Mr. Baker 
is a good business man — industrious and 
practical — and he has accumulated a com- 
fortable fortune. Although other mem- 
bers of his family have filled public of- 
fices in German Township and Clark 
County, his inclinations never lay in that 
direction and he has kept out of politics. 

Mr. Baker married Amanda Wilson, in 
October, 1869. They have no children. 
He is prominent in Masonry, being a 
"Shriner" and has attained the thirty- 
second degree. He belongs also to the 
Knights of Pythias. 



718 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



IRA W. WALLACE, president of the 
Wallace Company, who has been identi- 
lied with Springfield business interests 
for the past thirty-three years, was born 
in 1844, in Mahoning County, Ohio. Mr. 
Wallace was reared in his native county 
and was mainly educated at Poland Semi- 
nary, having as a classmate, the late Presi- 
dent William_ McKinley. 

In 1862 Mr. Wallace entered the Fed- 
eral army, in which he continued as a 
soldier until the close of the Civil War. 
He was a member of the Ninth Independ- 
ent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters and 
served as orderly sergeant, was commis- 
sioned second lieutenant and later tirst 
lieutenant, and was mustered out of the 
service at Cleveland, in September, 1865. 
He returned to Mahoning County and 
from there in the fall of that year went 
to Missouri, where he was engaged for 
seven years in an insurance and real 
estate bu.=;iness. Upon his return to Ohio, 
he was occupied in the same line of in- 
dustry at Cleveland, until 1875, when he 
opened up an insurance business in 
Spring-field, where he has his two sons 
associated with him. He represents the 
leading insurance companies of the coun- 
try, including, the Royal, the North Brit- 
ish Mercantile, the Liverpool and London, 
the Nias<?ara and New York, the Connecti- 
cut, of Hartford, the Hanover, of New 
York, and the Aetna Life, together with a 
number of other organizations. In 1879, 
Mr. Wallace was married to Lizzie C. 
Cornwell, and they have two sons, Gail C. 
and Fred M. 

Politically, Mr. Wallace is a Republican 
and for a number of years has been a 
member of the Republican Executive com- 
mittee. He is a valued member of 



Mitchell Post, Grand Army of the Repub- 
lic. He was chairman of the committee 
of this post that called the meeting that 
resulted in the organization of the Clark 
Coimty Historical Society, and lie hais 
been a member of its board of directors 
ever since. He is a very active member 
of the Lagonda Club and at present is its 
vice president. He is in close sympathy 
with all movements of a public-spirited 
nature which promise to be of substantial 
benefit to the citv. 



R. G. CALVERT, postmaster of Selma 
and proprietor of the Selma Grain Ele- 
vator is one of the leading citizens and in- 
fluential business men of the village and 
was born in Pennsylvania, in 1856, a son 
of Thomas and Elizabeth (Paist) Calvert, 
and a grandson of Reese and Deborah 
(Piatt) Calvert, life-long residents of 
Pennsylvania. 

Thomas Calvert was one of a family of 
seven children. He was reared and edu- 
cated in Montgomery County, Pennsyl- 
vania, later engaging in farming which oc- 
cupation he followed there until his death. 
He married Elizabeth Paist, a daughter 
of James Paist, also a resident of Penn- 
sylvania, and to them were born eight 
children, six of whom are living. 

R. G. Calvert, spent his early boyhood 
days on his father's farm in Montgomery 
County, and in 1868 came alone to Selma, 
Clark County, Ohio and here obtained his 
education in the district schools and also 
a private school, in the meanwhile living 
with his uncle until 1875. He then ob- 
tained a position as clerk for HoUings- 
worth & Company with whom he remained 
until 1880, when he went west to Iowa for 










RESIDENCE AND BARN OF ASA W. HODGE, \JOOREFIELD TOWNSHIP 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



721 



a period of three years. Upon his return 
to Selma in 1883, he and his brother be- 
came associated with William Wildman, 
in operating a store, and a grain and coal 
business, under the firm name of Calvert 
Brothers & Company, until 1894, when 
they dissolved partnership, Mr. Wildman 
taking charge of the store, and Mr. Cal- 
vert retaining the grain and coal busi- 
ness. With the exception of two years 
which he spent in California, on a 
pleasure trip, Mr. Calvert has continued 
in the grain and coal line, establishing the 
business upon his return to the East in 
1904. Mr. Calvert has served continuous- 
ly as postmaster of Selma with the ex- 
ception of three years, 1894 to 1897 in- 
clusive, and is the present incumbent. 
Politically he is a Eepubliean. His re- 
ligious connection is with the Society of 
Friends. 

Mr. Calvert was united in marriage 
with Ethel Kirlc, a daughter of Charles 
and Rachel Kirk of Richmond, Indiana, 
and they have three children. 



ASA W. HODGE, residing on his ex- 
tensive farm of 261 acres, which is situ- 
ated in Sections 33 and 34, Moorefield 
Township, was born in this township Oc- 
tober 3, 1873, and is a son of J. Milton 
and Mary Ann (Hunter) Hodge. 

The founder of the Hodge family in 
Clark County was Andrew Hodge, who 
came here from Kentucky. He was a na- 
tive of Virginia, but had accompanied 
Daniel Boone to Kentucky, and subse- 
quently tiring of the dangers of pioneer- 
ing in that state, known in early days as 
the "Dark and Bloody Ground," came on 



into Ohio and entered a section of land 
in Pleasant Township, Clark County. 
James Hodge, his son, was born in Cfark 
County and the latter 's son, J. Milton, 
was also born on the old farm. The lat- 
ter married the daughter of a neighbor, 
Lemuel Hunter, also an early settler in 
this section. Of their seven children three 
reached maturity, namely : Asa W. ; Ida 
M., who married Harry S. Andrew, of 
Dayton, Ohio; and Anna, who resides on 
the home farm, a part of which lies in 
Moorefield and a part in Pleasant Town- 
ship, the residence being in the former 
and the farm in the latter. After their 
marriage, J. Milton Hodge and his wife 
settled on this farm, on which he carried 
on agriculture, becoming also an exten- 
sive stock-raiser. He acquired 900 acres 
of land in the two townships. He erected 
the comfortable brick residence, where he 
died in April, 1901. His widow survived 
him imtil October, 1904. 

Asa W. Hodge was reared in his native 
township and attended the country 
schools through boyhood. From choice 
and environment he has always been en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits. After his 
marriage he moved to the present farm, 
which was originally the old James Foley 
place. Here he has made many improve- 
ments, which include the building of two 
barns and the modernizing of the resi- 
dence. He is actively engaged in raising 
Shorthorn cattle. Delaine sheep and Po- 
land China hogs. 

On October 3, 1901, Mr. Hodge was 
married to Bertha Page, who is a daugh- 
ter of Charles and Melissa Page, residents 
of Pleasant Township. The family is a 
prominent one in this section and is one 
of the most substantial. Mr. Hodge is not 



722 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



an active politician, but he takes the in- 
terest of an intelligent citizen in local af- 
faii'§. 



EDWARD C. GWYN, formerly pres- 
ident of the Merchants' and Mechanics' 
Loan Company, also formerly manager 
and treasurer of the Safety Emery 
Wheel Company, as well as president of 
the board of trustees of the Springfield 
Water Works and a director in the First 
National Bank of Springfield, occupied 
an assured position among the leading 
citizens and responsible men of this sec- 
tion. He was born in Springfield, Ohio', 
August 12, 1851, and died at his beautiful 
home in this citj^ November 1, 1907. 

The Gwyn family can be traced to John 
Gwyn, of London, England. Edward 
Gwyn, son of John and father of our sub- 
ject, was born in London, May 12, 1816. 
He there married Isabella Turnbull and 
they came to America in 1847. They set- 
tled first in Wood County, but subse- 
quently moved to Cincinnati, where he be- 
came a builder and contractor of gas and 
water works. He came to Springfield 
from Dayton and established the first gas 
plant here, which he operated for a num- 
ber of years. He was engaged in other 
enterprises, notably the manufacture of 
small arms during the Civil War, and still 
later he was associated, as agent in for- 
eign lands, with the Champion Reeper 
and Mower Company, of Springfield. 
Accompanied by his wife, the father of 
the late Edward C. Gwyn visited various 
expositions in his own and other coim- 
tries, and pushed the sale of the products 
of the great concerns he represented to 
the fullest extent. It was while engaged 



in business of this nature that his death 
took place in Rotterdam, Holland, May 25, 
1879. His remains were brought to 
Spring-field and laid to rest in Ferncliff 
Cemetery. His widow survived him un- 
til 1899. Their living children are: 
Amelia (Spencer), who resides in Spring- 
field; Rosa (DriscoU), also residing in 
Springfield; Mary (Sheibley), of Tiffin, 
Ohio, and Violet (Hyde), who is at pres- 
ent residing at Santa Anna, California. 

Edward C. Gwyn acquired his educa- 
tion in private schools in his native city 
of Spring-field, and at Hamilton, Ohio, 
where the family spent their winter 
months. Upon completing his literary 
studies he became his father's assistant 
and worked with him in various gas and' 
water plants located both in Ohio and in 
Pennsylvania. After coming to Spring- 
field he was interested for a time in the 
wood and lumber industry. Later, in the 
interests of a gas company, he resided for 
a time at Upper Sandusky, coming back 
to Springfield in 1881, where for sis 
months following he served as superin- 
tendent of the construction of the water 
works and then was made secretary and 
assistant superintendent of the Spring- 
field Gas Light Company, serving as 
such for four years. In June, 1885, he 
was elected president of the board of 
trustees of the Springfield Water Works. 
As indicated, he had many important 
business interests in this city and was a 
large property owner. In politics he was 
a Republican, and, religiously, a member 
of the First Congregational Church. 
. On September 1, 1887, Mr. Gwyn was 
married to Isabella W. Smith, who was 
born at Springfield and is a daughter of 
William R. and Mary (Ege) Smith. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



723 



They had two children, a son and daugh- 
ter, Charles W. and Mary Belle, the for- 
mer of whom is a graduate of the Spring- 
field High School and a student at Wit- 
tenberg College, the latter being a student 
in the high school. 



JOSEPH CRABILL, JR., member of 
the Springfield Township School Board, 
resides on a well improved farm of 128 
acres in Springfield Township, where he 
carries on a general agricultural line. He 
was born in Madison Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, June 4, 1862, and is a son of 
William Jr., and Sarah (Wise) Crabill. 
The Crabill family is an old agricultural 
one of Clark County. The grandfather, 
Thomas V. Crabill, was born in Moore- 
field Township, above Lagonda, on what 
was then known as the old Crabill farm, 
and he became a large landowner. 

William Crabill, Jr., was born in 
Spring-field Township in March, 1834, on 
a farm now occupied by his brother, J. F. 
Crabill. After his marriage he moved to 
Madison Township, where he rented a 
farm for several years, then moved to 
Harmony Township, where he resided un- 
til the spring of 1874, when he bought a 
farm of 180 acres in Springfield Town- 
ship, to which he moved in the following 
September. He owns also the well im- 
proved farm of seventy-eight acres on 
which his son, Joseph, Jr., located Sep- 
tember 30, 1892. 

Joseph Crabill, Jr., was twelve years 
old when he accompanied his parents to 
Springfield Township, where he has re- 
sided ever since. He obtained his educa- 
tion in the public schools and has ever 
since given his best efforts to farming. 



For a time after his marriage, he con- 
tinued to reside with his father and then 
moved to the farm the latter had formerly 
purchased, subsequently buying his own 
farm of fifty acres from Dr. Laybourn. 
He does a large wholesale milk business 
in addition to general farming, and is 
ranked with the representative business 
men of this section. 

Mr. Crabill married Mary Hinkle, who 
is a daughter of Michael Hinkle, who was 
a prominent pioneer settler and large 
farmer of Spring-field Township. They 
have five children, namely: Lester H., 
Sarah Wise, Alice, Joseph Elden and 
William. Mr. Crabill and family belong 
to the Lutheran Church, and he is a mem- 
ber of the church council. 

Mr. Crabill, as a citizen, is interested in 
all that concerns the general welfare of 
his community and he has testified to his 
sincerity by consenting to serve for many 
years on the School Board, of which he 
was president in 1907. He is a member of 
the Knights of Pythias. 



WILLIAM BALDWIN, formerly jus- 
tice of the peace in Moorefield Township, 
and a surviving veteran officer of the 
great Civil War, was born at Urbana, 
Ohio, January 11, 1834, and is a son of 
Samuel V. and Catherine (Van Meter) 
Baldwin. 

The paternal grandfather was Joseph 
Baldwin. He was a Virginian by birth 
and married in his native state. When 
he decided to come to Ohio he traded a 
tannery for 120 acres of land in Moore- 
, field Township, Clark County, Ohio. In 
a flat-boat he brought his family and pos- 
sessions from Wheeling down the Ohio, 



724 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



and when they landed, he traded* the boat 
for a wagon and they traveled overland in 
this to Clark County. Eventually he be- 
came one of the largest capitalists of the 
county, largely through the business 
sagacity of his eldest son, William Bald- 
win. The latter went from Virginia to. 
New York and there prospered in the mer- 
cantile business and invested a large 
amount of money in land in Ohio. He 
died immarried and his father was his 
heir to 2,000 acres of land. Joseph Bald- 
win died on the farm which is now the 
home of his grandson, William Baldwin. 

Samuel V. Baldwin was born in Vir- 
ginia and was ten years old when his 
father came to Ohio. He was afforded 
excellent educational advantages and was 
a man of brilliant parts. He graduated 
from Miami University, at Oxford, and 
subsequently became a leading member 
of the bar at Urbana, of which city he was 
prosecuting attorney for many years. He 
married Catherine Van Meter. 

William Baldwin's youth was passed 
on his grandfather's farm and at Urbana, 
with his parents, and he grew to man- 
hood Avith a fortunate environment. 
When the Civil War was precipitated he 
was eager to take part in the struggle and 
his first enlistment was for three months 
in Company K, Second Eegiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry Militia. His second 
enlistment was in the Sixty-sixth Eegi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which 
he served for twenty- three days as a pri- 
vate and was then promoted to be second 
lieutenant in Company J), Twenty-sixth 
Regiment, later to be first lieutenant and 
still later to be captain of Company G, 
which continued to be his rank through 
the period of the war. He was on special 



duty, however, during the greater part of 
the time, serving as brigade inspector and 
as aid-de-camp to General E. P. Fyffe, 
and also on the staff of General George 
B. Buell as assistant general inspector of 
brigade. Captain Baldwin was ever at 
the post of duty and he did not escape 
some of the terrible wages of war. At 
the battle of Missionary Eidge he was 
shot in the head while in the lead of his 
company charging the enemy. Before 
Kenesaw Mountain, June 22, 1863, he re- 
ceived a bullet in the leg which debarred 
him from field service ever after. For a 
period of eighteen months he served in 
the Veteran Eeserve Corps, and he filled 
the position of post adjutant of the bat- 
talion, during the discharge of the state 
troops at Augusta, Maine. Captain Bald- 
win's executive ability was still further 
recognized when he was sent to take com- 
mand at Fort Sullivan, and after his 
duties were over there he was sent home 
on waiting orders, and subsequently re- 
ceived his honorable discharge. 

After the close of his army service he 
returned to peaceful pursuits and in 1869 
he went to Wichita, Kansas, where he 
lived until 1876, when he accepted a gov- 
ernment clerkship in the quartermaster 
general's office at Washington City, 
where he remained for five years. Prior 
to entering the army Mr. Baldwin had 
graduated from the Cincinnati Law 
School and had engaged in the practice of 
his profession at Urbana. Pui'ing his res- 
idence at Wichita he practiced law, and 
for five years was city attorney, and 
for one term was judge of the Probate 
I Court. He had become a very prominent 
political factor and was a member of Ihe 
Kansas State Legislature when he decided 



AND REPRESENTATIVE . CITIZENS. 



725 



to remove to Washington. In 1882 Mr. 
Baldwin retnrned to Clark County and 
subsequently he served as a justice of the 
peace in Moorefield Township. He is one 
of the representative citizens of ihis sec- 
tion. 

After his return from the army Captain 
Baldwin was married to Emily Read, who 
is a daughter of Joel Read, and they have 
four children, namely: William residing 
at Osborn, Ohio; Blanche, who married 
James W. Roberts; Leah, who married 
Andrew G-. Dey, residing at Springfield; 
and Read, residing at home. There are 
five grandchildren in the family. Mr. 
Baldwin is a Mason. 



C. E. WADE, formerly secretary and 
treasurer of the Owen Machine Tool Com- 
pany, and now serving in the capacity of 
purchasing agent and office manager for 
the Oscar Lear Automobile Company, 
has been also, since 1905, secretary and 
treasurer of the Yieldable Grear Company, 
all of which are among the more prom- 
inent business concerns of Springfield. 
Mr. Wade is a native of Springfield and a 
son of John A. Wade. 

C. E. Wade was educated in the 
Springfield public schools and his first 
business position was with the District 
Telegraph Company, where he was em- 
ployed for eight months, going from there 
to McGregor Brothers, and later to the 
George H. Mellen Company. With the 
latter firm he remained for two years 
and a half, after which he was bookkeeper 
for the Foos G-as Engine Company for 
two years. As each business opening pre- 
sented itself, Mr. Wade proved his abil- 
ity to fill it and has climbed step by step 



to his present responsible position. From 
October 1905 to March 1908 he filled the 
position of secretary and treasurer for 
two important business combinations at 
Springfield. He is also a stockholder and 
a member of the advisory board of the 
Republic Life Insurance Company. 



ISAIAH WOOD, one of the representa- 
tive men of Pleasant Township, where he 
owns a small farm of fifteen acres, has 
been engaged for a number of years in 
raising fine horses and in dealing in live 
stock. He was born in Pleasant Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, January 18, 
1842, and is a son of Albert Wood. 

His paternal grandfather, Benjamin 
Wood, removed from New Jersey to 
North Carolina about 1800. From there 
he went to Cincinnati and thence to the 
vicinity of T^rbana, ChampaigTi County. 
Ohio. About 1805 he came to Clark 
County. Albert Wood came to Clark 
County from New Jersey and married 
here some ten years later. His children 
were: Mary, Benjamin, Sarah, Juliet, 
Anna, Henry and Isaiah, five still sur- 
viving. Albert Wood was a well edu- 
cated man and taught school. He died 
in 1843, aged thirty-five years. 

Isaiah Wood was reared in Pleasant 
Township and attended the district 
schools. He married a Miss Malinda 
Endsley, whose parents were born in Vir- 
ginia and came to Ohio in the early for- 
ties. They settled first in Logan County, 
where they remained until 1852, when they 
moved to Champaign County and for the 
next twenty years lived on a rented farm 
near Meehanicsburg, after which they 
moved to Pleasant Township. There Mr. 



726 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Endsley died, aged sixty-nine years, and 
Mrs. Endsley at the age of sixty-seven. 
Mr. Endsley served in the Civil War as 
a member of the Sixty-sixth Eegiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, until after the 
battle of Bull Eun, when he returned to 
Pleasant To-^mship. 

Mr. Wood has always lived in this sec- 
tion with the exception of a period of 
twenty-seven months, during which he 
was in the army. He enlisted in 1862 in 
the Ninety-fourth Eegiment, Ohio Vol- 
imteer Infantry, starting in as a private, 
and for gallantry was promoted to the 
rank of corporal. He took part in the 
battles of Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, 
Lookout Mountain, Missionary Eidge and 
Resaca, at the latter receiving a serious 
wound that put an end to his military 
career. A bursting shell so shattered his 
left leg that it was necessary to amputate 
it, but before receiving surgical attention 
he had the painful experience of lying ap- 
parently deserted on the battlefield from 
one o'clock in the afternoon until ten 
o'clock at night. While Ijang in this, posi- 
tion he received four additional wounds. 
Even after receiving aid he had to en- 
dure the pain of the amputation and the 
dressing of his other wounds while fully 
conscious, there being no anaesthetics at 
hand, and the danger of blood poisoning 
being also increased owing to the lack of 
that antiseptic treatment that forms an 
inseparable part of the surgery of today. 
In his weakened condition Mr. Wood was 
conveyed first to Chattanooga and thence 
to Nashville, and subsequently reached 
the hospital at Camp Dennison. There he 
remained for six months and finally was 
honorably discharged and received his 
papers in December, 1864. 



After Mr. Wood returned to Pleasant 
Township he established a harness busi- 
ness at Catciwba, in which he continued 
for eighteen years. Since then he has de- 
voted his attention to raising fine horses 
and other stock. He owned the noted 
Helen P. and also American Boy, which 
had a record of 2 :09i/., and which was the 
best race horse ever known in this section. 
He was also the owner of Ivanhoe and 
Gambetta, the latter a French horse; the 
former was valued at $2,000, and the lat- 
ter at $1,600. He has also dealt exten- 
sively in cattle. 

,Mr. Wood has two sons and three 
daughters, namely : Addie, born in 1868, 
who married Albert Tavenner in 1891, 
and has one son, Ealph ; Albert, born De- 
cember 21, 1870, who married Annie 
Hoss, and has one child, Lois, born in 
1903; Lorell, born in 1876, who married 
Kemp Coffey ; Eoy, born in 1882, who was 
married in 1904, to Nora Eunyan and they 
reside at Muncie, Indiana; and Blanche, 
who was born in 1885, and resides at 
home. Mr. Wood is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Catawba, 
and is a class leader. He belongs to the 
local Grand Army post. Mrs. Wood 
taught several terms of school before her 
marriage. 



JOSEPH VAN HOEN, senior member 
of the Van Horn & Gilbert Lumber Com- 
pany, of South Charleston, Ohio, dealers 
in hardwood and lumber, which is the 
largest concern of its kind in this section 
of the country, was born August 31, 1850, 
in Harrison County, Ohio, and is a son 
of Edward and Eliza (Gilbert) Van Horn. 

Edward Van Horn was a native of 



AND REPEESENTATIVE i CITIZENS. 



727 



Bucks County, Pennsylvania," of which 
his father, Christopher Van Horn, was 
also a native. The family was an agri- 
cultural one. Edward was one of seven 
children, three boys and four girls, all of 
whom are now deceased. When about 
fifteen years old his parents moved to 
Harrison County, Ohio, and later to 
Cedarville, Greene County, where they 
both died. Edward engaged at various 
kinds of work, operating a well drill dur- 
ing his younger days and farming prior 
to his military service. For four years he 
was a member of the Tenth Ohio Battery 
during the Civil War and saw much hard 
service, his death, which occurred in 
Cedarville, Greene County, being due to 
rheumatism, which was contracted while 
in the army. He married Eliza. Gilbert, 
of Harrisonville, Harrison County, Ohio, 
and to them were born four children : Ed- 
ward, who died in 1885; Martha F., who 
married Thomas Carlyle, of Yellow 
Spinngs; Susanna, who married Frank 
Hilttabridle, of Baltimore, Maryland; 
and Joseph. 

Joseph Van Horn was two years olfl 
when his parents moved from Harrison- 
ville to Cedarville, Greene County, and 
there was reared and received his educa- 
tion. He remained at home, working at 
various things, as opportunity offered, un- 
til his marriage at the age of twenty-eight 
years, after which he remained in Cedar- 
ville for four years as lumber buyer for a 
Dayton firm. He then moved to Harmon 
Township, Madison County, Ohio, where 
he owned a mill, which he operated three 
years and then moved to South Charles- 
ton, where he has since been engaged in 
the lumber business. About 1903 Mr. Gil- 
bert was made a member of the firm, 



which is one of the substantial business 
enterprises of Charleston. 

Mr. Van Horn was married in 1878 to 
Sally Milburn, of Cedarville. Politically 
Mr. Van Horn is a believer in the doctrine 
of the Republican party and has served 
as a member of the town . council. Fra- 
ternally he is a member of the Odd Fel- 
lows. 



AYDON ALLEN, who owns 146 fertile 
»acres of what was formerly known as the 
old Thorpe farm, in Springfield Town- 
ship,, was born in Harmony Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, September 3, 1846, 
and is a son of William and Rebecca C. 
(Henkle) Allen. 

William Allen was born in New York 
and was a son of William Allen, who was 
born in Yorkshire, England. The first 
William Allen came to America in young 
manhood and settled in New York, subse- 
quently removing to Cincinnati, Ohio. 
When his son William was about ten 
years of age he came to Harmony Town- 
ship, Clark County, where he took up a 
quarter section of land and on that farm 
he lived during the remainder of his life. 
William Allen (2) passed the whole of his 
life from the age of ten years on the same 
place. He married Rebecca C. Henkle, 
who was a daughter of Joel Henkle, and 
the granddaughter of a noted German 
scholar, who had seven sons, five of whom 
became Methodist ministers. Joel Hen- 
kle's inclinations turned toward agricul- 
ture instead of the ministry and when he 
reached manhood he came to Clark Coun- 
ty and settled in Moorefield Township, 
where Mrs. Allen was born. William 
Allen (2) remained with his widowed 



728 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



mother until her death, when he inherited 
the old Allen homestead of forty-two 
acres. He had three children: Aydon; 
Joseph W., who was formerly county re- 
corder, residing at Springfield; and one 
died in infancy. 

Aydon Allen was reared on the old Al- 
len farm on which he lived for fifty years 
and sis months. He obtained his educa- 
tion in the country schools and in young 
manhood worked as a farmer. When 
twenty-sis years of age he began to teach 
and for sixteen years followed the profes- 
sion through Harmony and Moorefield 
Townships. After he retired from the 
educational field he returned to his farm, 
on which he continued to live until March, 
1897, when he moved to his present place. 
Prior to this, however, he had bought his 
brother's interest in the old Allen farm, 
which then contained sixty-five acres, and 
he disposed of the property in 1901. Here 
he carries on a general farming line. He 
is widely known and highly esteemed and 
' if his neighbors have ever found fault it 
has been because of his never setting up a 
domestic hearthstone, Mr. Allen never 
having married. He is identified with the 
Masons and the Knights of Pythias, and 
is a member of the M. P. Church at 
Harmony. 



GEORG-E W. DTJRKEE, who has been 
a continuous resident of Clark County for 
the past sixty-eight years, owns a fine 
property in Harmony Township, consist- 
ing of 140 acres, on which he carries on 
general farming and stock-raising. He 
was born in Geauga County, Ohio, Decem- 
ber 30, 1833, and is a son -of Marcus and 
Sophronia M. (Work) Durkee. 



Marcus Durkee was born in Connecti- 
cut and was a son of Martin Durkee. He 
was a mechanic by trade, becoming also 
a farmer after acquiring land. In 1827 
he came to the Western Reserve and set- 
tled first in Trumbull County and lived 
later in Geauga and Lorain Counties, both 
he and his wife dying at Brighton, Ohio, 
when full of years. They were married in 
Connecticut and they had the folio wing- 
children born to them: Clarissa A., 
George W., Thomas C, Francis M. and 
Mary. Clarissa Durkee was born Decem- 
ber 17, 1831, and died February 17, 1886. 
She married Philip L. Coe and they had 
four children, Delmar and Emory, resid- 
ing in Ohio ; Byron, living in California, 
and Clinton, whose home is in Pennsyl- 
vania. Thomas C. Durkee was born in 
1840 and died in 1906. He married Emma 
Hopkins and they had five children: 
Lenora, Frank, Bertha, Herbert, Nettie, 
Bertha being deceased. Francis M. 
Durkee was born February 9, 1847, anQ 
resides in Kansas. He married Isabel 
Farrar and they have three children: 
Howard, Florence and Henry. Mary 
Durkee was born August 11, 1849. She 
mari'ied Elijah C. Smith and they reside 
at Dayton, Ohio. They have four chil- 
dren living, one, Maud, being deceased. 

George W. Durkee obtained a district 
school education and then learned the 
cooper trade, following it for a number of 
years at Brighton. During the Civil War 
he served as a member of what was called 
the Squirrel Hunters' Brigade, while his 
brother Thomas was in the Eleventh Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. George 
W. retains membership in the existing 
commemorative body at Springfield. In 
1865 he purchased his j^resent farm, which 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



729 



is situated one-half mile east of Brighton, 
on the National Turnpike Road. At that 
time it was covered with timber and for 
a part of it he paid $25 per acre. He has 
done all the clearing and has made the 
many excellent improvements which to- 
gether have developed it into one of the 
best farms in the township. 

At Spring-field, Ohio, in 1862, Mr. 
Durkee was married to Matilda Perkins, 
who was born February 18, 1835, and is a 
daughter of Samuel and Frances (Ward) 
Perkins. 

Samuel Perkins was born December 16, 
1805, and died March 22, 1850. He mar- 
ried Frances Ward, who was born Decem- 
ber 24, 1810, and died July 5, 1863. They 
had the following children: Henry W., 
Willard D., Walter D., Matilda W., David 
W., Sarah M., Columbia L., Esther and 
Abigail J. Henry W. Perkins was born 
April 3, 182S and died December 7, 1853. 
He married Jane St. John, and they had 
one child, Granville R. Willard D. Per- 
kins was born July 30, 1830, and died May 
25, 1896. He married Eliza N. Bell and 
they had four children: Elnora, Celia, 
Edith and Elmer. Walter D. Perkins wafe 
born January 18, 1833. David W. Per- 
kins was born March 30, 1838. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Ervan. Sarah M. Perkins 
was born January 18, 1841. She married 
(first) James Thomas and (second) 
George Truitt. Three children were born 
to the first union: Harry, Addie and 
Nettie. Columbia L. Perkins was born 
January 23, 1844. She married Alfred 
Ervin and has four children: Leon, 
Mary, Charles and Harry. Esther 0. 
Perkins, deceased, was born November 
12, 1847. Abigail J. Perkins was born 
November 1, 1849. She married Daniel 



Davis and they had six children : Glenna, 
Blanche, Oliver, Nettie, Irma and Orrie. 
Mrs. Frances (Ward) Perkins and family 
arrived in Clark County March 29, 1851. 

Mr. and Mrs. Durkee have had four 
children: Carrie B., Ella F., Ernest C. 
and Arthur L. Carrie B., born December 
5, 1862, died December 27, 1889. She 
married Benjamin Woosley and they had 
two children, Leonard C, born September 
17, 1887, and Lohren F., who was born in 
1889 and died May 22, 1906. Ella F., born 
September 23, 1864, married David Woos- 
ley and they have two surviving children, 
Ethel and Ercil. Ernest C, born August 
3, 1867, died February 17, 1872. Arthur 
L., born June 12, 1871, resides at Spring- 
field, Ohio. 

Mr. Durkee is a good citizen, taking an 
active interest in what concerns his com- 
munity. He and wife are valued members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Vienna Cross Roads. 



JAMES EDWARD DOWRY, county 
commissioner, and owner of 225 acres of 
highly cultivated farm land, located in 
Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
was born on his present farm August 27, 
1852, and is a son of Robert Mitchell and 
Elizabeth (Bancroft) Lowry. 

David Lowry, his grandfather, was one 
of the first settlers of Clark County, com- 
ing here in 1795 with J. Donnell, who laid 
out Donnellsville. They came from Vir- 
ginia to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they 
joined the surveying party of Rogers and 
(]lark. The entire party came up the 
Miami River as far as Dayton and en- 
camped at the mouth of the Mad River. 
The next day — Sunday — Mr. Lowry and 



730 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mr. Donnell strolled up Mad River until 
they came to Jackson's Creek and Mr. 
Donnell drove his stake into the ground 
on the present site of the. Donnellsville 
elevator. D^vid went on farther and took 
up the site of the present C. W. Minnich 
farm. In 1796 he brought his parents to 
this place, where the remainder of their 
lives was spent. David Lowry was mar- 
ried twice ; first to Sarah Hamer, of Clark 
County, by whom he had children — Mary, 
Nancy, Elizabeth and Susan. His second 
wife was Jane (Wright) Hodge, widow of 
a Mr. Hodge and a native of Botetourt 
County, Virginia, where she was born 
September 26, 1778. To them were born 
four children— Martha, David W., Robert 
M. and Sarah E. 

Robert M. Lowry, father Of James Ed- 
ward, was born in Bethel Township in 
1815 and spent his life on the old home 
place, passing away in 1902. He made 
many hunting trips to Michigan and while 
there married Elizabeth Bancroft, of 
White Pigeon that state. She was born 
in Canada October 4, 1820, and died Oc- 
tober 16, 1887. They had five children, 
namely: Selina E., who died when 
young; John, now deceased; Martha, 
who died aged sixteen years ; David, who 
died in infancy; and James Edward, the 
subject of this sketch. 

James Edward Lowry, like his father, 
has spent his life on his present farm, en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising. His 
education was obtained in the district 
school and the normal school at Lebanon, 
Ohio. He was married October 26, 1886, 
to Emma 0. Wallace, who is a daughter 
of Smith and Sarah (Stephens) Wallace. 
One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. 



Lowry, namely, Martha, who is attending 
Wittenberg College. 

Politically Mr. Lowry is a Republican, 
and in 1905 he was appointed to till the 
unexpired term of County Commissioner 
Joseph H. Collins. After serving one 
year he was nominated at the county con- 
vention in 1906 and elected to the office 
that same year. Fraternally he is a mem- 
ber of the Knights of Pythias, Mad River 
Lodge No. 374, of Euon. 



J. B. CIJNGERMAN, who is engaged 
in an investment and security business, 
with offices in the Bushnell Building, has 
been a resident of Springfield for twenty- 
seven years. He was born in Logan 
County, Ohio, where he received his edu- 
cational training. 

From boyhood until 1881 Mr. Clinger- 
man was in the employ of the Farmers' 
and Merchants' Bank at De Graff, Ohio. 
He then came to Springfield and entered 
the employ of P. P. Mast & Company, 
with which business house he remained 
for eight years, subsequently carrying on 
a manufacturing business of his own for 
two years. He was then elected to the of- 
fice of justice of the peace and was twice 
re-elected, serving eight years, when he 
resigned. Mr. Clingerman was then 
elected clerk of the County Court of Clark 
County, for six years being one of the 
most efficient and popular officials of the 
county. After retiring from office Mr. 
Clingerman engaged in his present busi- 
ness, dealing in securities and invest- 
ments. His political connection is with 
the Republican party and he has served 
as chairman of the County Executive 
committee, the Congressional Committee 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE (CITIZENS. 



731 



and for two years was chairman of the 
Eepubliean State Central Committee. He 
is an astute politician and a hard and 
loyal worker for his friends. 
. In 1880 Mr. Clingerman was married to 
Mmnie I. Youngman, a resident of De 
Graff, Ohio, and they have four children, 
namely: Byron Horace, who is general 
superintendent of the People's Light, 
Heat and Power Company, of Springfield, 
being a graduate of the Massachusetts In- 
stitute of Technology and also of Witten- 
berg College ; Marie ; Robert Lewis, who 
is also with the above named company; 
and Paul A., who is a student in the 
Springfield Seminary. Mr. Clingerman 
and family belong to the High Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs 
to the Masonic Blue Lodge, Chapter, 
Council and Commandery, to the Knights 
of Pythias, to the Junior Order of Amer- 
ican Mechanics and to several insurance 
fraternities. He is a charter member of 
the Springfield Commercial Club and is 
president of the Masonic Club. 



D. D. LAWRENCE, a well known resi- 
dent of Springfield, who has been identi- 
fied with both business and political af- 
fairs of this city for the past twenty 
years, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, 
in 1868. There he was reared to manhood 
and when about twenty years of age came 
to Spring-field and entered the employ of 
the Wickham Piano Plate Company, with 
whom he remained for two years, after 
which he was associated with Myers-Laf- 
ferty & Company for a period of ten 
years. Mr. Lawrence has always taken 
considerable interest in political affairs, 
and was elected constable in about 1900, 



serving as such for three years, when he 
entered the sheriff" 's office, where he has 
continued ever since. 

Mr. Lawrence was married March 31, 
1889, to Anne E. Conn, and of their union 
have been born three children— Clarence, 
Irwin and Wesley. Mr. Lawrence is a 
member of the First Lutheran Church of 
Springfield and is fraternally a member 
of the Knights of Grolden Eagle, Knights 
of Pythias and the Maccabees. 



BENJAMIN F. GARLOITGH, a well 
known and highly esteemed citizen of 
Green Township, residing on a finely im- 
proved farm of 160 acres six miles south 
of Springfield, has been a life-long resi- 
dent of this township and was born on his 
present farm January 26, 1838. He is a 
son of Jacob and Nancy (Luce) Garlough 
and a grandson of John Garlough. 

The Garlough family has long been es- 
tablished in Ohio, the grandfather of our 
subject, John Garlough, a native of 
Maryland, having moved here in 1808. 
Just 100 years ago, in March, he settled 
on the farm now owned by our subject. 
Tne grandfather and great-grandfather of 
Benjamin F. Garlough both died on this 
farm and were buried in the cemetery just 
across the road from the farm. Jacob 
Garlough was just eleven years old when 
his parents moved to Ohio and here he 
was reared and followed farming all his 
life. He married Nancy M. Luce, a native 
of Clark Count}-, and to them were born 
seven sons— William, John, Thomas, 
Justis, James, Edward and Benjamin -F. 
Benjamin F. Garlough grew to man- 
hood on his present farm and obtained his 
education in the village of Pitchin. He 



7S2 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



served as a private in the army for four 
years, participating in many important 
engagements in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, 
Maryland and West Virginia. Mr. Gar- 
lough was united in marriage with Sallie 
Jane (Littler) Garlough, and to them 
were born sis children, namely: Charlie 
Irvin, Anson A., Effie A., Glen E., de- 
ceased, Maud E. and Alda May. By the 
first marriage Mrs. Garlough had one 
child— Lillie (Hayes). Mr. Garlough 
.has always followed farming, as did all 
his ancestors for many generations back, 
and is one of the foremost men of the 
township. He is public spirited and en- 
terprising and is held in highest esteem 
by his fellow citizens. Mr. Garlough is a 
member of the G. A. R., Mitchell Post, 
and is politically a Republican. 



W. G. CAMPBELL, a well known mem- 
ber of the Springfield bar, was born at 
Preston, Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1874, 
where he was reared and prepared for the 
National Normal University, at Lebanon. 

After completing his college course, Mr. 
Campbell engaged in teaching and for 
some time was principal of a school at 
New Haven, Hamilton County. Later he 
entered the Ohio State University and 
was graduated from the law department 
of that institution in 1903. He imme- 
diately located at Springfield and now oc- 
cupies convenient offices in the new Zim- 
merman Building, since 1904 having been 
alone, but prior to that time in partner- 
ship with his former classmate, Clarence 
Rice, under the firm name of Rice & 
Campbell, a connection which was dis- 
solved by the death of Mr. Rice. Besides 
attending to the large practice which he 



has built up, Mr. Campbell is interested 
in the McCain Realty Company. Politi- 
cally Mr. Campbell is identified with the 
Republican party and he takes quite an 
active interest in political matters and is 
a factor in local public movements. 

In 1907 Mr. Campbell was married to 
Nina Serviss, who is a daughter of 0. F. 
Serviss, assistant postmaster of Spring- 
field. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell belong to 
the United Brethren Church. His fra- 
ternal relationships include the Masons, 
the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen 
of the World. He is also a member of the 
Springfield Commercial Club. 



HENRY ROCKEL, a highly esteemed 
retired resident of Tremont City, has 
spent the larger part of his long and use- 
ful life engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
He owns three valuable farms in German 
Township, aggregating two hundred 
acres. Mr. Rockel was born on the old 
Rockel farm, on the Valley Turnpike, in 
German Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
March 14, 3835, and is a son of Adam and 
Mary A. (Baker) Rockel. 

Henry Rockel was reared in German 
Township and after a school attendance 
of some years, took upon himself a large 
portion of the work of cultivating the 
home farm. He continued to reside on 
the same farm after his marriage and un- 
til 1882, when he moved to a farm located 
a short distance south and resided there 
until October 27, 1906, when he moved to 
Tremont City. He still retains a lively 
interest in the management of his prop- 
erty, although not taking any part in the 
actual work. For manv years he was con- 




SAMUEL R. BATTIN 
]\1ARTHA A. BATTIN 



MRS. EMILY T. BATTIN 
^L\RY ELIZABETH TOMLINSON 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



735 



sidered one of the most successful farm- 
ers and stock-raisers of the township. 

On January 19, 1860, Mr. Eockel was 
married to Mary A. Richards, who is a 
daughter of John and Susan (Landis) 
Richards. They have had five children, 
namely: Oscar James, who is a trustee 
of German Township, married Laura A. 
Haus, and they have six children; Laura 
E. who died aged thirteen years; Emma, 
who married Abraham Thomas; Clara, 
who married Charles Schaffer, who is in 
a grocery business at Springfield; and 
Warren Adam, who married (first) 
Pearlie A. Lorton, and (secondly) Ida 
M. Pearson. Mr. and Mrs. Rockel have a 
number of grandchildren and one great- 
grandchild. The children of Oscar James 
Rockel and wife are : Lydia, who married 
Merlin Lorton; Gay, who married Noah 
Myers, and had two children, both of 
whom are now deceased; Carlisle, Eman- 
uel Henry, Mary Elizabeth, and Esther 
Corinne. The children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Thomas are : Elsie, who married Clement 
Dean; and Grover Clyde, who married 
Glenna Bushong and has one daughter, 
Mildred; Henry Lewis (deceased) and 
Earl LeRoy. Warren Adam Rockel had 
two children by his first marriage, both 
of whom are deceased. He has three by 
his second union — Edna Corinne, Russel 
M. and Nora Catherine. Mr. Rockel and 
sons are Democrats. He is a member of 
the old German Lutheran Church. 



SAMUEL REEDER BATTIN, presi- 
dent of the Clark County Farmers' Mu- 
tual Protective and Aid Association and 
a prominent resident of Madison Town- 
ship, has been a citizen of this county since 



1874. He was born in Columbiana Coun- 
ty, Ohio, March 3, 1829, and is a son of 
David and Sarah Ann (Reeder) Battin, 
a grandson of John and Ann (Raley)'^ 
Battin, and a great-grandson of Richard 
and Elizabeth (James) Battin. 

The Battin family is of Welsh origin, 
its members being in general of the 
Quaker faith. The name at one time was 
spelled Batten. It is an old family in this 
countrj^, its establishment on American 
soil, as traditionally given, dating back 
to a short time after the arrival of Will- 
iam Penn. Richai'd Battin, above men- 
tioned, and his family located in Philadel- 
phia County, Pennsylvania, and engaged 
in agricultural pursuits. They were 
valued members of the Society of Friends. 

John Battin, the grandfather, was bom 
near Wilmington," Delaware, June 13, 
1767, and in early life learned the 
trade of a cooper. After arriving at 
maturity, he moved to Washington 
County, Pennsylvania, where he followed 
his trade in connection with farm- 
ing, and here he married Ann Raley, and 
they were parents of ten children, each 
of whom lived to a ripe old age. The 
combined ages of these children at the 
time of their respective deaths, totaled 
seven hundred and seventy years, or an 
average of seventy-seven years, which is 
truly remarkable for so large a family. 

David Battin, father of Samuel R., was 
born in Washington County, Pennsyl- 
vania, June 8, ].803, and as a child accom- 
panied his parents on their removal to 
Stark County, Ohio, thence to Columbiana 
County, where his father died in 1847. 
There he grew to maturity and was en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising all his 
life, being especially prominent as a 



736 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



breeder of fine sheep. Upon reaching 
man's estate he had bought a heavily tim- 
bered tract of land, which he cleared and 
transformed into a good farm, and as his 
two sons grew up and assisted in the work 
the acreage of the farm was increased to 
more than double that of the original pur- 
chase. David Battin married Sara Ann 
Keeder, a daughter of Samuel and Ann 
(Malone) Reeder, who were among the 
pioneers of Columbiana County, coming 
from near Westtown Boarding School, 
Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1806. 
They also were members of the Society 
of Friends. Ikfr. Battin died September 
6, 1877, aged seventy-four years, and his 
wife, who survived him sis years, died at 
the age of eighty years. 

Samuel Reeder Battin was reared on 
the home farm in Columbiana County, 
and attended the common schools during 
the winter months of his boyhood days. 
He was brought up to hard work and at 
the age of twenty years began working on 
a farm for ten dollars per month, a paltry 
sum in view of the present day wages and 
hours. He soon turned his attention to 
the saw-mill industry, purchasing a half 
interest in a mill, for which he made part 
payment with what he had been able to 
save of his wages, giving a note for the 
balance to his uncle who had faith in his 
honesty and capacity. He subsequently 
resumed farming in that county, and so 
continued until 1874, when he came to 
Clark County, Ohio. Here he purchased 
one hundred acres in Madison Township 
(to wliich he has since added eighty- three 
acres), and set about making much needed 
improvements and converting it into a 
modern farming property. At the time 
of his arrival here, he was four thousand 



dollars in debt, and the .fact that he now 
takes rank among the substantial and af- 
fluent residents of his community is am- 
ple evidence of his industry and his abil- 
ity in matters of business. He has fol- 
lowed general farming and stock-raising, 
]:iaying especial attention to the raising 
and breeding of fine wool sheep and short- 
horn cattle. Mr. Battin was one of the 
charter members of the Clark County 
Farmers' Mutual Protective & Aid As- 
sociation, of which he was adjuster for 
many years, and now holds the office of 
president. Tender his able direction the 
association has prospered, doing an ex- 
tensive business in insuring farm prop- 
erty in Clark and adjoining counties and 
now carrying two and a half million dol- 
lars of risks, its membership being over 
twelve hundred. 

In 1853 Mr. Battin was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Lydda Ann Winder, a 
native of C!olumbiana County, Ohio, and 
a daughter of Joseph and Efphama 
(Yates) Winder of Carroll County, Ohio. 
Four children were born to them, of whom 
the following is a brief record: Efphama 
Ann married John Cole of Fairfield Coun- 
ty, and died leaving a son, Harry Battin 
Cole, who is now married and has a 
daughter and son; David, now Dr. David 
Wilmot, and a resident of Shell Rock, 
Iowa, married Jura Cubbison and has a 
daughter Edna Cubbison Battin; Charles 
Sumner, a plumber of South Charleston, 
married Mary Ann Mather and has two 
children, Leonard Winslow and Jessie; 
Amanda, the youngest of the family, died 
at the age of three years. Mrs. Lydda 
Battin died De.cember 24, 1864, and Mr. 
Battin married June 7, 1866, for his sec- 
ond wife, Emily Tomlinson, a native of 



AND REPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



737 



Jefferson County, Ohio, and a daughter 
of Samuel S. and Rachel (Street) Tom- 
iinson. Of this union there are four chil- 
dren, namely: Orlando T., who assists 
his father on the farm, married Esther 
Matthews, and has three children — Edith 
W., Edward M. and Raymond Francis; 
Kersey Raley, who is now engaged in the 
building of electric railways; Martha 
Alma, who lives with her father; and 
Mary Alice, wife of Walter Sanders 
Boone, whose home is near Richmond, In- 
diana, and who has a daughter, Emily 
Elizabeth. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Battin remain stead- 
fast members of the Society of Friends. 
In polities, the former was a Free Soiler 
up to 1856, since which time he has uni- 
formly cast his vote for the Republican 
nominee for president. He is a broad- 
gauged, thinking man, and believing it to 
be a duty as well as a pleasure to get out 
of the beaten path of everyday life, has 
traveled quite extensively, visiting many 
points of historic and national interest 
in our country, as well as the original 
homesteads of some of his ancestors. 



WALTER DICKASON, general farm- 
er and leading citizen of Pleasant Town- 
ship, resides on his valuable farm of 114 
acres, which is situated on the London 
and Catawba Turnpike Road. He was born 
in Madison County, Ohio, December 10, 
1852, and is a son of Samuel and Eliza 
(Safferty) Dickason. 

The Dickason family came to Ohio from 
Virginia. The grandfather, Samuel 
Dickason, settled in Madison County in 
1810, where he bought land for one dol- 
lar and a quarter an acre. He had a 



family of four sons and three daughters, 
namely: John, Agues, Caroline, Rebecca, 
Charles, Alexander and Samuel. 

Samuel Dickason (2nd), father of 
Walter, was born in 1822, in Madison 
County, Ohio, and in 1843 married Eliza 
Rafferty, he died July 24, 1894. His 
widow still survives. They had the fol- 
lowing children: Sarah Ann, Jacob, 
Emeline, Oscar, Walter and Marshall of 
whom there are two survivors — Oscar and 
Walter. Oscar Dickason married Alice 
Cupples and their five children all sur- 
vive, namely: Lona, who married Mr. 
Fore'man, and resides at Columbus ; Will- 
ard, who married a Miss Wilson, and lives 
in Colorado; Walter residing at Spring- 
field; Fern, who married George Ash- 
more, and lives at home; and Harry, who 
also lives at home. 

Walter Dickason was six years old when 
his parents came from Madison County 
and settled in Pleasant Township, Clark 
County, and this section has been Mr. 
Dickason 's home ever since. He was edu- 
cated in the district schools and has al- 
ways followed farming as an occupation. 
On April 20, 1886, Mr. Dickason was mar- 
ried to Nettie Willard, who was born Jan- 
uary 26, 1858, and is a daughter of James 
and Ella (Hull) Willard. ' 

Col. Abner S. Willard, the grandfather 
of Mrs. Dickason, was a son of an officer 
who served in the Revolutionary War. 
He was born August 2, 1791, in Vermont, 
served in the War of 1812, and died De- 
cember 16, 1872. He married Huldah 
Culver, who was born March 11, 1796, in 
New York, and they had seven children, 
namely: Permelia T., born in 1816, who 
died in 1885; Calvin, born August 22, 
1817, who died in 1846; Mary C, born 



738 



HISTOET OF CLARK COUNTY 



August 5, 1819, who died June 9, 1898; 
Angeline, born June 26, 1823, wlio died 
January 22, 1898; Spencer, born Octo- 
ber 2, 1827, who died July 11, 1851 ; James 
M., born October 21, 1829, who died Feb- 
ruary 17, 1905; Louise, born August 1, 
1832, who died in March, 1895. 

James M. Willard was married No- 
vember 26, 1849, to Ella Hull, who died 
December 1, 1896. They had the follow- 
ing children : Talitha, who was born Sep- 
tember 6, 1850, married M. T. Candler, 
November 24, 1869, and died June 14, 
1886; William S., who was born October 
3, 1853, died September 1, 1854; Edwin 
E., who was born May 9, 1856, and mar- 
ripd Alice Evans, January 17, 1878 ; Net- 
tie, born January 26, 1858, who became 
the wife of Walter Dickason; Louie E., 
Avho was born February 4, 1861, and mar- 
ried Frank Newman, October 3, 1894; 
and Horace M., who was born June 22, 
1864, and married Estella Hicks, Decem- 
ber 28, 1893. 

• Mr. Dickason is one of the popular men 
of his district and was elected to his pres- 
ent oifice of township trustee on the Dem- 
ocratic ticket, • receiving a large majority 
although the township is normally Eepub- 
lican. He belongs to Lodge No. 481, Odd 
Fellows, at Summerford, Ohio. He is a 
member and a trustee of the Universalist 
Church at London, Ohio. 



STEWART L. TATUM, attorney at 
law, who served two terms as city solicitor 
of Springfield, was born at Cleveland, 
Ohio, in 1871, where he resided until 
eighteen years of age. 

Mr. Tatum was educated at Cleveland 
and the University of Michigan, at Ann 



Arbor, and was graduated in the law de- 
partment of that great school in 1898. He 
settled immediately at Spring-field, becom- 
ing associated in the practice of law with 
F. M. Krapp, under the firm style of 
Tatum & Krapp, a partnership which con- 
tinued imtil 1903. At that time Mr. 
Tatum first assumed the duties of city 
solicitor, having been elected to the of- 
fice in the spring of that year. He was 
subsequently re-elected, his last term ex- 
piring January 1, 1908. In 1900 he was 
the Democratic candidate for Congress. 
He is now engaged in the private practice 
of law in the Gotwald Building, Spring- 
field. 

In 1899 Mr. Tatum was married to 
Grace M. Cowan, of Chicago. He is 
prominent in Masonry, having attained 
the 32nd degree, and belonging to the 
Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Com- 
mandery at Springfield and to the Shrine 
and Consistory at Dayton. He is a mem- 
ber of the Springfield Commercial Club, 
the Lagonda Club and the Country Club. 



HENEY FISHER, one of (lerman 
Township's best-known citizens, owns 
six tracts of valuable farming land, ag- 
gregating three hundred and twenty 
acres, all situated in German Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, where he was born 
April 28, 1860. He is a son of John 
Henry and Christina (Fritchey) Fisher. 
The parents of Mr. Fisher were born in 
Germany. They came to America in 1858, 
accompanied by two children, and settled 
in Clark County, where John Henry 
Fisher followed farming during the re- 
mainder of his life. 

Henrv Fisher grew to manhood on his 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



739 



father's farm. He was educated in the 
public schools, after completing the com- 
mon school course attending the German 
Township High School for four terms. In 
1889 he first officiated as an auctioneer, 
crying a sale for a neighbor in German 
Township. He soon found that he pos- 
sessed a natural talent for this line of 
work and since that discovery has made 
auctioneering his main business, and his 
reputation now extends far beyond Clark 
County. Although he owns so much land 
he finds it more profitable to rent it out 
on shares than to cultivate it himself. He 
is a hearty, genial man and possesses the 
quick wit and ready tongue, combined 
with the business judgment which enables 
him to make a success of the auctioneer 
business. He is very popular and has 
friends wherever he is known. 

Mr. Fisher married Laura Jenkins, who 
is a daughter of Frederick Jenkins, and 
they have two children, Lola and Virgil. 
Mr. Fisher is a Democrat and has served 
for ten years as a trustee of German 
Township. He belongs to the Knights of 
Pvthias. 



T. W. LUDLOW, secretary and super- 
intendent of the Springfield Malleable 
Iron Company of Spring-field, was born 
in this city in 1858. He is a son of A. R. 
Ludlow, also a native of this city, who 
was born in 1826, and who was for many 
years one of the leading manufacturers 
of the city, and a grandson of Cooper 
Ludlow, a native of Cincinnati, who was 
one of the pioneer settlers of Clark Coun- 
ty, coming here in 1790. 

T. W. Ludlow was reared in Springfield 
and received his educational training in 



the public schools. He has been engaged 
in manufacturing all his life, and became 
associated with the Springfield Malleable 
Iron Company as secretary and super- 
intendent, in 1879, and has been serving 
in that capacity ever since. 

Mr. Ludlow was joined in marriage in 
1882 with Carrie Trader and of this union 
have been boi'n four children, namely: 
Harold and Thurston E., who are asso- 
ciated in business with their father; Eliz- 
abeth and Catherine. The religious con- 
nection of the family is with the Second 
Presbyterian Church of Springfield. In 
politics Mr. Ludlow is a Eepublican. 



NATHAN V. BRANSON, a highly re- 
spected citizen of the village of Selma, 
who for many years was one of the most 
prosperous farmers of Madison Township 
and owner of two hundred and two and 
one-half acres of farm land, now the prop- 
erty of his son-in-law, was born Novem- 
ber 19, 1834, near Cedarville, Greene 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas and 
Anna (Vail) Branson, and a grandson of 
Abraham Branson, a native and life-long 
resident of Virginia. 

Thomas Branson was a native of Vir- 
ginia. When he moved to Ohio, he located 
in Belmont County for a time, moving 
from there to Greene County, and in 1854, 
to the present home of his son, Nathaij V., 
where he engaged in farming until his 
death in 1875. He was first married to 
Anna Vail, a resident of Belmont County, 
Ohio, and to their union were born three 
children, of whom but one is living, 
Nathan V. After the death of his first 
wife, he mari'ied Thomasin Walker, no 
children being born of the second union. 



740 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Nathan V. Branson was reared in 
Greene County and obtained his educa- 
tional training in its schools and at Rich- 
mond, Indiana. After completing his edu- 
cation he worked on his father's farm un- 
til 1854, when he came to Clark County 
and located on the farm near Selma, 
where he has since continued to reside. 
In 1906 he sold the property to his son- 
in-law, Howard S. Smith. On November 
18, 1858, he was united in marriage with 
Anna Swain, who died March 1, 1902. She 
was a daughter of Charles Edwin Swain, 
of Pendleton, Indiana. Three children 
were born to this union : Evelyn, wife of 
Ralph Howell, T. Swain, and Lewella. 

Politically, Mr. Branson- is a Prohibi- 
tionist and has served his township as 
trustee. The religious connection of the 
family is with the Society of Friends. 

Howard S. Smith, son-in-law of Mr. 
Branson, was born in 1870, in Selma, 
Clark County, Ohio, and with the excep- 
tion of three years, has lived here all his 
life. He is one of a family of four chil- 
dren and a son of Samuel and Esther 
(Cook) Smith. Samuel Smith, whose 
death occurred in 1901, was a resident 
and farmer of Greene County, Ohio, 
near Selma. His wife was a daughter of 
M. S. Cook, a resident of Avondale, Penn- 
sylvania. She died in 1885. 

Mr. Smith was reared in Selma, receiv- 
ing his education in the village schools 
and at Earl College, Richmond, Indiana. 
He then engaged in farming, which occu- 
pation he still follows and is one of the 
most enterprising young agriculturists of 
the township. On October 4, 1899, he 
married l^ewella Branson, the younger 
daughter of Nathan V. Branson. 



Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics 
and is trustee of Madison Township. He 
is a member of the Societv of Friends. 



SAMUEL ULERY, whose farm of one 
hundred and twenty-seven acres, situated 
in Pike Township, lies about ten miles 
west of Springfield, is a representative 
farmer of his section. Mr. Ulery was born 
January 21, 1852, in Pike Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Rev. George 
and Mary Ann (Funderburg) Ulery. 

The Ulery family came to Ohio from 
Lancaster Countj^ Pennsylvania. John 
Jlery, the grandfather of Samuel, walked 
from his home there to Clark County, Ohio, 
and selected a farm in Pike Township and 
returned to Pennsylvania on foot. Short- 
ly afterward he returned to Clark County, 
bringing his family and possessions in a 
wagon. They settled on the pioneer farm 
and for many years struggled with the 
hardships which beset all the early set- 
tlers, but overcame many of these by in- 
dustry and perseverance. Both John 
Ulery and his wife Elizabeth died on this 
farm, leaving a family of six children, 
namely : Nancy, who married David Neis- 
wander; John; George; Jacob; and 
MoUie, who married Jacob Biller. 

George Ulery was fourteen years old 
when he accojii]3anied his parents to Clark 
County and he assisted greatly in clear- 
ing up the farm from its wild condition. 
He became a farmer and acquired land 
rmtil he owned about three hundred acres. 
In his later years he became a preacher 
and served in the churches all through this 
section. He married Mary Ann Funder- 
burg and they had nine children. She was 
horn in Pike ToAvnship, Clark County, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



741 



Ohio, August 3, 1832, and was reared in 
the home of her grandfather, Samuel 
Leffel, who was one of the early settlers. 
She still survives but her husband died 
February 13, 1878. 

Samuel Ulery lived at home until his 
marriage, in the meanwhile obtaining a 
common school education. He received a 
part of his land from his father 's estate 
and bought the remainder from Jacob 
Baugh. He built the large barn and re- 
modeled the house and has a very com- 
fortable arid attractive home. 

On February 13, 1877, Samuel Ulery 
was married to Mary S. Littrell, who is 
a daughter of Henry S. and Elizabeth 
(Ashfelt) Littrell. They have a family 
of five children, namely: Olive Odella; 
Beulah, who married Dyre Edminson, has 
three children, Marie, Ernest and How- 
ard; Harvey, who married Susan Hamil- 
ton; Charles and Edith. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ulery belong to the Brethren in Christ 
Church, in which he is a deacon and of 
which he is treasurer. 



CHAELES H. PETEE, a well known 
general farmer and dairyman of Spring- 
field Township, residing on a fine farm of 
one hundred and two acres, situated in 
section 1, about three miles south of 
Springfield, was born on his present farm, 
September 17, 1866, and is a son of Lewis 
and Angeline (Printz) Petre. 

Lewis Petre was born and reared in 
Hagerstown, Maryland, and was a son of 
Ludwick Petre, who died when Lewis was 
a small child. The latter was a shoe- 
maker by trade and came to Clark Coim- 
ty, Ohio, when a young man and lived for 



some years in Spring-field, but in 1833, 
he bought a farm of one hundred and for- 
ty-seven acres in Springfield Township, 
which his son, Charles H., later purchased. 
Lewis Petre married Angeline Printz, who 
was bom in Eeading, Pennsylvania, and 
came to Clark Coimty when a young girl, 
with her father, Daniel Printz, who came 
from Germany. Six children were born 
to Lewis and Angeline Petre: Andrew 
J., who resides in Green Township, Clark 
County; Mary E., who married Addison 
Wilson- of Springfield ; Lewis D., who lives 
in New York; Laird V., who lives in Lin- 
coln, Illinois ; Charles H. ; and Frances, 
who died aged four years. Lewis and 
Angeline Petre both died on their home 
farm, the former in 1881, and the latter 
in 1898. 

Charles H. Petre was reared on his 
present fai"m, in an old log house which is 
still standing, and attended the district 
schools of the township. After buying 
the farm from the heirs of his father, Mr. 
Petre sold forty-five acres and has since 
been engaged in general farming on the 
remainder, and engages extensively in 
dairying, making and selling butter. Mr. 
Petre was m.arried October 10, 1888, to 
Matilda Hamma, who was born in Greene 
County, Ohio, but has spent the greater 
part of her life in Green Township, Clark 
County. Her parents, Andrew and 
Matilda (Carter) Hamma, were promi- 
nent farmers of Green Township, the 
former of whom is now deceased. 

Mr. and Mrs. Petre have six children: 
Alda, Helen, Grace, Eobert, Andrew, and 
Charles Kenneth. Mr. Petre erected his 
large frame house in 1904. For six years 
he was a member of the School Board, 



742 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



serving from 1898 until 1904. He is a 
member and liberal supporter of the 
Third Lutheran Church. 



THOMAS M. HESS, a prosperous 
farmer of Green Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, residing on a fine farm of one hun- 
dred and eleven acres, was born Decem- 
ber 9, 1841, near Pitchin, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of John and Sibbia 
(Mills) Hess. 

John Hess was born and reared in 
Lancaster Coimty, Pennsylvania, and 
when a young man came to Ohio with his 
parents who located on a farm near 
Pitchin, Clark County, where they spent 
the remainder of their lives. John owned 
. and spent a great many years on the El- 
ton Tuttle farm, moving late in life, to a 
farm. west of the Selma Pike in Spring- 
field Township, where his death occurred 
some . years later. He married Sibbia 
Mills, a daughter of Thomas Mills, and of 
their union were born six daughters and 
two sons, five of which children are still 
living. 

T. M. Hess was reared on his father's 
farm near Pitchin and received a limited 
amount of schooling in the schools of that 
locality. He worked on the farm until his 
marriage, after which he rented a farm 
near Clifton one year, then moved to his 
present farm, which he rented several 
years previous to buying, eighty-sis acres 
of his land having been previously owned 
by Isaac H. Stratton, his wife's father. 
He subsequently purchased a tract of 
twenty-five acres in Springfield Town- 
ship. Mr. Hess has always farmed in a 
general way and keeps a number of cows, 
making a specialty of selling butter. 



Mr. Hess was joined in marriage with' 
Calista A. Stratton, a daughter of Isaac 
H. Stratton of Green Township, Clark 
County, and to them have been born four 
children: Cora (Garlough) ; Warren L., 
a resident of Springfield; Jessie (Starr) 
and Burton, who died in infancy. Mr. 
Hess served 100 days in the army during 
the Civil War. He is politically, a sup- 
porter of the Eepublican party and his 
religious connection is with the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 



ISAAC TXTTTLE, one of the repre- 
sentative agriculturists of Green Town- 
ship, owner of a fine farm of one hundred 
acres located just southeast of Pitchin, 
was born January 15, 1840, in Spring-field 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, on the 
farm now owned by Judge Kunkle, and is 
a son of John and Margaret (Prickett) 
Tuttle. 

John Tuttle was born in Virginia and 
when a lad came to Ohio with his parents, 
Sylvanus Tuttle, also a native of Virginia, 
and his wife, who was a Miss Brown. 
They located in Clark County, where John 
became a farmer and owner of the Judge 
Kunkle farm in Springfield Township. 
There his death occurred when the subject 
of this sketch was quite young. He mar- 
ried Margaret Prickett, who was then a 
resident of Clark County and they became 
the parents of fifteen children, of whom 
but two are living : Harvey, now a resi- 
dent of Spring-field Township, and Isaac, 
with whose history we are more directly 
concerned. 

Isaac Tuttle obtained his early educa- 
tion in the schools of Springfield Town- 
ship and remained at home until his 




MR. AND J\]RS. TH0:MAS M. HESS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



745 



father's death. He then purchased 
a farm in Noble County, Indiana, 
where he remained for one year. He 
then returned to Clark County and 
bought his present farm of one hun- 
dred acres in Glreen Township, and has 
since resided here. He married Fannie E. 
Eichelbarger, a daughter of Michael 
Eichelbarger. Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle have 
four children, namely: Ermina B., 
Efae A., Harry E., and J. Elton. Ermina 
B. is the wife of Perry Herbert Stewart, 
of Green Township. Effie A. is the wife 
of Oliver E. Allen, Principal of the Jeffer- 
son school, Springfield. Harry E. mar- 
ried Mary Belle McCullough and resides 
in Green Township. J. Elton married 
Annie E. Walters and resides in Green 
Township. Mr. Tuttle served in the Civil 
War a short time, enlisting in 1864. He 
has always taken a keen interest in polit- 
ical affairs, but has never cared to hold 
office, although he served as a school di- 
rector for some time and votes independ- 
entlv. 



J. L. COLEMAN, president and man- 
ager of the Home City Brewing Com- 
pany of Spring-field, who has been a resi- 
dent of Springfield for the past twenty- 
eight years, is one of the leading and in- 
fluential business men of the city, and is 
financially interested in various business 
enterprises. 

Mr. Coleman is a native of Ireland, 
where he spent his boyhood days, and at 
the age of eighteen came to America, lo- 
cating at Spring-field, where he engaged 
for a time as a common laborer for Dr. 
Buckingham. He subsequently learned 
the moulder's trade, at which he worked 



for over nine years, when he engaged in 
business for himself. He afterwards em- 
barked in the coal, coke and cement busi- 
ness at No. 1212 W. Main Street, where 
he is still located, doing an extensive and 
profitable business. He has been presi- 
dent and manager of the Home City 
Brewing Company since its organization 
in 1896, and has continued as such since 
its incorporation in October, 1906. Jacob 
A. Hax is the present secretary and 
treasurer. Mr. Coleman is also a stock- 
holder is various other business enter- 
prises of the city. 

Mr. Coleman was united in marriage, 
in 1884, with Bridget Garrity, also a na- 
tive of Ireland, and to them have been 
born seven children— Raphael, John, Ed- 
ward, James, Thomas, Mary, and Helen. 
Religiously he is a member of St. Ra- 
phael's Catholic Church. Socially, he is 
a member of the Ancient Order of Hibern- 
ians (of which he was for four years a 
member of the board of officials) is a 
member of the Robert Emmet Club, the 
Spring-field Commercial Club, and also of 
the Fraternal Order of Eagles. 



LEMUEL LUTHER YOUNG, who is 
engaged in general farming on a well 
improved farm of seventy-two acres, lo- 
cated on the Urbana turnpike, about 
seven miles north of the center of Spring- 
field, was born April 11, 1861, in Moore- 
field Township, on the old Young home- 
stead, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth 
(HuUinger) Young. 

Jacob Young was born in Baltimore, 
Maryland, and when a boy came to Clark 
County with a Mr. Bullinger and family, 
for whom he worked for some time, and 



746 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



then found employment at Baker's Mill. 
This mill he operated for several years 
after his marriage, and then purchased 
the old Young homestead farm of one 
hundred and twenty-four acres, in Moore- 
field Township, which he successfully con- 
ducted until his death, at the age of 
eighty-two years. Jacob Young was mar- 
ried twice, and had one son by the first 
imion, Samuel, who is deceased. His sec- 
ond marriage, which occurred in Clark 
County, was with Elizabeth Hullinger, 
who was bom and reared in Terrehaute, 
a small village in Champaign County, 
Ohio, and was a daughter of Abraham 
Hullinger, a prosperous farmer of that 
county. Thirteen children were born of 
his second union, eleven of whom are still 
living. 

Lemuel Luther Young was reared in 
Moorefield Township and received his 
educational training in the district schools 
enjoying one term's tuition under Will- 
iam M. Rockel, editor of this work, who 
was then a teacher in the Moorefield 
Township schools. At the age of about 
nineteen years he left home and obtained 
work at the Lagonda shops where he con- 
tinued for several years after his mar- 
riage. He then lived for several years 
on a farm of fifty-one and eighty-six 
hundredths acres, which was situated 
in Moorefield Township, on the coun- 
ty line separating Champaig-n and Clark 
Counties, which he sold after the 
death of his first wife. Prior to 1903, 
he woi'ked again in Lagonda, and 
then bought his present well improved 
farm in Moorefield Township, where he 
has since been successfully engaged in 
general farming. 

Mr. Young was first united in marriage 



with Lizzie Benedick, who died in 1899. 
She was a daughter of John Benedick, a 
^ve]l known farmer of Moorefield Town- 
ship. One child was born of this union, 
namely, Mabel E., who lives in Spring- 
field. In 1903 Mr. Young married May 
Goode, who was reared in Champaign 
County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Isaac 
and Anna (Leips) Goode, well known resi- 
dents of Urbana. Mr. and Mrs. Young 
have one child, Lemuel Luther, Jr. 

Mr. Young is a member of the order of 
Knights of Pythias, No. 205 Springfield. 



CHASE COLVIN, a leading business 
citizen of South Charleston, who is en- 
gaged in the wire fence business, both as 
a dealer and manufacturer, was born near 
Cedarville, Greene County, Ohio, March 
1, 1864, and is 'a son of David T. and 
Maria (Larkin) Colvin. 

The grandfather of Mr. Colvin, Thomas 
Colvin, was born in Pennsylvania, Oc- 
tober 16, 1798, but grew to manhood in 
Virginia, where he was married in 1826, 
to Eachel Taylor. David T. Colvin, father 
of Chase, was born in Frederick County, 
Virginia, February 18, 1829. By occupa- 
tion he was a farmer. On April 13, 1853, 
he married Maria Larkin, who was born 
June 25, 1831, and died December 14. 
1898. David T. Colvin died December 21, 
1886. They had six children. 

Chase Colvin was educated at South 
Charleston and in the Nelson Business 
College at Springfield. After leaving 
school he continued to reside on his 
father's farm until he married, when he 
moved to South Charleston and engaged 
in his present business. He handles all 
kinds of wire fencing and manufactures 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



747 



steel fence posts. Mr. Colvin married 
Nellie Eamsey, who is a daughter of Will- 
iam J. Eamsey, of Madison Township, and 
they have two interesting children — Jane, 
who was born October 10, 1898, and Edith, 
who was born September 25, 1902. Mr. 
Colvin is a member and liberal supporter 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 
politics he is an independent voter. 



T. J. McCOEMICK, a leading member 
of the Clark County bar, was born at 
Springfield, Ohio, and is a son of Mark 
McCormick, who located at Springfield 
shortly after the close of the Civil War. 

He was admitted to the bar March 17, 
1899. Since his admission with the excep- 
tion of two years during which he was as- 
sociated with the firm of Bowman & Bow- 
man, he has been alone in practice and 
has occupied large and well equipped of- 
fices in the Gotwald Building, Springfield. 
He is interested in the Clark County 
Building & Savings Company, being a 
director and" also its attorney. He is vice- 
president of the Springfield and Clark 
County Humane Society. Mr. McCormick 
is a member of St. Eaphael's Catholic 
Church and of the leading Catholic organ- 
izations, including the Knights of Colum- 
bus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the 
Knights of Total Abstinence, and other 
organizations of a similar nature. He be- 
longs also to ihe Springfield Commercial 
Club. He is numbered with Springfield's 
representative men. 



WILLIAM S. EABBITTS, cashier of 
the Springfield National Bank, and one 

of the representative citizens of the city 



of Springfield, was born 1855 in this city. 
He is a son of Charles Eabbitts, now de- 
ceased, a pioneer of Springfield, who es- 
tablished the first woolen mills to operate 
in this locality. 

William S. Eabbitts was reared in 
Springfield and his early educational 
training, received in the public schools, 
was supplemented by a course of study at 
Wittenberg College. In 1873,. after com- 
pleting his literary education, he entered 
the Lagonda National Bank as messenger 
boy. Here he continued until 1880 work- 
ing his way upward when he went to 
Boulder, Colorado, and accepted a posi- 
tion as teller in the National State Bank. 
After occupying that position for two 
years, he returned to Springfield and 
shortly after was tendered the position of 
assistant cashier of the Springfield Na- 
tional Bank, in which capacity he served 
until 1899. He then became cashier of 
that institution, which position he still oc- 
cupies. 

Mr. Eabbitts is one of the foremost 
men of Springfield, enterprising and pub- 
lic spirited, and is held in highest esteem 
by his fellow men. He is part owner of 
the Commercial building, is treasurer of 
the Associated Charities, treasurer and 
stockholder of the Lagonda Club, a mem- 
ber of the Country Club, and also of the 
Commercial Club, of which he was for 
two years treasurer. Politically he is a 
Eepublican and is treasurer of the Ee- 
publican Central Committee. Fraternally 
he is a prominent member of the Mystic 
Circle, of which he has been treasurer 
since its organization. He is a member of 
the Second Presbyterian Church, of 
Springfield. 



748 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



EBEN SKILLINGS, wliose comfort- 
able home and fine farm of ninety-five 
acres are situated in Section 1, Spring 
field Township, the latter lying on the line 
dividing Springfield from Green Town- 
ship, was born on this farm June 14, 
1833. His parents were Lewis and Anna 
(Craig) Skillings. 

The ancestral history of Mr. Skillings 
is very interesting. His grandfather, 
Lewis Skillings, was born in Prussia and 
became a soldier. At the beginning of the 
Revolutionary AVar England hired some 
20,000 soldiers from the ruler of Hesse- 
Cassel and other Grerman princes, to 
which troops the general name of Hes- 
sians was applied, and Lewis Skillings 
happened to be one of the soldiers dis- 
patched to the American coast. The task 
of fighting for an alien land did not in- 
spire him with much enthusiasm, and 
when the English vessel was off the shore 
of the state of Maine, Mr. Skillings, with 
a companion, managed to desert the vessel 
during the night and swim to the land, a 
distance of about a mile. They were as- 
sisted by a brave young woman, who hid 
them until pursuit was over. The name 
of this courageous and loyal maiden is 
not remembered, but she subsequently be- 
came the wife of Lewis Skillings, whom 
she had saved from certain death. They 
became parents of a numerous family and 
lived a happy and contented life until Mr. 
Skillings was accidentally killed while 
clearing up his farm in Maine. 

Lewi's Skillings (2d), father of Eben, 
was born during the Revolutionary War 
and was the eldest of the large family, of 
which he took charge after his father's 
death, -providing for its members until he 
.was twenty-two years of age. In 1811, in 



company with a Mr. Haywood, he set out 
from Maine to prospect in Ohio, desiring 
to find a more genial climate and better 
agricultural conditions. When they 
reached what is now Green Township, 
Clark County, Mr. Skillings decided to 
stop, hut Mr. Haywood continued his 
journey and settled near Troy, in Miami 
County. Mr. Skillings entered a quarter 
section of land in what is now' Spring-field 
Township, but money was so hard to get 
in those days, on any terms, that he was 
obliged to release a part of this land in 
order to retain the rest, but at a later date 
he regained it. 

Prior to settling permanently in 
Spring-field Township he had visited other 
sections of the country, going as far south 
as Natchez, Mississippi, where he could 
easily have obtained a remunerative posi- 
tion as slave driver had he not scorned 
the offer. He returned north, lived for 
some time in Cincinnati, and worked in 
the salt works at Kanawha, on the Ohio 
River. After settling on a place of per- 
manent abode he was married to Anna 
Craig, who was a daughter of John Craig. 
The latter had served with his father, An- 
drew Craig, in the Revolutionary War. 
Mrs. Skillings was born at Roxbury, Ver- 
mont, and her parents came to Clark 
County, Ohio, among the very early set- 
tlers. A family of seven children was 
born to Lewis and Anna Skillings, name- 
ly : Mary, who married James Leybourn; 
Hannah, who married William McKin- 
ney; Sarah, Avho married Abel Leybourn; 
John, who died in 1852; Lewis, who is a 
prominent farmer in Green Township; 
Eben, subject of this notice; and Wesley, 
who died in 1861. The only survivors of 
the famiiv are Lewis and Eben, the par- 




'JR. AND MRS. EBEN SKILLINGS 



/ 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



751 



ents having also passed away, the father 
when aged eighty years and the mother at 
the age of seventy-three. 

Even Skillings was reared on the home 
farm and has devoted the larger part of 
his life to its improvement. He was mar- 
ried, first, to Susan Eunyan, who died in 
the spring of 1860, leaving one child, 
Laura, who is the wife of liev. James H. 
HoUingsworth, a Baptist minister, located 
at Clyde, Ohio. Mr. Skillings married for 
his second wife Phebe Paullin, who died 
September 2, 1881. There were six chil- 
dren born of that marriage, namely: 
Otis G., who is a farmer in Miami County ; 
Wesley, who is a farmer in Kansas; 
Luella, now deceased, who was the wife of 
James Rodgers; Elizabeth, who married 
Anson A. Garlough, of Green Township; 
Prank, who resides at home; and Byron 
E., who lives on a part of the home farm. 
Mr. Skillings was married (thirdly) to 
Lucinda V. Miller. 

In addition to his farm in Springfield 
Township, Mr. Skillings owns one of six- 
ty acres situated in Harmony Township, 
and another that he owned in Green 
Township he has turned over to his sons. 
He is a leading member and a trustee of 
the Free Baptist Church at Pleasant 
Grove, in Green Township. In politics 
Mr. Skillings has always been a Repub- 
lican, but is now a Prohibitionist. 



THOMAS COLLINS, one of Pleasant 
Township's representative citizens, enjoys 
the distinction of being the oldest Irish 
resident of Clark County and was the sec- 
ond of his nationality to settle here. He 
was born in Ireland in 1837 and is a soi> 
of Henrv and Nellie Collins. 



The grandparents and also the parents 
of Mr. Collins died in Ireland. The six 
children born to Henry and Nellie Col- 
lins bore, respectively, the following 
names: James, Francis, Patrick, John, 
Thomas and Margaret. James lived and 
died on the old sod. Francis left home in 
early manhood and after working in Scot- 
land he went to America. He never for- 
got those he left behind and a part of his 
earnings were sent back each year to the 
little Irish home. Finally he sent money 
to pay the passage of his next brother, 
Patrick, to America, but the latter was 
not yet ready to leave Ireland, so the 
money was given to Thomas. Francis 
married Rose Brady, in New Jersey, and 
their children who survived infancy were, 
Margaret, Ella, Anna, Frank, Thomas 
and Mary. Patrick came to America in 

1854 and joined his brother Francis in New 
Jersey, where he worked in a saw-mill, 
after which he came to Ohio, later went to 
Illinois and still later to Nebraska, where 
he died. John, the next brother, died in 
Ireland, unmarried. Margaret, the only 
daughter, followed her brothers to Amer- 
ica, where she subsequently married Hugh 
Brady and died in 1905. She left five 
children. 

Thomas Collins spent the first few 
years after coming to America, in New 
York and Brooklyn, working mainly as a 
lather, having learned that trade. He also 
made a number of voyages as a sailor to 
Liverpool and other points. He resided 
at Philadelphia for a short time, but in 

1855 he turned his face to the West and 
came to Clark County. His first work 
was done in a tannery, and from there he 
began to clear land for Thomas Houston, 
by whom he was employed for two years, 



752 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



after whieli lie rented a piece of land, 
which he operated as a farm for three 
years. From there he moved to South 
Charleston and was engaged up to 1868 
working for different farmers, in the 
meanwhile saving his money. When he 
had accumulated enough capital he bought 
a farm of fifty acres from Newton Con- 
way. It was wild land, but Mr. Collins 
cleared oft' the timber, of which he made 
railroad ties, and for seven winters he 
Jiauled wood to Springfield. By his con- 
stant industry and wise frugality Mr. Col- 
lins made money, but he was heavily 
taxed for various improvements, having 
to pay assessments for all the turnpike 
roads in this section. He continued by 
purchase to increase the acreage of his 
farm as fast as he was able. He now 
owns the home farm in partnership with 
his son James. It contains 170 acres, 
sixty-five of which Mr. Collins has re- 
served for himself. He still assists his 
son in the management of the place. They 
carry on general farming and make a 
specialty of raising cattle and hogs. 

In 1855 Mr. Collins was married to 
Mary Lagion and they have had nine chil- 
dren, namely: John. H., Patrick, Thomas, 
Mary J., Christopher, Margaret, James, 
Patrick (2d), and Sarah. John H. Col- 
lins was born in 1856. He has led a life 
of adventure, leaving home in 1877. He 
was a soldier in the Spanish-American 
War. Patrick, who was born in 1858, 
died in 1862. Thomas, who was born in 

1861, married Lillie Curney and they have 
four children : Anna, James F., Herbert 
and Edith. Mary J., who was born in 

1862, is housekeeper for Father Hiekey, 
of the Catholic Church at Urbana. Chris- 
topher, who was born in 1863, was mar- 



ried in the West and now lives in Ne- 
braska, has one child, Thomas. Margaret, 
who was born in 1867, now resides at 
home and look^ after the household af- 
fairs. She is the widow of Cornelius 
Lecy, who died in 1888. They had three 
children, Mary, Annie and Sarah. Mary, 
born in 1884, died in the same year, and 
Annie, born in 1885, died in 1886. Sarah 
Lucy, born in 1887, married Jeremiah 
Sullivan and they reside in Madison 
County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan 
have two children, Francis, born in 1906, 
and Mabel, born in 1907. James, who was 
born in 1868, is part owner of the home 
farm. Patrick (2d), who was born ii} 
1869, died in 1896. Sarah, the youngest 
of Mr. Collins' children, married August- 
us Seidler and they reside at Hannibal, 
Missouri. They have the following chil- 
dren : Warren, Viola and Vincent. Mr. 
Collins and all his family belong to the 
Catholic Church at London, Ohio. 



CLARK E. JONES, justice of the 
peace and prominent citizen of Harmony 
Township, residing at Vienna, was born 
in Clark County, Ohio, May 13, 1869, and 
is a son of William Wallace and Amanda 
M. (Clark) Jones. 

The branch of the Jones family to 
which Clark E. belongs is an old one in 
Clark County, his grandfather, J. Henry 
Jones, having been born here January 30, 
1821. He died February 24, 1870. On 
March 19, 1 840, he was married to Jemima 
C. Botkin, who was born March 14, 1820, 
and died February 5, 1875. They had 
five children: William Wallace, George 
Hamilton. Harriet Ann, and Virginia and 
Isabel, twins. George Hamilton, the sec- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



753 



ond son, was born March 6, 1843, and was 
killed while serving as a soldier in the 
Union Army. Harriet Ann, born in 1845, 
married Jacob Yeazel. Virginia and 
Isabel were born September 28, 1858. 
They both survive, the latter being the 
wife of C. 0. Neer. 

William Wallace Jones was born July 
29, 1841, and died December 20, 1904. He 
was married at Vienna, by Reverend 
Porshea, February 4, 1866, to Amanda M. 
Clark, and they had six children : Prank, 
Clark, Belle, Jennie, Burr G. and Scott H. 
Prank, born November 13, 1866, married 
Lizzie Baird, in 1891, and they have four 
children, Harriet E., Ho, Eva and Mabel. 
Belle, born Pebruary 15, 1872, married 
Howard Logue and they have two chil- 
dren, Leah and Lydia R. Jennie, born 
August 11, 1874, married Wade H. Smith, 
and they have two childi-en, Richard and 
Mary. Burr, born April 23, 1876, mar- 
ried Ethel Smith and they have three chil- 
dren, Robert, Shurrell and Wade. Scott, 
born August 1, 1883, resides at home and 
is employed by the Ohio Electric Rail- 
road. 

Clark E. Jones was about ten years old 
when he came to Vienna, where he com- 
pleted his education and where his life 
has been mainly spent. He has been 
more or less continuously interested in 
farming, owning twenty-two and one-half 
acres in Pleasant Township, together with 
two valuable properties in the town. His 
mother still survives. She was born at 
Vienna, October 21, 1844, and is a daugh- 
ter of William B. and Rebecca Clark. 
Her brothers and sisters bore the follow- 
ing names: Martha A., Nancy T., Mary 
J., Thomas M., Albert H., Eli T., Anna 



N., Lavinia, William B., Harriet D., Mor- 
ton and Sherman. 

On March 12, 1891, Mr. Jones was mar- 
ried at New Moorefield, Ohio, by Rev. 0. 
M. Sellers, to Nellie A. Baird. She was 
born in Clark County, Ohio, November 2, 
1872, and is a daughter of William and 
Nancy J. (Kimble) Baird. Her great- 
grandparents, William and Dorothy 
(Cameron) Baird, lived in Pennsylvania 
until 1794, when they journeyed to Ken- 
tucky and in 1808 came from there to 
Ohio on horseback, settling in Harmony 
Township. William Baird had been a 
soldier in the Revolution and served as a 
guard over certain Hessian prisoners. 
Family annals tell that after he had heard 
some of his prisoners declare that they 
would never return to Germany, but if 
they could escape would become citizens 
of the great Republic, he exercised dis- 
crimination and permitted some to evade 
his vigil ence, knowing that the colonies 
needed strong, sturdy men of that type. 
The Bairds originated in Scotland, were 
probably driven to Ireland by religious 
persecution and subsequently came to 
America. In Kentucky the Bairds and 
Breckenridges were connected by social 
and business ties. 

The father of Mrs. Jones, was bom in 
Clark County, Ohio, March 27, 1826, and 
died Pebruary 20, 1907. He married 
Nancy J. Kimble, who was born August 
5, 1840. They had tive children, namely : 
Clara E., born in 1869, married Frank C. 
Jones in 1891 ; Milton, born in 1870, mar- 
ried Flora Neer; Nellie A., Mrs. Jones; 
Eva, born November 2, 1875; and Laura 
E.. born November 14, 1877, married 
Minor Slagle. 

Mr. Jones belongs to the Methodist 



754 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Episcopal Chni'ch at Vienna, while his 
wife is a member of the Christian Church. 
He is a member of the Knights of Pythias' 
at this place, and has held all of the of- 
fices in its gift, being at present keeper 
of the records and seals. In 1907 he rep- 
resented the lodge at the Grande Lodge 
at Zanesville. He belongs to the higher 
branch, the I^nifoi'm Rank, at Springfield 
and also to the auxiliary, the Pythian Sis- 
ters. 

In politics Mr. Jones is a stanch Re- 
publican and on that ticket he was elected 
.iustiee of the peace to serve a term of 
four years, assuming the duties of the 
office in 1907. 



WILLIAM M. DRiUIE, whose valu- 
able farm of 272 acres is situated in Mad 
River Township, belongs to a pioneer 
family of this section and was born on 
his present farm, in Clark County, Ohio, 
April 29, 1856. His parents were Cyrus 
and Martha (Miller) Drake. 

The grandparents of Mr. Drake, Will- 
iam and Ruth (Welch) Drake, came from 
Pennsylvania to Ohio on horseback. 
Their log cabin was one of the first that 
was built in Mad River Township and the 
land that William M. Drake now owns 
was then but a great extent of swamp 
and uncleared forest. They reared a fam- 
ily of seven children, namely: Jacob, 
John, Thompson, Cyrus, William, Jane 
and Elizabeth. The youngest daughter 
married D. Shellabarger. All have passed 
out of life. Cyrus Drake, father of Will- 
iam M., was born near Enon, Clark 
County, and he was five years old when 
his parents settled on the present farm to 
which he subsequently added until, at the 



time of his death, he owned 550 acres. 
He married Martha Miller, who was born 
in Greene County, Ohio, and died in 1892, 
aged sixty-five years. Their family con- 
sisted of six children, namely: Albert, 
who resides at Yellow Springs, Ohio; 
Emma, who died young ; William M. ; 
Margaret; Ida, who married Charles 
AVeaver ; and John W. Cyrus Drake died 
in 1901, aged seventy-eight years. 

William M. Drake attended the district 
schools and later spent one year at col- 
lege at Ada, Ohio, that being the only 
period which he has passed away from 
the farm on which he was born. The 
original tract of 164 acres his grandfather 
purchased for $500. Both his father and 
Mr. Drake have made many improvements 
here, the former building the commodious 
brick residence in 1850. William M. 
Drake carries on general farming and 
stock-raising and is one of the township 's 
most substantial men. 

On December 15, 1898, William M. 
Drake was married to Sarah A. Keifer, 
who is a daughter of Benjamin and 
Amelia F. (Hinkle) Keifer. They have 
had four children, namely: Marie lone, 
William Russell, Warren and an infant, 
who, with William Russell, are de- 
ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Drake are members 
of the Presbyterian Church at Yellow 
Springs. He belongs to the organization 
known as the Junior Order of United 
American Mechanics. In politics he is a 
Republican. 



FRANK M. KRAPP, attorney, a lead- 
ing member of the Springfield bar, was 
born at Springfield, Ohio, in 1877, and is 
a son of Martin Krapp, who came from 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



755 



Germany to Springfield in 1850. For 
many years Martin Krapp was a promi- 
nent business man here, where he now 
lives retired. 

Frank M. Krapp was reared at Spring- 
field, and after graduating from the 
Springfield High School, in 1895, he 
taught school for one year and then en- 
tered the law department of the Univers- 
ity of Cincinnati, where he was graduated 
with the class of 1899. He immediately 
entered into practice at Springfield, be- 
ing the junior member of the law firm of 
Tatum & Krapp, until Mr. Tatum was 
elected city solicitor, since which time Mr. 
Krapp has practiced alone. Professional 
men in these modern days must be pre- 
pared to meet with strong competition, 
and in spite of this Mr. Krapp has won 
a recognized place on the Spring-field bar 
and has been elected treasurer of the 
Clark Coimty Bar Association. For the 
past five years he has also held the office 
of referee in bankruptcy for the Spring- 
field District. He is an active Republican 
and is chairman of the Republican Cen- 
tral and Executive Committees. He is in- 
terested in the Yieldable Gear Company, 
of Springfield, being its vice president. 

In 1900 Mr. Krapp was married to 
Bessie Wade, a resident of Springfield. 
They attend the First Lutheran Church. 
He is connected fraternally with the 
Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the 
Owls, and he is one of the directors of the 
Young Men's Christian Association. 



DR. E. CALVIN MILLER, postmas- 
ter at New Carlisle, Ohio, is also a well 
known druggist of this village, of which 
he has been a resident since 1883. He 



was born April 21, 1848, at Millerstown, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph and 
Mary Jane (Boyd) Miller. His grand- 
father, Ezekial Miller, was prominent 
among the early settlers of Allegheny 
County, Pennsylvania, being the founder 
of the village of Millerstown, where he 
owned a large tract of land, and where 
he died at the advanced age of ninety-six 
years. 

Joseph Miller, father of the doctor, was 
born in Pennsylvania, his parents' family 
numbering four children, namely : Mary, 
McConnel, Joseph and Thomas. Joseph 
was reared on his father's farm and later 
engaged in mercantile business at Millers- 
town, where he was married to Mary Jane 
Boyd, also a native of Pennsylvania. 
They subsequently moved to North Da- 
kota, where they reinained but one year, 
then coming to New Carlisle, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio. After residing here one year 
they sold their property and moved to 
Callery, Pennsylvania, where they passed 
the remainder of their lives, Mr. Miller 
dying at the age of seventy-eight years 
and his wife at that of seventy-two. They 
were the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Ellen, who died young; Robert, 
who lives in the state of Washington ; E. 
Calvin, subject of this article; Melissa 
Jane, residing at Brady's Bend, Pennsyl- 
vania; James, who died at the age of 
thirty-eight, and was prominent in the oil 
business; Thomas, who was killed on his 
first day's run as conductor on the Pemi- 
sj^lvania Railroad; Mary, a resident of 
Brady's Bend, Pennsylvania; and Benja- 
min, who is superintendent for the 
Standard Oil Company in Washington 
State. 

Dr. E. Calvin Miller was reared in Mil- 



756 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Jerstown, Pennsylvania, and received Ms 
education in the common schools of that 
village, later attending Mount Union Col- 
lege, where he was a student at the time 
of President Lincoln's assassination. He 
worked as clerk in his father's store un- 
til he was twenty years of age, at the age 
of seventeen beginning the study of medi- 
cine under Dr. C. H. Lee, of Tarentum, a 
village five miles from Millerstown. 
After remaining in Dr. Lee's office for 
three years, he attended a course of lec- 
tures at Philadelphia, where he received 
his diploma. He shortly after embarked 
in the practice of medicine at Moravia, 
Pennsylvania, going thence in a short 
time, however, to West Middlesex, Mer- 
cer Coimty, that state, where he was en- 
gaged in the drug business for one year. 
Then, owing to ill health, he removed to 
Springdale, Pennsylvania, and for nine 
years operated a drug store in connection 
with his medical practice. He was also 
postmaster of that village, the office being 
one of the fourth class. Dr. Miller then 
went to Fargo, North Dakota, but not lik- 
ing that locality returned immediately to 
Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, where he 
left his family while he made a tour 
through many states in search of a desir- 
able location. He finally came to New 
Carlisle and purchased an interest in the 
Neff & Son Drug Company, of this vil- 
lage, and operated the business from 1883 
until 1895 under the firm name of Neff & 
Miller. Dr. Miller subsequently carried 
on the business alone for one year, and 
then sold out to W. A. Higgins, who has 
since conducted it. 

Dr. Miller was appointed postmaster of 
New Carlisle June 19, 1900, during Pres- 
ident McKinlev's administration, and is 



still serving in that capacity. He is in- 
terested in various business enterprises 
of this locality, is president of the New 
Carlisle Telephone Company, a stock- 
holder in the First National Bank, presi- 
dent of the cemetery board, was for sev- 
eral years secretary of the New Carlisle 
Building and Loan Association and was 
also engaged in life insurance for a time. 
Fraternally Dr. Miller is a Mason, being 
a member of New Carlisle Lodge No. 100, 
F. & A. M., the Chapter at New Carlisle, 
and Palestine Commandery at Spring- 
field. He also belongs to the I. 0. 0. F., 
of which he was financial secretary for 
seventeen years. Politically he is a Re- 
publican. 

Dr. Miller was married in 1869 to 
Nancy Jane Humes, a daughter of James 
and Mary Humes, of Pennsylvania, and 
he and his wife have been the parents of 
three children: Ella, who married "VV. N. 
Scarff, and has three children — Max, 
Howard and Lucille ; C. Bertram, a drug- 
gist, of Dayton, Ohio ; and Thomas, who 
is assistant postmaster at New Carlisle. 



SIMON MICHAEL, a well known and 
highly respected retired farmer of the vil- 
lage of North Hampton, and owner of a 
fine farm of 105 acres in German Town- 
ship, also owns property in the village of 
North Hampton, and has residence prop- 
erty which is located just at the edge of 
the village. He has been a resident of 
Clark County for practically all his life 
and was born on his father's farm in Ger- 
man Township, January 11, 1839, a son 
of Adam and Mary (Wones) Michael. 

Adam Michael, who was born in Vir- 
ginia, was of German extraction, and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



757 



when a boy came to Ohio with his par- 
ents, who settled in the wilds of Pike 
Township, Clark County. Here he was 
reared and became a farmer by occupa- 
tion. He was united in marriage with 
Mary Wones, a native of England, who 
came to this country with her parents 
when a girl. Eight children were born of 
this union, namely : Catherine, Elizabeth, 
William, Lucinda, Frederick, Ellen, 
Simon, our subject, and George, who lives 
in Indiana. The two last mentioned are 
the only ones now living, Ellen dying in 
infancy. Mrs. Michael died in 1845 at the 
age of thirty -five years, and in 1847 Adam 
Michael married Catherine Welchans, 
widow of Griffith Welchans, and a daugh- 
.ter of Mr. Overs. She was an aunt of ex- 
Judge Overs. Two children were born of 
the second union — David and Emma. 
Adam Michael died in 1851 and was sur- 
vived by his widow until 1902, passing 
away at the age of seventy-five years. 

Simon Michael was a mere boy when 
his parents moved to Indiana and pur- 
chased a farm near Muncie, in Delaware 
County. His father died there six weeks 
later, and after remaining in Indiana 
about five or six years, Mr. Michael re- 
turned to Clark County, Ohio, and worked 
for his brother-in-law, David Jenkins, 
who had purchased the old home farm 
from his father. He remained in German 
Township with his brother-in-law until 
after his marriage, September 30, 1862, 
with Elizabeth Freeze, a daughter of John 
Freeze. She was born in 1842 and died 
May 10, 1904. Two children were born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Michael, namely : George 
Marion, who died at the age of two years 
and six months, and Cora Irene, wife of 
Charles E. Ryman, who operates Mr. 



Michael's farm and who has two chil- 
dren — Myrtle Beatrice and Clark Roscoe. 
Mr. Michael purchased a tract of fifty 
acres before his marriage from George 
Getz, and having added to this from time 
to time, now has 105 acres all in one tract. 
Mr. Michael followed farming in German 
Township until 1896, when he retired 
from agricultural pursuits and has since 
l)een a resident of North Hampton. Po- 
litically he is a Prohibitionist. He is a 
member and elder of the Reformed 
Church. 



HERMAN VOGES, manager and sec- 
retary of the Springfield Coal and Ice 
Company, has been a resident of Spring- 
field since 1875, and is one of the fore- 
most business men of the city. He was 
born April, 1844, in Germany, and came 
to America at the age of twenty-one, first 
locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was 
engaged in the hardware business for five 
years. He then moved to College Cor- 
ners, Butler County, Ohio, and there also 
was engaged in the hardware business, 
continuing in the same for five years, 
when he came to Springfield, in 1875. He 
was for seven years engaged as shipping 
clerk for/ the Champion Bar Knife Com- 
pany, of this city, and in 1882, in partner- 
ship with Mr. M. M. Hedges, entered the 
ice and coal business under the firm name 
of Voges & Hedges. In Jime, 1883, in 
connection with E. S. Kelly, they estab- 
lished the Champion Coal & Ice Company, 
which was incorporated with a capital 
stock of $50,000, with E. S. Kelly, presi- 
dent; Mr. Hedges, secretary, and Mr. 
Voges, as manager of the company. The 
Champion Coal and Ice Company con- 



758 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



tiiraecl successfully in business until 1888, 
when it was succeeded by the Springfield 
Coal and Ice Compan}", with the capital 
stock increased to $100,000. In June, 
1890. they began the manufacturing of ice, 
being the first ice plant to operate in this 
section of the country. The present of- 
ficers of the company are: W. S. Wilson, 
president and treasurer; George Grlessner, 
vice president; Herman Voges, manager 
and secretary. 

Mr. Voges was married in 1868 to Ida 
Sattler, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and of their 
union were born the following children: 
Herman, now a member of the Webster 
& Perks Manufacturing Company, of 
Spring-field, Ohio; Olga, widow of Joseph 
Beck, residing in Springfield; Ida, who is 
the wife of Edward Letzler, of Denver, 
Colorado; William F., who is traveling 
auditor for the Diamond Rubber Com- 
pany, of Akron, Ohio ; Albert, who is em- 
ployed by the Spring-field Coal and Ice 
Company; and Flora, who lives at home. 
Fraternally Mr. Voges is a member of 
the B. P. O. E., and also of the Lagonda 
Club. 



PETER GERON, general farmer, re- 
siding on his well improved property con- 
sisting of 167 V4 acres, known as "Prairie 
View Farm," which is situated in Moore- 
field Township, was born in this township 
May 14, 1857, and is a son of Adam and 
Elizabeth (Reddick) Geron. 

Adam Geron was born in Germany and 
came to American in early manhood, set- 
tling in Ohio prior to his marriage. In 
1858 he settled with his family in Spring- 
field Township, where he resided for 
about ten vears and then moved to a farm 



on the National Turnpike east of Spring- 
field. Peter Geron was a boy of some 
eleven years at this time and he recalls 
the family changes of the nest few years 
and remembers the farm in Bethel Town- 
ship on which his father remained for the 
following ten years. From that farm 
Adam Geron moved to Urbana Township, 
in Champaign Coimty, and there his death 
occurred in September, 1907. His widow 
still survives. 

When Peter Geron was sixteen years 
of age he went to work for Henry Snyder, 
in Mad River Township, and labored as 
a farm hand for eight years, and also 
farmed Mr. Snyder's place for sis years 
following his marriag-e. In 1886 he was 
married to Elizabeth Kropp, and they 
have five bright, intelligent children, 
namely: Mamie, Harry, Eflie, A. J. and 
Ralph. 

In 1900 Mr. Geron bought his present 
fine farm and he has been improving the 
property ever since, in 1904 building his 
commodious and comfortable frame 
dwelling and in 1906 putting up his sub- 
stantial barn. His surroundings indicate 
thrift and good management. Mr. Geron 
is a man of social instincts and he belongs 
to the Knights of Pythias and to the Mac- 
cabees. Religiously he belongs to St. 
John's Lutheran Church in Springfield. 
In polities he is a Democrat. 



WILLIAM B. TODD, one of Spring- 
field Township's representative citizens 
and excellent agriculturists, residing on 
the I. Ward Frey farm of 365 acres, lo- 
cated about two miles east of Springfield, 
was born in Green Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, January 7, 1859, and is a 





RESIDENCE AND BARN OF PETER Gl.RuX. AH )i ik 1.1 I I.I ,i > TOWNSHIP 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



761 



son of Samuel A. and Marietta (Wood) 
Todd. 

James Todd, the grandfather, came to 
Morrowtown, Ohio, from Pennsylvania 
and was the first of the name to settle at 
Todd's Porks. Later he came to Green 
Township and settled on what became 
known as the Todd farm, where he died. 
He was of Irish extraction. He married 
a lady at Hagerstown, Maryland, who 
was of German descent. 

Samuel A. Todd was born on the old 
Todd farm and prior to enlisting for serv- 
ice in the Civil War taught a term of 
school in Harmony Township. He was 
commissioned a lieutenant by Governor 
David Todd and served three years in 
the army. After he returned he worked 
a short time as a blacksmith and also con- 
ducted a small grocery business and then 
traveled for some years as a representa- 
tive of a business house. He became very 
prominent politically and for nine years 
served as county recorder on the Repub- 
lican ticket. After retiring from office 
he made his residence at Springfield, and 
for a time carried on a clothing business 
at No. 31 West Main Street. He was a 
man of excellent business faculty and had 
a wide circle of friends. His death took 
place December 19, 1899. His widow still 
{survives and lives at Springfield. 

William B. Todd attended school in 
Springfield and when eighteen years of 
age began to farm, and, with the excep- 
tion of two years spent in the grocery 
business, at Spring-field, he has given his 
attention ever since exclusively to agri- 
culture. In 1884 Mr. Todd was married 
to Armenia Nave, who is a daughter of 
John G. Nave, and they have had eight 
children, namely: Daisy E., Samuel Le- 



Eoy, Bessie, Warren, Edwin Augustus, 
Eula, Frances and Florence. Daisy E. 
died at the age of eleven years and 
Samuel LeRoy at that of six. Mr. Todd 
has an interesting family and is giving 
them many advantages. Politically he is 
a prominent Republican, and fraternally 
he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the 
Junior Order of American Mechanics and 
to the Eagles. 



ANDREW JACKSON BAKER, gen- 
eral farmer and stock-raiser, resides on 
his well improved farm of eighty acres, 
lying about three miles northwest of 
Springfield, on the Valley Turnpike, was 
born on this farm March 3, 1833. He is a 
son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Flick) 
Baker. 

Daniel Baker was born about 1800, in 
the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, whence 
his father, Rudolph Baker removed to 
Clark County, settling about 1820 in Ger- 
man Township, where he died in 1823. 
Rudolph Baker had then scarcely begun 
to clear his farm from the forest, a task 
his sons subsequently completed. Daniel 
Baker succeeded to a part of the farm 
and there spent his life. He married 
Elizabeth Flick, who was born and reared 
near Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio. 

Andrew J. Baker was thirteen years of 
age when his father died. He remained 
on the home farm until he was eighteen, 
,when he went to Springfield, where he 
learned the carpenter's trade. For fif- 
teen years he worked at his trade, but 
shortly after his marriage he returned to 
the home farm and resumed farming. 
He has the larger part of his land rented 
out. He made many improvements on the 



762 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



place after coming hei'e and it ranks with, 
the best improved farms of the township. 
In 1857 Mr. Baker was married to 
Margaret I. Jones, who is a daughter of 
James and Elizabeth (Weaver) Jones, 
^he was reared in Mad River Township, 
Champaign County, near the Clark Coun- 
ty line. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have had 
three children: Dora, Effie and Minnie, 
the latter of whom died aged four months. 
Mr. Baker and family belong to St. 
Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
takes an active interest in the educational 
advancement of his community and for 
eight years has been a member of the 
school board. 



STEPHEN KITCHEN, owner of a fine 
farm of 136 acres in Grreen Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, was bom June 12, 
1877, near his present farm, which is part 
of the old homestead, and is a son of 
Erasmus Jones and Matilda (Hatfield) 
Kitchen. 

Abraham L. Kitchen, grandfather of 
Stephen, was a native of Warren County, 
Ohio, and a son of Stephen Kitchen, who 
came from Pennsylvania to Ohio at a 
very early period. Abraham followed 
farming all his life, and in 1830 came to 
Clark County and settled on the farm 
now owned by the subject of this sketch, 
building and residing in for the remainder 
of his life the old log house which is now 
occupied by our subject's tenant. He 
married Matilda Jones, who was born 
near Selma, Madison Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, and to them were born four 
daughters and three sons. 

Erasmus Kitchen, father of Stephen, 
was born August 11, 1837, in the old log 



house and spent his entire life on the 
farm adjoining our subject's. He spent 
four years in the army, enlisting in June, 
1861, and serving until the close of the 
war, after which he returned home and 
engaged in- farming until the time of his 
death. He married Matilda Hatfield, who 
was a native of Spring-field Township, 
and to them were born six sons, all of 
whom are engaged in farming. 

Stephen Kitchen was reared on the 
home farm and after completing his edu- 
cation, which was obtained in the district 
schools of the township, he worked for his 
father until his marriage with Josie Alice 
Stewart, a daughter of Charles F. Stew- 
art, of Green Township. Mr. and Mrs. 
Kitchen have three children — Rhoda 
Alice, Erasmus Jones and Frances. In 
politics Mr. Kitchen is a Republican. He 
is a member of the Grange, and the re- 
ligious connection of the family is with 
the Presbyterian Church. 



PHILIP E. PEMBERTON, a well 
known citizen and agriculturist of Har- 
mony Township, where he owns an excel- 
lent farm of fifty-three acres, which is sit- 
uated on the Wilson Road, about one-half 
mile from Brighton, Ohio, was born in 
Madison County, Ohio, in 1857, and is a 
son of William and Nancy (Markley) 
Pemberton. 

William Pemberton was born in 1821 
and in 1846 he married Nancy Markley 
and they had eight children, namely: 
Samuel, born in 1847, married Mary Reed 
and they live in Kansas and have ten chil- 
dren; John, born in 1849, married Susan 
Watson and has one child; Mary E., born 
in 1851, was accidentally burned to death 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



763 



at the age of seven years; Martha J., 
born in 1853, married Walter Bennett 
and they have two children; Frances M., 
born in 1855, married John Thomas 
Evans and they live in Indiana and have 
four children; Philip E. ; Emma L., born 
in 1859, died aged four years ; and Will- 
iam A., born in 1862, married Mary A. 
Miller and they have one child. 

Philip E. Pemberton lived in his native 
county until he was ten years old and then 
came to Clark County, where he has re- 
sided ever since. He has engaged in 
farming since he reached manhood. Prior 
to purchasing his present farm of James 
Wilson, September 4, 1888, he resided at 
Brighton, Ohio. He carries on a general 
farming line and has continued to im- 
prove his property ever since settling on 
it. He takes a good citizen's interest in 
all that is of public note in the township 
and does his full share in the general line 
of progress and improvement through his 
neighborhood. He has served as school 
director and several terms as road super- 
visor. 

In 1882 Mr. Pemberton was married to 
Mary E. Randolph, who was born in 1863 
and is a daughter of William P. and Mary 
(Mincer) Randolph. Her father was 
born February 20, 1833, and died in 1889, 
and her mother was born September 2, 
1839, and died in March, 1871. Mr. and 
Mrs. Randolph had the following chil- 
dren: Mary E.; Nancy L., mai-ried 
James Goings and they have three chil- 
dren; Eliza K., married John Rathburn 
and have one child; and William F., mar- 
ried Anna Dunn and they have three chil- 
dren. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton have five chil- 
dren, as follows: Avie, born July 3, 



1883, in 1905 married Lucinda Melvin and 
they live in Champaign County; Eva, 
born in 1886, married Elmer Stits, has 
two children, Ruth M. and Edna P., and 
lives at Vienna, Ohio; and Ethel, born in 
1888, Harry, born in 1891, and Ruth, 
born in 1896, all live at home. 



DR. W. G. STEPHENS, a prominent 
physician of Catawba, Pleasant Township, 
who has been a resident of Clark County, 
Ohio, since 1889, was born March 27, 1863, 
in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and is 
a son of James D. and Nancy (Glassford) 
Stephens. 

James Stephens, father of Dr. Stephens, 
was the eldest of a family of seven chil- 
dren — four boys and three girls — and 
during his early manhood taught school 
for some time. He then devoted his time 
to farming and milling until his death at 
the age of fifty-six years. He was united 
in marriage with Nancy Glassford, who is 
still living, a resident of Pennsylvania, 
and they reared a family of three chil- 
dren— W. Glassford Stephens, the subject 
of this sketch; Alexander, who lives in 
Pennsylvania; and Sadie, who married 
John Shillito, of Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Stephens was born and reared on 
his father's farm in Pennsylvania and ob- 
tained his education in the district schools 
of Indiana County. When about eighteen 
years old he began teaching, i-emaining in 
Pennsylvania for two years. He then 
taught for some time in Illinois, after 
which- he returned to Pennsylvania and 
again taught school, during which time he 
commenced the study of medicine at the 
Eclectic Medical College, of Cincinnati, 
Ohio. He graduated in medicine in 1889 



764 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



and that same year located in Catawba, 
where he embarked in the practice of med- 
icine and now enjoys a large and lucrative 
practice. In 1904 Dr. Stephens purchased 
a farm, to which he had added at various 
times, now having 214 acres, in different 
tracts, most of it having been the old 
Baldwin farm. In addition to his farm 
the doctor also has a fine residence in 
Catawba, which he and his family occupy. 
In June, 1894, Dr. Stephens was joined 
in marriage with Marion Hunter, a 
daughter of Dr. Milton E. Hunter, and 
Sarah (Skillman) Hunter, and to them 
have been born two children — Helen and 
Mildred. Fraternally Dr. Stephens is a 
member of the I. 0. 6. F. Lodge, No. 349, 
of Catawba. 



LEWIS PIJILLIPS, secretary and 
treasurer of the Springfield Breweries, 
has been a resident of this city since Feb- 
ruary, 1866. He was born in Jackson 
County, Ohio, September, 1843, where he 
was reared and educated and remained 
until 1861, when he enlisted for service in 
the Ci^al War, entering Company C, 
Fifty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry. 

Mr. Phillips remained in the army for 
over one year and after his honorable 
discharge he returned to Jackson County 
and then attended school at Athens, fol- 
lowing which he taught school for a sea- 
son and then took a commercial course at 
Cincinnati. From his time of graduation 
until he came to Springfield he was en- 
gaged as a tutor at the college and foi* 
twenty-one years following his coming 
he had charge of the office of Whiteley- 
Fassler & Killey, manufacturers of mow- 



ers and reapers. In 1890 Mr. Phillips ac- 
cepted his present position and since 
January, 1907, has also been president of 
the Springfield Pure Milk Company. 

In 1876 Mr. Phillips was married to 
Elizabeth Cathcart and they have one son, 
Lewis Walter, who has been with the Ford 
Motor Company, of Detroit, for the past 
year. Y/ith his family Mr. Phillips at- 
tends the High Street Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. Mr. Phillips is a thirty-sec- 
ond degree Mason and he belongs to the 
Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Com- 
mandery at Springfield, and to the Mystic 
Shrine at Dayton. He is a member also 
of Mitchell Post, Grand Army of the Re- 
public, at Springfield. 



ALVAH T. GAELOUGH, a represent- 
ative agriculturist of Springfield Town- 
ship, operating a valuable farm of 223 
acres in Section 8 of that township, was 
born in Green Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, November 28, 1861, and is a son of 
James T. and Sarah J. (Hause) Gar- 
lough. 

The father of Alvah T. Garlough was 
also born in Green Township, where he 
died March 28, 1905, but the grand- 
father, Jacob Garlough, was born in 
Maryland and came to Clark County in 
1812, taking up land in Green Township, 
on which he lived during the remainder 
of his life. James T. Garlough spent the 
whole of his long and useful life in Green 
Township. His occupation was farming 
and he was numbered with the township 's 
substantial men. He married Sarah J. 
Hause, who was a daughter of William 
Hause, who came from Virginia to Clark 
County prior to the birth of Mrs. Gar- 





GEORGE W. TUTTLE 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



767 



lough. The surviving' children of Jame.s 
T. Garlough and wife are: Clara, who 
married C. F. Stewart; Alvah T. and 
Sheridan G., Jesse Elmer, W. Forrest and 
Robei't Centennial, all residing in Green 
Township. Those deceased were named: 
Flora, Mary, Eetta and Alice, the latter 
of whom married Charles Otstott. The 
mother of the above family still resides in 
Green Township. 

Alvah T. Garlough was reared in his 
native place and passed his boyhood at- 
tending school and learning the first de- 
tails of farming. He has devoted himself 
almost exclusively to agricultural pur- 
suits and raises wheat, corn, hay and oats 
and a considerable amount of good stock. 

In 1884 Mr. Garlough was married to 
Emma J. Crab'ill, who is a daughter of 
David and Nancy C. Crabill, who are 
prominent farming people of Springfield 
Township. Mr. and Mrs. Garlough have 
had two sons: David C, residing at 
home, assisting in the management of the 
farm, and Ralph, who died aged three 
years. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. 
Garlough resided for three years in 
Green Township and then came to the 
farm upon which they now reside. It is 
the David Crabill homestead. 



GEORGE W. TUTTLE, formerly a 
substantial citizen and prominent farmer 
of Springfield Township, where he died in 
March, 1893, was born in Clark County. 
Ohio, July 22, 1823. His parents were 
John and Margaret Tuttle and his grand- 
father was Sylvanus Tuttle, who was an 
early pioneer of Clark County. 

When George W. Tuttle was seven 
years old his parents settled on what was 



known as the old Tuttle home place, 
which is now owned by Judge Kunkle. 
George W. Tuttle had twin brothers, 
David and Jacob Tuttle, and the three 
brothers married daughters of James 
Todd, who was a prominent farmer of 
(xreen Township. George W. Tuttle mar- 
ried Catherine A. Todd and they had five 
children, namely: Mrs. Ellen Hoffman; 
John, who died aged nineteen years; 
James, who is superintendent of schools 
at Washington Court House, Ohio ; Will- 
iam Eugene, who resides at Springfield, 
and Elma K., who married William G. 
Otstot. 

Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle were married Feb- 
ruary 23, 1847, and in the March follow- 
ing they moved to the present farm of 
Mrs. Ellen Hoifman, a tract containing 
over 152 acres, on which stood an old log 
house, which is now used as a stable. In 
1865 Mr. Tuttle greatly improved the 
property by erecting the present commo- 
dious brick house, and in 1885 he erected 
a comfortable frame one, which is now oc- 
cupied by a son of Mrs. Hoffman. Mr. 
Tuttle was an excellent business man and 
was a successful farmer until his health 
failed, but until tlie close of his life he 
continued to manage his affairs, although 
not able for some time to take any active 
part in the work. He survived his wife 
for some seven years. 

Mrs. Ellen Hoffman was reared on the 
farm on which she has always lirafd, with 
the exception of t>iiF year, 1872-3, when 
she accompanied lier husband to Kansas, 
just after her marriage, which took place 
February 22, 1872, to Martin C. Hoffman. 
Mr. Hoffman was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1843, and died 
July 4, 1884. He was a son of Jacob 



768 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Hoffman, who came of an old family of 
Lancaster County. Martin C. Hoffman 
came to Clark County at the age of nine- 
teen years. He served almost three years 
in the Civil War as a member of the 
Ninety-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, and was with the army under 
General Sherman on the famous march to 
the sea. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman had five 
children, namely : John, who resides with 
his mother; Harland and Howard, twins, 
now deceased; Wilfred, who married 
Lillie M. McDonald, and has two chil- 
dren — ^Wilfred Carl and Louis Martin; 
and Ada Celia, who resides at home. 



EDWARD A. HAYS, a representative 
citizen of Springfield Township, whose 
fine farm of ninety-eight acres is all in 
one body and is situated on the Gillett 
Road, about two and one-half miles south 
of the city of Springfield, was born May 
7, 1859, at Springfield, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and Emily 
(Otstot) Hays. 

The paternal grandfather of Edward A. 
Hays came to America from Scotland and 
for some years afterward he lived in 
Michigan. Later he established his home 
.in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and 
there Samuel Hays, father of Edward A., 
was born October 9, 1825. He died on his 
farm in Springfield Township, Clark 
County, April 23, 1894. When he came to 
Spring-field m 1842 he had completed his 
apprenticeship to the trade of cabinet- 
maker and this he followed until about 
1863, when he purchased a team of good 
horses and rented a farm, that tract of 
land now being practically a part of the 
city of Springfield. He followed farming 



here for five years and then moved to the 
farm on which Edward A. Hays resides. 
It was the girlhood home of his wife, the 
old Otstot farm, and here he continued 
agricultural pursuits until the close of 
his life. 

Samuel Hays was married at Spring- 
field, to Mrs. Emily (Otstot) Crossland, 
Avho was the widow of Jacob Crossland. 
She had one son born to her first mar- 
riage, Albert Crossland, who resides on 
his farm in Springfield Township. Mrs. 
Hays was a daughter of Jacob and Mary 
(Hinkle) Otstot. She was three years 
old when her parents left Pennsylvania 
and came to Springfield Township, the 
long journey being made in wagons. She 
was too young to remember the wild con- 
dition of the country at that time or to 
recall the many pioneer privations to 
which the family was subjected, but 
learned of these as she grew older and 
left many stories of the early days with 
her children. Her father secured 160 
acres of Government land for which he 
paid $5.00 per acre, and he built his first 
Jog cabin on the site of the pi'esent Hays 
home. In this little cabin his daughter 
grew to womanhood and she was quite 
regular in her attendance at the district 
school. The log structure used as a 
schoolhouse stood on the pi'esent site of 
Congress Hall. Jacob Otstot came to 
Clark County with money amounting to 
$1,700, which he had earned at the cooper 
trade. He was an expert workman, but 
did not follow his trade after leaving 
Pennsylvania, finding plenty to occupy 
his time in clearing up his pioneer farm. 
The death of his wife preceded his own 
and his last years were spent with his 
daughter, Mrs. Hays, where he died in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



769 



1883, aged eighty-three years. The farm 
and household possessions came then to 
his daughter and her husband. Among 
the latter is a clock that was made by 
John Hoff, of Lancaster County, Penn- 
sylvania, which is over 150 years old, an 
ancient spinning wheel and many tools 
and implements. Another relic was a 
silver dollar that was coined in 1800, the 
year of Mr. Otstot's birth, which he had 
always carefully preserved, and it, with 
all the other objects, are now just as care- 
fully treasured by his grandson, Edward 
A. Hays. 

Samuel Hays and wife had two chil- 
dren : Charles 0., who was born in 1857, 
is engaged in farming in Harmony Towur 
ship, Clark County, and Edward A. The 
mother of these two sons died October 6, 
1894. 

Edward A. Hays was four years old 
when his parents moved to Springfield 
Township and almost the whole of his 
life has been spent on a farm. After his 
marriage he continued to reside on the 
home place and from his father he re- 
ceived sixty-one acres of the land that 
his grandfather had obtained from the 
Grovernment. In 1902 Mr. Hays pur- 
chased almost thirty-eight acres of the old 
Hinkle land. In 1894 he built his com- 
modious and comfortable frame house 
and in 1895 he remodeled his barn. The 
latter building was destroyed by fire in 
April, 1906, but he lost no time in rebuild- 
ing and had another structure ready by 
the time his crops were harvested. 

On March 5, 1889, Mr. Hays was mar- 
ried to Lily Garlough, who is a daughter 
of Owen and Sarah (Littler) G-arlough. 
The father of Mrs. Hays died when she 
was one year old. Her mother subse- 



quently married Benjamin Garlough, a 
relative of her first husband. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hays have four children, namely: 
Glenn Grarlough, who is a student in the 
Springfield High School; Albert Owen, 
who is also in the High School classes; 
and Anson Erwin and Chester K. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hays are members of the Sec- 
ond Lutheran Church at Springfield. Mr. 
Hays belongs to the Junior Order of 
American Mechanics. 



GARRETT SHERLO, who has re- 
sided on his present valuable farm of 120 
acres, which is situated on the Troy Turn- 
pike, about five miles northwest of 
Springfield, since 1876, was born in 
Brunswick, Germany, in December, 1837. 
He is a son of Casper Sherlo. 

Mr. Sherlo was left an orphan in his 
childhood and he was reared to the age of 
eighteen years by strangers. He then 
came to America and settled at West 
Alexandria, Preble County, Ohio, finding 
farm work in that neighborhood. He en- 
listed during the Civil War from Preble 
County in a military organization known 
as the "Squirrel Hunters" and served 
100 days. Just before the close of the 
war he came to Greene County and rented 
a farm on which he lived until after his 
marriage in 1866. He then rented land 
in Montgomery County, about four miles 
northwest of Dayton from which he soon 
moved to a more desirable farm that he 
rented for three j^ears in Champaign 
County. Mr. Shgrlo then returned for 
several months to Greene County and 
then came to Clark County, and operated 
a rented farm west of Medway for six 
years. He then returned to Greene 



770 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



County for a residence of three more 
years, after which he bought his present 
property. At that time an old dwelling- 
stood where, in ISBl. he erected his fine 
frame .^sidence. In 1904 his barn was 
burned, but he has replaced it and his 
surroundings are very complete and con- 
venient. Mr. Sherlo has practically re- 
tired from farm work, having placed the 
operation of his farm in the hands of 
Amos Judd, his son-in-law, who is a very 
competent man. 

In 1866 Mr. Sherlo was married at Cin- 
cinnati to Mary Shuey, who was born in 
Preble County^ Ohio," July 14, 1839, and 
is a daughter of Adam and Sarah (Nise- 
wonger) Shuey. Mr. and Mrs. Sherlo 
have one daughter. Delta, who married 
Amos Judd. Mr. Judd was born in Rap- 
pahannock County, Virginia, February 17, 
] 881, and is a son of Samuel P. and Mary 
(Bolen) Judd, who came to Ohio from 
Virginia in 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Judd 
have one son, Delbert. The family be- 
long to Grace Reformed Church at 
Springfield. Mr. Sherlo had many hard- 
ships to endure during the earlier part of 
his life, but he overcome all obstacles, ac- 
cumulated a fine property by years of 
earnest effort and has long been consid- 
ered one of G-erman Township's repre- 
sentative citizens. 



EDWARD H. FLORENCE, township 
trustee and owner of 1,100 acres of valu- 
able farm land in Madison Township, was 
born in 1848 near Lilly Chapel, Madison 
Coimty, Ohio, and is a son of Obed 
Florence. 

Thomas Florence, his paternal grand- 
father, came to Ohio from Virginia, first 



locating in Pickaway County and later in 
Clark County. He married a Miss Hill, 
of Virginia, and to- them were born five 
sons, Obed, father of Edward H., being 
the second eldest. The maternal grand- 
father was Isaiah Hunt. Obed Florence 
lived for many years in Madison County, 
moving to Indiana in 1859, where his 
death occurred some few years later. 

Edward H. Florence was reared on his 
father's farm in Madison County and re- 
ceived his education in the common 
schools. After leaving school he oper- 
ated his grandfather's farm for a number 
of years, and then engaged in fai'ming 
for himself, with great success, and he is 
now one of the largest land owners in the 
county, owning 1,100 acres of fine farm- 
ing land. He is politically a Republican 
and has been for thirteen years township 
trustee, in which capacity he is now serv- 
ing. He was also for a number of years a 
member of the school board. Mr. Flor- 
ence married Emma Woosley, a daughter 
of Benjamin Woosley, of Clark County. 
They have had two children, one now liv- 
ing, Walter, and Keturah, who died in 
1888, aged five years. 



JACOB TUTTLE, who was once a 
well known farmer and respected citizen 
of Springfield Township, was born No- 
vember 12, 1836, on the old Tuttle home- 
stead, in Spring-field To-wnship, Clark 
County, Ohio, and died in Clay County, 
Texas, July 15, 1898. His parents were 
John and Margaret (Prickett) Tuttle. 

Jacob Tuttle was one of a family of 
eleven sons and five daughters and to- 
gether they were reared on the old home 
farm and attended the neighborhood 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



771 



schools. The boys were all taught to be 
good farmers and one of the brothers, H. 
H. Tuttle, became a minister. 

When Jacob Tuttle reached manhood 
he married Nancy Todd, the ceremony 
taking place August 27, 1857. She is a 
daughter of James and Elizabeth (Gar- 
lough) Todd. James Todd was born in 
Pennsylvania and came to Green Town- 
ship, Clark County, when a young lad. 
His wife was born in Maryland and was a 
daughter of John Garlough and she was 
seven years old when her parents came to 
Clark County. James Todd and wife 
were married in Green Township, where 
Mrs. Tuttle was born, being one of a fam- 
ily of nine children, five of whom still 
live. After marriage Jacob Tuttle and 
wife settled on the present farm in 
Springfield Township, which is located 
about one mile from Mrs. Tuttle 's old 
home. When they came to this farm no 
improving had yet been done, but build- 
ing was soon commenced and the present 
fine, large house was erected, together 
with barns and the other farm buildings. 
At first Jacob Tuttle owned the place 
with his brother David, but later bought 
the latter 's interest. He carried on gen- 
eral farming and also raised stock, par- 
ticularly hogs. 

In 1891 Mr. Tuttle 's health failed and 
he decided to move to Texas, hoping the 
change of climate would benefit him. He 
secured 320 acres of land in Clay County 
and lived there for seven years, but his 
health was never entirely restored and 
his death occurred in Clay County, 
where his burial took place. After Mr. 
Tuttle 's death Mrs. Tuttle and two of her 
sons purchased 320 more acres of land ad- 
joining the other tract and this was man- 



aged during the fourteen years that she 
continued in Texas by her two sons, Louis 
and Ealph Tuttle. In October, 1904. 
Mrs. Tuttle and her son Louis returned 
to the old home in Springfield Township, 
this farm having been under the manage- 
ment, in the meanwhile, of her son Fred 
Tuttle. In January 1907, the Tuttles 
sold their Texas land, it having been a 
good investment. 

Jacob and Nancy Tuttle became parents 
of eight children, the survivors being: 
Lelia, who married John Larkins, resides 
in Greene County, Ohio; Fred, residing 
at Springfield, a rural route mail carrier, 
married Elizabeth Hinkle and they have 
two children. Hazel and Russell ; Clifford, 
residing in Texas, married Jessie E. 
Irvine, and they have one child, Ida; 
Lewis, unmarried, operates the home 
farm; and Ralph, who resides at Wichita 
Falls, Texas, married Nora Ramsey. 
Nina, Etta and Ada, twins, all died with- 
in three weeks of each other from scarlet 
fever, aged, respectively, five and two 
years of age. 



WILLIAM HUNTER, whose magnifi- 
cent farm of 380 acres, all in one body, 
lies about one and one-half miles south- 
east of Catawba, is one of the substantial 
citizens of Pleasant Township. He was 
born in Pleasant Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, on a farm which is now owned 
by his brother, Eli Hunter, March 8, 1841, 
and is a son of Lemuel Hunter. 

Lemuel Hunter resided in Pleasant 
Township all his life. His father, Will- 
iam Hunter, came to this section from 
near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and built 
the first mill in Pleasant Township, 



772 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



wliich still stands. Lemuel Hunter had 
seven children, namely : Mary Ann, Will- 
iam, Sarah Jane, Lewis, Eli, Miranda and 
Bruce. Mary Ann married J. M. Hodge 
and they lived on the line between Moore- 
field and Pleasant Townships. Both are 
deceased. They had seven children, three 
of whom, Asa, Ida and Anna, are living. 
Sarah Jane married James M. Yeazell 
and they died leaving no issue. Lewis 
died unmarried. Eli, residing on the 
homestead farm, married Lucinda Mc- 
Clintock. They have had three children : 
Cecil, who is assisting his father; Edna, 
who is a student at Oxford College; and 
one son died in infancy. Miranda mar- 
ried James Yeazell and they had two chil- 
dren, one of whom died very young. The 
survivor, Ijaura, married Dr. V. D. Krout 
and they live on a farm east of Mechanics- 
burg and have two children, Elden and 
Helen. Bruce died at the age of nineteen 
years. 

William Hunter was reared to man- 
hood on the home farm and attended the 
country schools of Pleasant Township. 
He was twenty-three years of age when 
he enlisted in the Sixteenth Ohio Battery, 
in the Federal Army, for service in the 
Civil War, and his term of enlistment 
covered nine months. He was honorably 
discharged at the expiration of this time, 
at New Orleans, Louisiana. 

On February 15, 1866, Mr. Hunter was 
married to Elizabeth Cartmell, who is a 
daughter of John and Mary Ann (Apple- 
gate) Cartmell and a granddaughter of 
John L. Cartmell, the latter of whom was 
bom in Champaign County, Ohio. John 
Cartmell, son of John L., was bom Janu- 
ary 16, 1818, and died November, 1876. 
The mother of Mrs. Hunter was born No- 



vember 28, 1823, and died June 17, 1905. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have had three sons, 
namely: Milton, Oliver and John. The 
eldest son, Milton, was born December 16, 
1866. Oliver was born August 23, 1872, 
married Donna Harmison, and they have 
three children: Clarence, Ralph and 
Hazel. John, the youngest son of Mr. 
Hunter, was born April 23, 1876, and died 
in infancy. Mr. Hunter, in association 
with his two sons, carry on general farm- 
ing and stock-raising and make a special- 
ty of raising Duroc hogs. Mrs. Hunter 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Catawba. 



ALONZO ADDISON BAKER, M. D., 

who was formerly in active practice as a 
physician and surgeon in Clark County, 
located in Springfield in 1880 and there 
resided until his death February 5, 1895. 
He was born in 1831 on his father's farm 
near Enon, Clark County, Ohio, his par- 
ents being Ezra D. and Anne (Morgan) 
Baker. The Baker family has long been 
one of prominence in Clark County. 
Ezra Baker, father of the late Dr. Baker, 
attained ^ very advanced age, at the time 
of his death being the oldest living settler 
of Madison Township. He sei-ved four 
terms as county commissioner of Clark 
County and during almost all of his active 
life was a man of public affairs. He sur- 
vived his wife many years, her death tak- 
ing place in 1867. They had four chil- 
dren, namely : Cassandra, Leander, Gus- 
tavus and Alonzo A. 

Alonzo A. Baker entered upon the 
study of medicine in 1845 and during the 
two following years attended medical 
lectures at Starling College. Subsequent- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



773 



ly he was graduated from the Ohio 
Medical College, at Cincinnati. Dr. Baker 
married, and he and his wife became the 
parents of four children, namely: Annetta 
M., wife of Dr. E. Myers; Elizabeth A., 
wife of Edgar N. Lupfer; Scipio E., and 
Nellie B., deceased. Scipio E. Baker is 
now one of Springfield's leading manu- 
facturers. He is president and treasurer 
of the Champion Chemical Company, and 
coresident of the Foos Gas Engine Com- 
pany. He owns a beautiful home at the 
northeast corner of High and Sycamore 
Streets. 

Dr. Baker became interested in several 
large business enterprises, among which 
we may mention The Champion Chemical 
Co. and The Spring-field Metallic Casket 
Co., he having been one of the original or- 
ganizers of both. 



WILLIAM CE.iBILL, JR., one of 

Springfield's leading citizens and ex- 
tensive farmers, owning a farm of one 
hundred and seventy-eight acres, on which 
he lives, and a second farm of seventy- 
eight acres, on which a son resides, was 
bom in Springfield Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, March 15, 1834, and is a son of 
Thomas V. and Sidney (Yeazell) Crabill, 
who were very prominent people in this 
section of Ohio, at an early day. 

William Crabill was one year old when 
his father inoved from Spring-field Town- 
ship, to Homer, Champaign County, Illi- 
nois, where the family lived for one year 
and then returned to Clark County. The 
parents of Mr. Crabill settled again in 
Springfield Township, on the farm which 
is now occupied by Joseph Crabill, and 
William Crabill lived in the old log cabin 



home until he was twenty-one years of 
&ge, about which time the present tine 
brick residence of Joseph Crabill, Sr., 
was built. On November 1, 1860, William 
Crabill was married to Sarah E. Wise, 
who died April 9, 1901. She was a 
daughter of Jesse Wise. Mr. and Mrs. 
Crabill went to housekee]Ding on a rented 
farm in Madison Township, but on April 
1, 1863, they moved to Harmony Town- 
ship. Twelve years later they left that 
farm and on September 3, 1874, settled 
on the present farm in Springfield Town- 
ship. With the exception of one year, in 
his infancy, Mr. Crabill has lived con- 
tinuously in Clark County. He has had 
eight children, namely: Joseph, residing 
in Spring-field Township ; William Edgar, 
living at home ; Elizabeth, deceased, mar- 
ried William J. Copeland, also deceased, 
and their three surviving children, Clar- 
ence, Esther May and James, reside with 
their grandfather; Alice, who married 
Charles Croutwatter, a farmer of Spring- 
field Township; Elza, residing in a ten- 
ant house on the home farm; May, de- 
ceased, who married John Stratton, left 
one son; Hattie, who died in 1900; and 
John, who died aged four years. Elza 
Crabill, who assists his father in the man- 
agement of the home farm, married Stella 
May Smith, and they have had three chil- 
dren: Forest, David and Ormas, the lat- 
ter being deceased. 

Mr. Crabill owns what is considered one 
of the best farms in Springfield Town- 
ship and he makes a specialty of raising 
Chester White hogs and Delaine sheep. 
On August 4, 1895, he suffered the loss 
of a barn full of hay, and about 700 
bushels of wheat by fire, resulting from 
a stroke of lightning. He has erected all 



774 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of his substantial buildings aud yearly 
adds to the value of his estate. Having 
several springs on his farm he has in- 
stalled a hydraulic ram which forces the 
water all through his house and barn- 
lot, millions of gallons of water escaping 
down the road. All the Crabills have 
been men of enterprise and have acquired 
property through their industry and good 
management. The father of Mr. Crabill 
started out in life with but a pittance, 
but owned OA^er one thousand acres of 
land at his death. William Crabill is a 
member of the Fifth Lutheran Church 
at Springfield. 



JOHN DAVID SCHAFFNER, a much 
esteemed citizen of Bethel Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, who is engaged in 
general farming and stock-raising on a 
fine farm of seventy-three and one-half 
acres, was born April 4, 1860, in Spring- 
field, Ohio, in the Old Pennsylvania 
House, a tavern which was conducted by 
his father, Peter Schaffner. 

Peter Schaifner was born at Weisen- 
berg, Germany, and when a boy of eight 
years accompanied his parents to this 
country, they immediately coming to Ohio 
and settling in Clark Coimty. Here Peter 
was reared and became a distiller, and at 
the time was considered the best distiller 
in the county. He later engaged in milling 
and after his marriage operated a grocery 
and tavern at Springfield. He was united 
in marriage with Caroline Frick, also a 
native of Germany, who came to America 
at the age of sixteen years. They became 
the parents of six children, all born in the 
old Pennsylvania House, of whom two 



died in infancy. The other four were: 
Lewis, now deceased; Peter, Jr. ; Caroline, 
who married Thomas Fisher; and John 
David, the subject of this sketch. In later 
years Mr. Schaffner purchased the old 
Miller estate of one hundred and eleven 
acres in Bethel Township, seventy-three 
and one-half acres of which, as above 
noted, are owned by John D. Schaffner, 
and here he resided until his death at the 
age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Schaff- 
?ier died in January, 1892, aged sixty-four 
years. 

John D. Schaffner was eight years old 
when his parents moved to his present 
farm, where he attended the district 
schools of the township, and grew to man's 
estate. He became a farmer, which oc- 
cupation he has always continued to fol- 
low, and purchased his farm from his 
father's estate. Many of the improve- 
ments made on the farm, including the fine 
large brick residence, were made by him, 
and in connection with his farming he 
laises considerable stock, making a spe- 
cialty of Poland China hogs. 

January 8, 1889, Mr. Schaffner was 
united in marriage with Delia Thomas, 
who was liorn at New Moorefield, Ohio, 
a daughter of George D. aud Martha L. 
(Lamar) Thomas, who came from Fred- 
erick City, Maryland, to Clark County. 
j\rrs. Schaffner is one of a family of four- 
teen children, namely: William; Anna, 
widow of John IHilery; Delia Fletcher, 
wife of our subject; Sally, wife of B. 
Shroyer ; A. Lowrey, who married Lillian 
Roll ; Alvin H. ; Frank D. ; Pearl H. ; and 
four who are deceased. Mrs. Schaffner 's 
father died February 28, 1889; her mother 
is still living at the age of sixtv-nine 




EDWIN B. TURNER 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



779 



Mr. and Mrs. Schaffner have one son, 
Eoy, who was born June 20, 1890, and who 
resides at home. 



EDWIN B. TURNER, superintendent 
of the Ohio I. 0. 0. F. Home at Spring- 
field, and one of the prominent and rep- 
resentative citizens of the city, was born 
in Marvsville, Union County, Ohio, in 
1851. Mr. Turner was reared and edu- 
cated at Marysville and there learned the 
carriage-maker's trade, at which heworked 
for a period of twelve years. In April, 
1884, when the Children's Home of Union 
County was established, he became its 
superintendent and remained in charge of 
the same for sixteen years and three 
months, when he resigned to accept his 
present position of superintendent of the 
I 0. 0, F. Home of Ohio, assuming the re- 
sponsibilities of that position in 1900. 

December 29th, 1874, Mr. Turner mar- 
ried Mary C. Sevirn, a teacher, of Union 
County, Ohio, and they have one child, 
Alice, wife of John 0. Parnell. Mrs Par- 
nell's early education was obtained in the 
public schools of Marysville. She is a 
graduate of the Marysville High school 
and also attended for some time the Ohio 
Weslyan University. She then graduated 
in music under Otto Ingurson of Colum- 
bus, after which she studied music in Lon- 
don, and is at present an instructor in the 
School of Music at Springfield. 

Mr. Turner is a member of the I. 0. 0. 
F. Lodge of Marysville No. 78; Marys- 
ville Encampment No. 114; Magnetic Re-^ 
becca Lodge No. 258 of Marysville, and of 
the Occidental Canteen No. 21 of Spring- 
field. He is religiously connected with the 
Third Presbyterian Church of Springfield. 



JOSEPH HENRY THACKERY, a re- 
tired agriculturist residing in Dialton, 
Clark County, Ohio, and owner of two 
hundred and sixty-six acres of fine farm- 
ing land, fifty acres of which are just 
south of Dialton and the remaining two 
hundred and sixteen acres located one mile 
west of Dialton, was born July 26, 1856, 
in Champaign County, Ohio, and is a son 
of Duncan and Susan (Ray) Thackery. 

Joseph H. Thackery passed his boyhood 
days on his father's farm in Champaign 
County, Ohio, assisting with the work on 
the place and attending the district 
schools. He came to Clark County in 1881 
with his parents and here his father died 
in July, 1899, at the advanced age of 
eighty-four years. His mother, who is 
still living, is one of the oldest women in 
the county. Mr. Thackery has always fol- 
lowed genera] farming and is recognized 
as one of the substantial and leading 
farmers of Pike Township. Besides his 
farming interests Mr. Thackery is also 
financially interested in the Northampton 
Horse Company. 

On January 31, 1889, Mr. Thackery was 
united in marriage with Sallie Myers, a 
native of Clark County and a daughter of 
John and Elizabeth (Overpack) Myers, 
both of whom were also natives of this 
county. She was one of a family of five 
children, namely: Mary, who died at the 
age of one year; Martha, wife of Dr. A. 
W. Mitchell ; Dr. J. N. Myers of George- 
town, Ohio; Sallie, wife of the subject of 
this sketch; and Emma B., wife of Dr. H. 
A. Cossler of Fairfield, Ohio. Mr. Myers 
passed out of this life in February, 1902, 
at the age of sixty-two years, and Mrs. 
Myers in February, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. 
Thackery have one child. Warder M. 



780 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Politically, Mr. Thaekery is a Republican 
as was his father, and the religious con- 
nection of the family is with the Reformed 
Church. 



WILLIAM T. OTSTOT, a representa- 
tive citizen and leading agriculturist of 
Springfield Township, who resides on his 
home farm of seventy-five acres, which is 
situated in section 31, owns thirty acres 
more, just across the road, practically in 
the same farm. Mr. Otstot was born in 
the old log house which then stood on this 
farm, December 19, 1837, and is a son of 
Daniel and Hannah (Dushane) Otstot. 

Daniel Otstot was born in Pennsylvania, 
in 1795, and died at Springfield, Ohio, in 
November, 1881, aged eighty-six years. 
His father, Adam Otstot, was born in Ger- 
many. Daniel Otstot was married in 
Pennsylvania, to Hannah Dushane, who 
was born in Delaware, of French parent- 
age, and die on the present home farm, 
in February, 1860. All of their ten chil- 
dren, with the exception of William T., 
the youngest, were born before the family 
left Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1837 
there was a great movement of settlers 
from the East to Ohio, and among these 
came Daniel Otstot, wife and seven chil- 
dren, two having died prior to this, and 
after they reached Clark County, the 
father secured one hundred and sixty 
acres of land, sixt^' of which he soon trans- 
ferred to a brother. A small clearing 
had been made, on which stood a log cabin, 
but all the remainder of. the land was 
covered with forest. Daniel Otstot im- 
mediately began to clear up the land and 
to put it under cultivation. In 1850, he 
built the large brick house which his son 



William T. occupies. He remained ac- 
tive until advanced in years, when he re- 
tired to Springfield. His children were: 
Martha Ann, who married William Bun- 
yan, both deceased; John Dushane, resid- 
ing at Springfield, aged eighty-six years; 
Mary Jane, who married John W. Ran- 
dall, both deceased ; Adam Hunter, Alfred 
Walraven, Thomas Miller and Sarah 
Catherine, all deceased ; two children died 
young; and William T., of Spring-field 
Township. 

William T. Otstot obtained his educa- 
tion in the neighborhood schools and grew 
to manhood on the home farm, twelve 
acres of which he cleared of timber. Mr. 
Otstot is a veteran of the Civil War, hav- 
ing enlisted first on September 20, 1861, 
in Company I, Forty-fourth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during his 
three long years of service, took part in 
many very serious battles through Ken- 
tucky and Virginia. Before the expira- 
tion of his first enlistment he re-enlisted 
in January, 18G4, becoming a member of 
the Eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Cavalry, and was finally mustered out at 
Clarksburg, West Virginia, July 30, 1865. 
Mr. Otstot is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic post at Springfield. 
After the close of his military service, he 
returned to Springfield Township and has 
been engaged in farming here until the 
present. In 1906 he erected the comfort- 
able frame residence adjoining his own, 
which is occupied by his son. 

On January 2, 1868, Mr. Otstot was 
married to Mary A. Willis, who was 
reared near Cokmibus, in Franklin Coun- 
ty, and is a daughter of Thomas and Eliz- 
abeth (Shanks) Willis. They have had 
three children, namely: Nellie W. ; Wal- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



781 



ter W., who was born in December, 1873, 
and died aged four years ; and Harry M., 
who was born in December, 1877. He 
married Bessie Starkey. Mr. Otstot and 
family belong to the High Street Method- 
ist Episcopal Church at Springfield. 



MAJOR HORACE C. KEIFER, mem- 
ber of the well-known laAv firm of Keifer 
& Keifer, of Springfield, Ohio, and one of 
Spring-field's leading and influential citi- 
zens, was born in this city, November 14, 
1867, son of Hon. J. Warren Keifer and 
Eliza (Stout) Keifer. 

Mr. Keifer was reared in his native city 
of Springfield, and received his literary 
training in Wittenberg College and at 
Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Mich- 
igan. He subsequently took up the study 
of law and was graduated in 1892 from 
the Cincinnati Law School. Since com- 
pleting his education, with the exception 
of about a year spent in military service 
in the Spanish-American War, Mr. Keifer 
has been a member of the law firm of 
Keifer & Keifer, the other members of 
which are his father, J. Warren Keifer, 
and his brother, William W. Keifer. In 
May, 1898, he was appointed captain of 
the Third United States Volunteer En- 
gineers by President McKinley, was sta- 
tioned successively at Miami, and Jack- 
sonville, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia, 
and saw service in Cuba from December, 
1898, until April, ].899. He was present 
at the evacuation of Havana by the Span- 
ish, January 1, 1899. He served on the 
staff of his father. General J. Warren 
Keifer, and was mustered out April, 1899. 
He had been Major of the Third Ohio Na- 
tional Guards since November, 1904. Mr. 



Keifer was married in April, 1902, to 
Mary Wilson, a daughter of T. B. Wilson, 
of Madison County, Ohio. 



WILLIAM E. CARTMELL, one of the 
leading and representative citizens of 
New Moorefield, Moorefield Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and owner of a valu- 
able farm of one hundred and fifty acres 
situated near Catawba, Pleasant Town- 
ship, was born May 1, 1851, near Catawba, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
Thomas and Amanda (Fisher) Cartmell. 

Thomas Cartmell was born in Virginia 
and when a small boy came to Clark 
County, Ohio, vnth his father, John Cart- 
mell, who located in Pleasant Township, 
where he was reared to manhood and mar- 
ried. Thomas Cartmell married Amanda 
Fisher and reared a family of thirteen 
children. 

William B. Cartmell was reared near 
Catawba and received his education in 
the schools of the county and became a 
farmer by occupation, which he has since 
followed with considerable success. He 
was joined in marriage on February 3, 
1874, to Mary Ferguson, who was born 
near Catawba, and is a daughter of 
Joseph and Jane (Neer) Ferguson, both 
deceased, the father dying in August. 1849, 
when she was but eight months old. Her 
mother died in 1905 at the advanced age 
of eighty-five years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Cartmell first went to 
housekeeping in Moorefield Township, 
but subsequently moved to Catawba, 
Pleasant Township, where they resided 
for several years, and in 1887 came to 
New Moorefield, where they had previous- 
ly bought their property and have resided 



782 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



here contimiously since. In 1897 Mr. 
Cartmell purchased his farm of one hun- 
dred and fifty acres in Pleasant Township, 
but has never resided on it. In 1893 he 
became superintendent of the Warder 
farms — 11 farms, then belonging to B. H. 
Warder of Washington, D. C, and consist- 
ing of over two thousand acres of land, 
ten of which are located in Spring-field 
and Moorefield Townships, Clark County, 
and one in Champaign County, Ohio. For 
a period of fourteen years Mr. Cartmell 
acted as superintendent of these farms, 
all of which, but one, have been sold. Mr. 
Cartmell is a member and trustee of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church of New 
Moorefield. 



JOHN ARTHUR RICHARDS, a rep- 
resentative citizen of Springfield Town- 
ship, residing about four miles east of 
Springfield, was born March 6, 1830, in 
Virginia, and is a son of Edward and 
Jane (Benson) Richards. 

Edward Richards was a native of Vir- 
ginia. He came to Clark County, Ohio, 
July 2, 1S36, where he died in September, 
1857. He married Jane Benson and they 
had eight children, the two survivors be- 
ing: John Arthur, and Margaret, who is 
the wife of Ijuke Bird- 

When John Arthur Richards was about 
sixteen years old he went to live with his 
cousin, Milton Benson, who was a promi- 
nent man at that time, but since deceased. 
Mr. Richards remained with Mr. Benson 
for twenty years. In 1868 he married 
Nancy Jane Bird, who is a daughter of 
Anthony and Jane (Snodgrass) Bird. 
Anthony Bird was born in Virginia and 
was twelve years old when he accompanied 



his father, Luke Bird, to Clark County, 
in 1817. They settled first on the farm 
now owned by J. B. Pearson, where Luke 
Bird died shortly afterward. Anthony 
Bird became a large landowner, acquiring 
almost all of the land east of Springfield 
around the National Turnpike and the 
Taylor Mill Road, the latter of which is 
now known as the Bird Road. At the time 
of his death, Anthony Bird owned two hun- 
dred and forty acres, which was managed 
and operated by his son John S. Bird for 
twenty-five years. Anthony Bird died 
July 3, 1882, his first wife having died in 
1836. Anthony Bird was the father of 
eight children, four by first marriage and 
four by his second marriage, there being 
no children by the third marriage. The 
three survivors are : John S., Luke and 
Mrs. Richards. 

John S. Bird was born on the old Bird 
homestead, seventy-eight years ago. In 
1872 he was married to Almina Carson, 
who died in 1875, leaving one daughter, 
Almina, who married William Scott, of 
Newark, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Scott 
have one daughter, Nellie Irene. The 
Birds have been prominent in the affairs 
of Clark County for a great many years. 
The late Anthony Bird was known as Col- 
onel Bird, having been colonel of State 
militia. He also served many years as a 
justice of the peace. John S. Bird served 
one term as constable, but declined all 
other offices. He is an honored member 
of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Richards. 

Two children were born to John A. 
Richards and wife — Anthony Bird and 
Carrie. Anthony Bird Richards was mar- 
ried (first) to Lizzie Schooley, of Clare- 
mont Coimty, Ohio, who died in 1898, leav- 
ing one child, Miriam. Mr. Richards was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



783 



married, secondly, to Mabel Dickerson. 
Carrie Richards married Robert Park. 
Mr. and Mrs. Park reside with her par- 
ents. 

Formerly, John A. Richards owned 
fifty- three and one-half acres of land 
across the road from his present farm, 
on which he built a fine residence in 1883. 
In 1894 he sold that farm and subsequent- 
ly "erected his present comfortable house. 
Mr. and Mrs. Richards are members of 
the United Presbyterian Church. 



CASSIUS W. MINNICH, owner of an 
excellent tract of one hundred and twen- 
ty acres in Bethel Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, situated eight miles west of Spriag- 
field on the Valley Pike, was born Novem- 
ber 6, 1848, and is a son of John and Caro- 
line (Layton) Minnich. 

Michael and Eva Minnich, Ms paternal 
grandparents, came to Ohio in wagons 
when it was practically a wilderness and 
were among the first settlers of this sec- 
tion, where they spent the remainder of 
their lives. They had six children — three 
sons and three daughters. 

John Minnich, the father of Cassius, 
was born here in 1810 and when he grew 
up assisted in clearing the land. Dur- 
ing his life he acquired two hundred and 
thirty acres of land and 'held many im- 
portant township offices, including the 
superintendency of the construction of the 
Valley Pike. He married Caroline Lay- 
ton, a daughter of John and Elizabeth 
Layton, early settlers of this section, and 
to them were born the following children : 
Michael S. ; DeWitt C. ; Cassius W. ; Mary 
E., who married J. M. Latta (both de- 
ceased) ; and Jessie, who married A. E. 

42 



Umphrey. John Minnich died in 1864, 
aged fifty-four years, and his widow sur- 
vived him until 1904, passing away in her 
seventy-ninth year. 

Cassius W. Minnich was born on a farm 
adjoining his present place and his in- 
dustrial energies have been devoted en- 
tirely to agriculture. His education was 
acquired in the district schools and at 
Wittenberg College. In November, 1872, 
he was married to Ida C. Higgins, a native 
of Mad River Township, whose death oc- 
curred in September, 1885. They were the 
parents of three children : Carl ; Kenneth, 
who married Mary Rogers, is a resident 
of Springfield, and has two children, Louis 
and an infant; and Alice. 

Mr. Minnich has served on the school 
board and for the past twelve years has 
l)een a township trustee. He has also for 
the past twelve years been connected with 
the Clark County Agricultural Society. 
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Ma- 
sons—Clark Lodge No. 101 of Springfield 
—and the Knights of Pythias — Mad River 
Lodge No. 374, at Enon. 



JOSEPH F. SNODGRASS, a general 
farmer in Harmony Township, who was 
engaged in a grocery business for some 
five years, during this period being post- 
master, was born in Clark County, Ohio, 
November 27, 1867, and is a son of And- 
rew and Eliza Jane (Foreman) Snod- 
grass. 

Samuel Snodgrass, the great-grand- 
father, came from Virginia to Clark Coun- 
ty, in 1808, and was married here to Jane 
Steel, who was born in Kentucky. Their 
son, William Snodgrass, was born in Clark 
County, where he lived until he was forty 



784 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



years old, when he moved to Indiana. He 
married Sarah Edgar and they had four 
children: John, born in 1838, died aged 
thirteen years; Andrew, born in 1840; 
Nancy J., born in 1842, married David 
Laybonrn, resides in Colorado, and they 
have seven children, Jennie, William, 
Harry, Frank, Charles, Andrew and 
Fannie; and Margaret, born in 1844, mar- 
ried Tobias Bird, resides in Colorado, and 
they have four children, Harry, Delia, 
William and Fred. 

Andrew Snodgrass, father of Joseph F., 
was reared and educated in Clark County. 
At the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861, 
he enlisted from Springfield, in the Six- 
teenth Ohio Battery, and served all 
through the dangers, hardships and pri- 
vations until the close of the war. He 
participated in a number of important 
battles, including Vicksburg, Port Gibson 
and Champion Hill, together with numer- 
ous skirmishes and other engagements, 
and on one occasion on account of injuries 
was remanded to a hospital, in which he 
was compelled to remain for six weeks. 
He is a valued member of the Grand 
Army of the Eepublic. When his honor- 
able discharge reached him at Columbus, 
in 1865, it found a soldier who had ever 
been at the post of duty. In 1872, Andrew 
Snodgrass moved with his family from 
Clark County to Kansas, where he con- 
ducted a stock farm of six hundred acres, 
for five years, after- which he returned to 
Clark County, which has remained his 
home until the present. He married Eliza 
Jane Foreman, in 1867. She was born in 
Clark County and was a daughter of 
Harvey and Mary (Jones) Foreman. The 
four children boi'u to this marriage were : 
Joseph Forest ; Emma, born May 23, 1869, 



mai-ried Mathew Eoy Oates, in 1887, who 
died in 1906; Blanche, who died in in- 
fancy; and Finley, born in 1873, in Kan- 
sas, died aged seven years. 

Joseph F. Snodgrass owns a one-half 
acre of land and has an interest in other 
property in Harmony Township. He was 
married January 18, 1898, to Agnes En- 
sley, who was born in 1878, in Fayette 
County, Ohio. Her parents, Evan and 
Eliza J. (Mooney) Ensley, were formerly 
of Fayette County, but in 1890 they moved 
to Clark County. Mrs. Snodgrass has one 
sister, Carrie P., and one brother, Her- 
man. The former married Samuel Payne 
and they live at Catawba and have six 
children: Bessie, Glen, Paul, Robert, 
Helen and Thomas. Herman, born in 
]880, married Blanche Fisher and they 
have two children, Herman and Allegra 
Wanetta. They reside in Harmony Town- 
sliip. Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass have two 
children, namely : Melville, who was born 
January 20, 1899, and Clark, who was 
born October 18, 1904. Mr. Snodgrass 
was reared in the M. P. Church. He has 
taken a more or less active interest in 
township affairs for some years. 



JAMBS J. KINNANE, who has been 
identified with the business interests of 
Spring-field for the past thirty-eight years 
and is a leading citizen here, was born 
June 22, 1853, at Talbert, in County 
Kerry, Ireland. 

Mr. Kinnane was fifteen years old 
when he came to America and found em- 
ployment in the dry goods house of E. 
B. Nugent, at Louisville, Kentucky, where 
he remained for one year. He then came 
to Spring-field, where his brothers were 








BENJAMIN F. KEIFER 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



787 



established in business. In 1869 the 
brothers — James J., Edward, Daniel and 
John Kinnane — embarked in a dry goods 
business in Springfield, under the firm 
name of Kinnane Brothers, f oixading what 
is the oldest business house in this sec- 
tion. The business was conducted under 
that style until 1893, when it was incor- 
porated under the present name,, The Kin- 
nane Brothers Company. Edward Kin- 
nane was the first president and was suc- 
ceeded by John Kinnane, who was in turn 
succeeded by the latter 's son, John J. 
Kinnane, Jr. He is a graduate of Johns 
Hopkins University and is an exception- 
ally bright young business man. James 
J. Kinnane is the only survivor of the 
original firm and still continues his in- 
terest in the business, which has been de- 
veloped into one of the largest dry goods 
and department stores in Clark County. 
Employment is given to about 140 people 
and 64,000 square feet of floor space is 
utilized. James J. Kinnane was married 
to Olive CofBn, who is a daughter of E. 
G. Coffin. 



BENJAMIN F. KEIFER, who up to 
his death on December 5th, 1907, was one 
of Mad River Township's most respected 
citizens, was a life-long resident of Clark 
County, where he was born April 22, 1821. 
His parents were Joseph and Mary 
(Smith) Keifer. 

Joseph Keifer was born near Sharps- 
burg, Washington County, Maryland, in 
1784. He came to Ohio in 1812 and short- 
ly afterward was married, in Clark Coun- 
ty, to Mary Smith, who was born near the 
site of the present city of Cincinnati. 
Joseph Keifer secured a farm in Bethel 



Township, on which he resided until his 
death, which took place when he was sixty- 
six years old. His widow subsequently 
removed to Yellow Springs, where she 
died at the age of seventy-nine. Their 
children who attained maturity were Mar- 
garet, Sarah, Benjamin Franklin, Eliz- 
abeth, Lucretia Minerva, J. Warren, and 
Cordelia. 

Benjamin Franklin Keifer grew to man- 
hood on the home farm and obtained a 
district school education in the old log 
schoolhouse near his father's farm. He 
resided on the parental homestead until 
several years after his marriage, and then 
removed to a farm on the National Road, 
where he remained two years. In 1852 
he bought one hundred acres of the pres- 
ent family homestead from Joseph Sipe, 
and to this he later added until he had ac- 
cmnulated almost four hundred acres, 
which he placed imder careful cultivation. 
His attention was confined almost entirely 
to agricultural interests, in which line of 
industry he was very successful. The es- 
tate which he thus built up is now one of 
the most valuable in Mad River Township, 
and comprises three hundred and ninety- 
five acres of well improved land. 

On March 22, 1846, Mr. Keifer was 
united in marriage with Amelia F. Henkle, 
who died May 1, 1873. Though she her- 
self was a native of Clark County, Ohio, 
her family came to this state from Vir- 
ginia. She bore her husband eight chil- 
dren, namely: Silas, born March 27, 
1847; Joseph, born March 3, 1850, who 
died January 27, 1852 ; Mary C, born Au- 
gust 15, 1852; Erwin, born November 15, 
1855 ; Montgomery, born October 11, 1858 ; 
Benjamin, born August 3, 1861, who mar- 
ried Ethel Christ; Sarah A., born April 



788 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



17, 1865, who married William Drake; 
and lone, born July 10, 1868. Mr. Keifer 
had the following grandchildren — Wilbur, 
Harold and Ruth Agues Keifer and Marie 
lone and Warren Keifer Drake. 

Mr. Keifer 's political affiliations were 
with the Republican party. He was a con- 
sistent member of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. He was a great reader and 
kept in touch with the general topics of 
the country. 



CHARLES SUMNER BATTIN, prop- 
rietor of the largest tin and plumbing es- 
tablishment of South Charleston is one of 
the leading business men of the city, and 
was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 
1860, a son of Samuel R. and Lydia Ann 
(Winder) Battin. 

Samuel R. Battin is a son of David and 
Sarah Ann (Reeder) Battin, life-long resi- 
dents of Columbiana County, Ohio, who 
were farmers by occupation. He was the 
eldest of a family of two children, having 
one brother, Franklin, who is deceased. 
He was born and reared in Columbiana 
County, Ohio, and engaged in farming 
there until 1874, when he came to Clark 
County, locating on a farm near Selma, 
where he has since continued to reside. 
He married Lydia Ann Winder, a daugh- 
ter of Joseph Winder of Carrol County, 
Ohio, and to them were born four children, 
Charles S., the subject of this sketch, and 
David, b<?ing the only living children. 

C. S. Battin was fourteen years old 
when his parents came to Clark County, 
where his education was obtained. He re- 
mained on the farm near Selma until he 
attained his majority, when he engaged 
as a florist and thus continued for seven 



years. He then established his present 
tin and plumbing business in South 
Charleston, where he has since continued 
with much success. 

Mr. Battin was united in marriage with 
Mary A. Mather, a daughter of John 
Mather of Stark County, Ohio, and they 
are the parents of two children, Leonard, 
who is an employee of the Spring-field Gas 
Company; and Jessie. Politically, Mr. 
Battin is a Repulilican, and fraternally 
a member of the Knights of Pythias. He 
is a member of the Presbyterian Church 
of South Charleston. 



BPHRAIM FRANKLIN HARSH- 
MAN, whose valuable farm of eighty and 
one-half acres is situated in Section 31, 
Springfield Township, lying four miles 
south of Spring-field and running to the 
dividing line of Green Township, was 
born in Beaver Creek Township, Greene 
County, Ohio, November 11, 1849. He is 
a son of John C. and Mary Maria (Miller) 
Harshman. In his younger years John C. 
Harshman was a machinist and a distiller, 
but later acquired three farms in Greene 
County, and on one of these both he and 
his wife died. 

Ephraim F. Harshman was reared and 
educated in Greene County and from 
there moved to Springfield, where he was 
engaged in the hay and feed business for 
about eighteen years. He employed 
from five to six men and ran five two- 
horse teams during this time. In 1895 
Mr. Harshman bought and moved to his 
present farm, which he had rented for 
two years previously. He raises corn, 
wheat, oats and hay and keeps enough 
stock for his own use. 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



789 



Mr. Harshman was married (first) to 
Caroline Kossler and tliey had two chil- 
dren: Walter, residing at Dayton; and 
John Lewis, who died aged three months. 
Mrs. Caroline Harshman died at Spring- 
field in 1881. Mr. Harshman was mar- 
ried, secondly, to Mirtie Sipe and they 
have had three children : Carrie, Gladys 
and Elmer, the last mentioned of whom 
lived only eight months. Mr. Harshman 
has been bereaved of his second wife, her 
death taking place in July, 1906. 



JOHN M. PERRIN, who is a repre- 
sentative of one of the prominent old 
families of Clark County, has always lived 
on the old Perrin farm in Springfield 
Township, on which he has been engaged 
in general farming since 1903. He was 
born on this farm August 30, 1859, and is 
a son of John and Mary (Dunnroush) 
Perrin. 

The father of Mr. Perrin was born on 
the present home farm, where he died 
June 27, 1888. He was a son of John 
Perrin, who was bom in Maryland and 
made his first visit to Clark County on 
horseback in 1803. At that time he re- 
turned to Maryland, but he came back in 
1806 and invested in a section of land, 
this farm being a part of the same. His 
son, John Perrin, also owned a number of 
valuable tracts of land in different sec- 
tions and for a number of years entrusted 
all of his business to his son, John M. He 
married Mary Dunnroush, who died 
August 14, 1907, aged eighty- two years. 
They had the following children: Mar- 
garet Amelia; Elnora, who married Dr. 
Edgar Studebaker ; John M. ; Mary Belle ; 
Mina; and Lavinia and Katherine, who 



are now deceased. In 1902 John M. Per- 
rin was married to Minnie Cox, who is a 
daughter of David Cos, and they have one 
son, to whom has been given the family 
name of John. Mrs. Perrin died January 
20, 1908. Mr. Perrin is identified with the 
Knights of Pythias. 



ROBERT A. TINDALL, who resides 
on a part of the old Tindali homestead in 
Grreen Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
comes of a prominent old family of this 
section. He was bom February 7, 1875, 
and is a son of Robert and Abia (Hart- 
well) Tindali and grandson of Thomas 
and Sarah (Waller) Tindali. 

Thomas Tindali and wife were both 
natives of Yorkshire, England, and after 
their marriage came to the United States 
about 1816. After landing in New York 
they made their way to Cincinnati, also 
visited in Cleveland a short time, then 
came on to Clark County, Ohio, where 
they spent the remainder of their days. 
They were parents of nine children, as 
follows: George, who was accidentally 
killed by a horse at the age of twenty 
years; Charles; John; Nancy; Susan; 
Robert; Margaret (Bates), of Louisa 
County, Iowa; Mary (Holloway), of 
Greene County, Ohio; and Ella (Miller), 
of York County, Nebraska. All of this 
family grew to maturity. 

Robert Tindali was bom in Green 
Township June 25, 1825, and as a youth 
had few educational advantages. At the 
age of fifteen years he began working out 
by the day or month, making it a point to 
save what he could of his wages. At the 
age of thirty he rented a farm and also 
engaged in buying and shipping stock, and 



790 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



by economical living was, at the age of 
thirty-five years, able to purchase 175 
acres of land in Green Township. He 
farmed extensively and raised a great 
deal of stock, and as his business affairs 
prospered he added to his farm until he 
was possessed of 641 acres of valuable 
land. In 1879 he built a large and com- 
modious home, in which he lived until his 
death, which resulted from an accident in 
which he was trampled upon by a horse, 
November 21, 1907. 

Robert Tindall was married April 12, 
1865, to Miss Abia Hartwell, who was 
bom in Madison Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and was a daughter of William 
and Abia Hartwell, who originally came 
from Cincinnati. They were parents of 
the following children : Herbert D., who 
was born January 5, 1866, lives on the 
home farm; Carrie A., born July 7, 1867, 
died August 16, 1905. She married 
Joseph Conable, of Memphis, Tennessee, 
and left two children: Olive, born July 
2, 1894, and Abbie, who was born August 
16, 1896; Olive, born April 13, 1869, died 
May 25, 1886; Lucy, born January 18, 
1871, died August' 11, 1882; William, 
born November 16, 1873, is an electrician, 
residing in Memphis, Tennessee; and 
Robert A. Robert Tindall cast his first 
vote for Zachary Taylor in 1848, and 
voted for John C. Fremont in 1856, and 
thereafter was unswerving in his support 
of the Republican party. 



DAVID EDWARD WEST, owner of 
seventy-two acres of well improved farm- 
ing land, situated in Mad River Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, was born in 
Springfield, Ohio, September 2, 1877, and 



is a son of Lewis and Anna (Gordon) 
West. 

David West, the grandfather of David 
Edward, came to Springfield from Old- 
town, Greene County, Ohio, in 1837, where 
he opened a carriage shop. In 1885 he 
built the present twelve-room house now 
oAvned by his son, and died there in 1901, 
aged eighty-six years. He was married 
to Mary McClure, who was born in 1829, 
and died in 1898, and to them were born 
five children: Louis, deceased, Jeffer- 
son, deceased; William, a resident of 
Springfield ; Edward, deceased. Jeffer- 
son McClure was a large landowner, hav- 
ing at one time a tract of 1,000 acres in 
Clark County. 

Louis West, father of David Edward, 
was born in 1857, on High Street, Spring- 
field, Ohio, when that place was little 
more than a village. He was married 
there to Anna Gordon, who was an adopt- 
ed daughter of Phillip Wooleston, and 
three children were born of this union: 
Rose, who married William Rich, resides 
in Cincinnati; Ray, deceased; and David 
E. Louis West died in 1879, when only 
twenty-two years of age, and his wife died 
in the same year, aged twenty-one years. 
After the death of his father, David E. 
West went to live with his Grandfather 
West, and at the age of seven years they 
moved to his present farm, which he sub- 
sequently inherited. 

Mr. West was married July 4, 1899, to 
Anna Leffel, a daughter of Fred and 
Maggie (Ludlow) Leffel. Mr. and Mrs. 
West have had three children: Lucille, 
Doris and David. Politically Mr. West 
is an adherent of the Republican party, 
and is fraternally associated with the F. 
O.E. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



791 



The late Fred Leffel, father of Mrs. 
West, was born May 14, 1845, near 
Springfield, Ohio. His grandfather, An- 
thony Left'el, came to Ohio from Pennsyl- 
vania, in early days, and finally located 
in Springfield, where he died, aged eighty- 
six years. He had seven children, a num- 
ber of whom came with him from Penn- 
sylvania. Samuel, grandfather of Mrs. 
West, was a boy of seven years when he 
came to Springfield, which was then a 
small village, and he often told of pulling 
corn out of the mud, in what is now the 
Square. He subsequently became a farm- 
er and also worked as a carpenter. 
Samuel LefCel married Elizabeth Baker, 
who was born near Enon, and to them 
were bom the following children: Fred; 
Daniel, deceased; Agnes, who married 
William Mort, deceased; Abigail, who 
married Samuel Nye; Samuel; and 
Josephine, who married J. E. McClure. 

Fred Leffel married Maggie Ludlow, 
who is a daughter of George and Eliza- 
beth (Hammond) Ludlow. They have 
had seven children : Nellie, who married 
James Huckins ; Edith, deceased, was the 
wife of Charles Snyder ; George ; Charles ; 
Maud, deceased; Anna; and Abraham. 
Mrs. Leffel makes her home with D. E. 
West and wife. Mr. Leffel was a member 
of the order of Foresters, and was a Ee- 
publican in politics. 



was for a great many years emigrant 
agent for the Atchison & Topeka Eailroad 
Company. He died in Springfield in 1890. 

James A. Linn was reared and educated 
in Springfield and early in life engaged 
in the coal and ice business, beginning at 
the age of nineteen. In 1894 he became 
associated with the Hosterman Publish- 
ing Company as manager of the advertis- 
ing department, acting in that capacity un- 
til 1898, when he organized the Spring- 
field Publishing Company and bought the 
Hosterman Publishing Company. He 
published the Press & Republic and did 
a job printing business until 1903, when 
he sold the newspaper end of the business 
and has since continued the printing busi- 
ness, his firm having been for six years 
the State printers. Mr. Linn was united 
in marriage in January, 1893, to Harriet 
Hosterman, of Springfield, and they have 
four. daughters, namely — Margaret, Har- 
riet, Euth, and Patti. 

Mr. Linn has always taken an active in- 
terest in polities and has been on the Ee- 
publican executive committee for a num- 
ber of years. He was elected auditor in 
November, 1905, assuming the office in 
October, 1906. Fraternally he is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic order, and is religious- 
ly affiliated with the Third Presbyterian 
Church of Spring-field. 



JAMES A. LINN, auditor of Clark 
County and a resident of Springfield since 
1872, was born in Cumberland County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1864 and is a son of the 
late William E. Linn. 

William E. Linn, who was also a native 
of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 



JACOB D. NEFF, trustee of Bethel 
Township and owner of sixty acres of 
farm land situated about twelve miles 
west of Springfield on the Valley Pike, 
is one of the township's enterprising and 
substantial farmers. He was born Decem- 
ber 20, 1864, on the old home farm in 
Wayne Township, Montgomery County, 



792 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Ohio, and is a son of Jacob and Mary 
(Harnish) Neff. 

Jacob Neff, Sr., was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and was 
one of the eldest of a family of eight chil- 
dren, four sons and four daughters. His 
boyhood days were spent in Pennsylvania 
and in 1835 he accompanied his father, 
John Netf, across the mountains to Ohio, 
where the family settled in the wilds of 
Wayne Township, Montgomery County. 
Here he assisted in clearing and cultivat- 
ing the farm which is still in the posses- 
sion of the Neff family. The father's 
death occurred in Clark County at the 
home of his son David. When a young 
man Jacob Neff spent much of his time 
during the winter months in teaming, 
hauling flour from the old Harris Mills 
to Cincinnati. He married Mary Harnish, 
a native of Pennsylvania, and to them 
were born twelve children, as follows: 
John, who died in infancy; Amos, who 
died aged sixteen years ; Albert, who died 
aged twenty-eight years; Hetty, who is 
the wife of C. K. Brenner; Elizabeth; 
Frank; MoUie, the wife of Dr. C. A. Herr; 
Jacob D, subject of this sketch; Emma, 
who married Jacob Tippy ; Henry ; Chris- 
topher ; and one unnamed, who died in in- 
fancy. Mr. and Mrs. Neff both died on 
the old home place in Montgomery Coun- 
ty, the latter passing away first, at the 
age of sixty-five years, the former surviv- 
ing her one year, his death occurring at 
the age of eighty-one years. 

Jacob D. Neff was reared on the old 
home farm in Wayne Township, Mont- 
gomery County, and his primary educa- 
tion, which was received in the district 
schools, was supplemented by a course of 
study at the Miami Business College of 



Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Neff remained at home 
until attaining his majority, when he 
spent some eighteen months in Osborn, 
Ohio, working in various stores. In 1890 
he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he 
spent seven years in the employ of J. B. 
Hartman & Son, who operated a grocery 
and market. Since March, 1898, he has 
been residing on his present farm of six- 
ty acres, which he inherited from his fa- 
ther, and where he is successfully efx- 
gaged in general farming. Mr. Neff 
grows six acres of tobacco every year. 

He was united in marriage June 20, 
1897, with Blanche Huffman, a daughter 
of Charles and Barbara (Flick) Huffman, 
of Hancock County, Ohio, and to them 
have been born two children — Helen and 
Orran. Politically, Mr. Neff is a Eepub- 
lican and he was elected trustee of Beth- 
el Township in the spring of 1903, to 
which office he was re-elected in. the fall 
of 1907. Fraternally he is a member oT 
the Knights of Pythias, Osborn Lodge 
No. 379. 



LEWIS J. LAYBOUEN, residing on 
his valuable farm of 157 acres, which is 
situated in Section 7, Springfield Town- 
ship, was born in Clark County, Ohio, 
September 15, 1846, and is a son of James 
and Mary (Skillings) Laybourn. 

The great-grandfather, Christopher 
Laybourn, came to America with his fam- 
ily, from England, settling in Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1820, and establishing the 
first nursery ia the county. He lived to 
the age of ninety-seven years, three 
months and twenty-three days. Joel Lay- 
bourn, grandfather to Lewis J., was a 
young man when his father settled in 



^^^^^Bpt 41% 11 




■ 


W^^^b^ 


1^ 




^pt^^^l 




H 




«L(»'^i . -T , J'X.^ 





MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM R. GORDON 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



795 



Clark County. He engaged in farming in 
Green Township and there James Lay- 
bourn was born and reared and was sub- 
sequently married to Mary Skillings. 
They had four children, namely: Will- 
iam H., who is deceased ; Lewis J. ; Zeru- 
iah (deceased), who was the wife of Dr. 
W. P. Madden; and Sarah, who married 
Thomas Nave, who resides at Spring-field. 

Lewis J. Laybourn has carried on farm- 
ing ever since he grew to manhood. He 
began to farm on his own land when he 
bought 240 acres lying in Madison and 
Green Townships, where he lived for 
twelve years, then moving to his present 
farm in Springfield Township. He re- 
tains his other land and is one of the ex- 
tensive farmers of the country. He pays 
considerable attention to the growing of 
corn and wheat, rotating those cereals 
with clover and grass. Mr. Laybourn has 
a thorough understanding of the princi- 
ples of agriculture and has an equipment 
that enables him to carry it on according 
to the most approved and successful 
methods. 

Mr. Laybourn married Jennie Bird, 
who was reared in Springfield Township 
and is a daughter of Herbert H. Bird. 
They had one daughter, Mary B., who is 
the wife of Myron Beckman, residing at 
Hamilton, Ohio. Mrs. Laybourn died 
December 24, 1886. 



WILLIAM E. GORDON, a prominent 
citizen and farmer of Bethel Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, has a valuable farm 
of 184 acres located on both sides of the 
National Pike about two and a half miles 
west of Springfield. He was born on his 
father's farm in that township, in a rude 



log cabin of the pioneer type, on Febru- 
ary 14, 1850, and is a son of William and 
Delilah (Miller) Gordon. William Gor- 
don, Sr., was born in Virginia and was 
quite young when his parents moved to 
Ohio, making the trip in wagons. He was 
one of seventeen children bom to Eich- 
ard and Anna (Garst) Gordon, of which 
large family each member grew to ma- 
turity and reared a family except one, a 
daughter who died at the age of seventeen 
years. Mrs. Gordon died when the sub- 
ject of this sketch was a child. 

William Gordon grew up on his father's 
farm in the woods of Bethel Township, 
and after arriving at maturity bought a 
tract of timberland adjoining the home 
place, from which he took hundreds of 
dollars worth of timber, although it was 
of little value in those days. He became 
a prosperous farmer and owned at the 
time of his death some 216 acres of land. 
He died in 1890, at the age of eighty-five 
years, and was preceded to the grave 
many years by his wife, who died during 
the war at the age of fifty-two years. In 
maidenhood Delilah Miller, she was born 
in Pennsylvania and was a small girl 
when her father, Daniel Miller, moved to 
Ohio with his family, locating in Bethel 
Township. She became the mother of 
twelve children, namely: Henry, who 
served in the One Hundred and Fifty- 
third Eegiment, O. V. I., during the Civil 
War; Harrison, who was a member of the 
One Hundred and Fifty-third Eegiment, 
0. V. I. ; Ezra, also a member of the One 
Hundred and Fifty-third Eegiment, 0. V. 
I. ; Oliver, a member of the Ninety-fourth 
Eegiment, 0. V. I., who was killed at 
Chattanooga, Tennessee; Allen, who is 
now deceased; William Eoss, subject of 



796 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



this article; David Scott; Phoebe (Hens- 
lee) ; Sarah, widow of Charles Kline, who 
married, secondly, IJ. J. Tavorite; Eliz- 
abeth; Eliza; and Rosetta. The three 
last named died in infancy. 

William Ross Gordon was reared on 
the home farm and attended the old log 
school-house in the home district, and af- 
terwards the brick school-house which re- 
placed it. When about twenty years of 
age he started out in the world for him- 
self, and it is to his credit that the com- 
petency he now enjoys was earned by the 
sweat of his brow. He first worked in a 
stone quarry for Albert Holcomb for four 
years, and by saving his money was able 
at the end of that time to purchase a tract 
of seven acres, the foundation of his pres- 
ent fine farm in Bethel Township. He 
erected a small residence, which has since 
been replaced by a larger and more com- 
modious one, and as he prospered in his 
business he added from time to time 
small tracts of six and seven acres until 
he had a good-sized farm. In his earlier 
days he followed truck gardening,selling 
his produce at the old market in Spring- 
field, and it proved a remunerative bus- 
iness. Early in. the eighties he began 
dairying and has continued it since with 
good results, for many years running a 
wagon in Springfield. He is a successful 
business man and enjoys the respect and 
confidence of his neighbors and acquaint- 
ances to a marked degree. 

On April 15, 1873, Mr. Gordon was 
united in marriage with Sarah Ann Gris- 
so, a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth 
Grisso of Springfield Township, and they 
have four children: Alma Jane, wife of 
William Pfeifer, who has two children — 
Sarrold and Martha; Ina J., who is in 



Chicago being trained for missionary 
work; George, who married Myrtle Bod- 
kin, and Clinton, who married Sadie Hard- 
acre. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon belong to the 
Baptist church, of which the former has 
been deacon and treasurer for eighteen 
years. He is a Republican in politics. 



SIDNEY GRANT BAKER, who in 

partnership with his brother operates the 
Baker Brothers' general store of Dialton, 
is one of the leading business men of the 
village and was bom June 22, 1872, on his 
father's farm in Pike Township, Clark 
County, Ohio. He is a son of Samuel and 
Melinda (Jenkins) Baker. 

Samuel Baker was born December 10, 
1830, near Lawrenceville, German Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, and when about 
six weeks old his father, Martin Baker, 
who came from Virginia at a very early 
period and located in German Township, 
Clark County, removed to near Dialton, 
where the remainder of his life was spent. 
Here Samuel followed threshing for a 
number of years, using a horse-power ma- 
chine, and was also engaged in making tile 
for some years. He served four years in 
the army, enlisting in the Forty-fourth 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and also in the 
Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and par- 
ticipated in numerous important engage- 
ments, among them the battles of Gettys- 
burg and Martin's Ferry. Samuel Bak- 
er was married September 26, 1871, to 
Melinda Jenkins, a native of German 
Township and a daughter of David and 
Elizabeth Jenkins, the former of whom 
died at the age of forty-six years, the lat- 
ter living to the advanced age of eighty 
years. Four children were born to Sam- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. , 



797 



uel and Melinda Baker, namely: Viola 
(Mrs. Clinton Huffman), and Sidney 
Grant, who were twins ; and Asa M. and 
Charles 0., who were also twins. Samuel 
Baker was always a very successful farm- 
er and at the time of his death, which oc- 
curred September 26, 1903, was the own- 
er of over 300 acres of fine farming land. 
He is survived hy his widow. 

Sidney Grant Baker was reared on his 
father's farm and received his education- 
al training at the district schools of the 
township, later attending Nelson's Busi- 
ness College for two winters. On March 
1, 1898, he purchased his present business 
from Baisinger and Smith and conducted 
it for one year, when he formed a partner- 
ship with his brother Asa M., and has 
since operated the business under the firm 
name of Baker Brothers. Baker Broth- 
ers' general store is recognized as one of 
the leading business enterprises of the 
village of Dialton and enjoys an extensive 
patronage from the residents in this lo- 
cality. 

Mr. Sidney G. Baker was married Sep- 
tember 26, 1900, to Olive 0. Overholtz, a 
daughter of Jonas and Laura (Hupp) 
Overholtz, who reside near Lawrence- 
ville, German Township. Mrs. Baker has 
one sister, Lena, who married W. Circle. 
Mr. and Mrs. Baker have one child, Lu- 
cille Irene, born July 19, 1902. 

Politically Mr. Baker is a Republican 
and has served a year as central commit- 
teeman. He and his wife are both mem- 
bers of the Reformed Church, of which 
he is a deacon, being also superintendent 
of the Sunday-school. 

Mr. A. M. Baker was married Febru- 
ary 17, 1904, to Mary E. Spence, daugh- 
ter of G. A. and Mary Spence, whose 



sketch appears in this work. Mr. Baker 
and wife have two children — ^Corene, born 
January 25, 1905, and Willard, born June 
8, 1907. 



STEVEN D. SNYDER, who is engaged 
in general farming and stock-raising on 
a fine farm of 1871/2 acres located on the 
Jordon Pike in German Township, was 
born on a farm April 27, 1865, and is a 
son of Eh and Sophia (Maxon) Snyder. 

Felty Snyder, grandfather of Steven 
D., came from Pennsylvania at a very 
early period and entered a quarter section 
of land, which is now owned by our sub- 
ject. He was married after coming to 
German Township and followed farming 
the rest of his life. He has two surviv- 
ing children, Mrs. Rebecca McMillen and 
Peter Snyder. 

Eli Snyder was born in the house that 
is now occupied by his son, Steven D. Sny- 
der, and which has since been moved near- 
er the road. He lived at home until com- 
ing of age, and then went to the gold fields 
of California, remaining there for six 
years. Upon his return home he was mar- 
ried to Sophia Maxon, who was born and 
reared west of Northampton, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio. They became the parents of 
eight children, whose records in brief are : 
Lydia (Mrs. McCuddy) ; Mrs. Sarah Do- 
mer; Steven D., subject of this article; 
Felty Valentine, who died in early man- 
hood; Rebecca (Mrs. Unverzagt) of Ger- 
man Township; Clarke, who died in in- 
fancy; Ida (Mrs. Purtt) ; George, who is 
a resident of Chicago, 111. ; and John, who 
died in infancy. Eli Snyder died about 
1876 and his wife in 1874. 

Steven D. Snyder was an infant when 



798 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



his parents came to Ms present farm, and 
he has always lived here, with the excep- 
tion of five years, when his father moved 
to the vicinity of Northampton. His 
mother died when he was nine years old, 
and two years later his father's death oc- 
curred, after which he came to live with 
his uncle, Valentine Snyder, who died De- 
cember 5, 1904. Mr. Snyder has lived here 
ever since and has followed farming and 
stock-raising with much success. He was 
joined in marriage October 1, 1895, with 
Mrs. Otilda (Helman) Laird, a widow 
and a daughter of Ernest Helman. Mr. 
and Mrs. Snyder have two children — • 
Mary Sophia, and Edgar Louis. Mr. 
Snyder is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias, and the White Star Lodge No. 
292. 



JOHN H. WISE is a prosperous agri- 
culturist, residing on his well developed 
farm of 212 acres, which is situated in 
Section 7, Spring-field Township, and Sec- 
tion 12, Green Township, on the dividing 
line between Springfield and Green Town- 
ships. Mr. Wise was bom August 18, 
1872, on the farm on which he lives, and 
is a son of Lewis and Melinda (Hatfield) 
V/ise. 

Lewis Wise was born on his father's 
farm, in Madison Township, near Selina, 
Clark County, Ohio, and was a son of 
Jesse Wise, who was born in Virginia 
and was an early settler in Madison Town- 
ship. Lewis Wise married Melinda Hat- 
field, who was a daughter of James Hat- 
field. Her grandfather settled on the 
farm John H. Wise now owns, in 1807, 
and it remained in the Hatfield family un- 
til it was purchased by Lewis Wise. He 



moved on the farm in 1856 and resided 
here until his death, which took place 
February 20, 1906, when he was seventy- 
seven years old. His wife passed away 
September 26, 1892. They had six chU- 
dren, namely: Charles F., residing in 
Green Township; James H., deceased; 
Minnie E., who married J. A. Tucker; 
John H. ; and Alice and Joseph, the eld- 
est two, who died young. 

John H. Wise was reared on the farm 
he has always resided on, with the excep- 
tion of from 1901 to 1906, when he lived 
on his Green Township land. He attend- 
ed the country schools and has devoted 
his attention exclusively to agricultural 
pursuits. Mr. Wise married Edna Morn- 
ingstar, who is a daughter of Christopher 
and Margaret Morningstar, residents of 
Harmony Township. They have four 
children, namely, Alice, Olive, Mildred 
and DorothJ^ 



HAREY G. WRAIGHT, president of 
the Board of County Commissioners of 
Clark County, and one of Springfield's 
highly respected citizens, was born in Do- 
ver, England, in 1856, and at the age of 
six years came to America and settled at 
Westfield, Chautauqua County, New York. 
Here he was reared to manhood and edu- 
cated in the common schools, after which 
he went to Corry, Pennsylvania, and 
learned the painter's trade, remaining 
there four years. In 1874 he came to 
Springfield and worked for seven years 
in the Lagonda Agricultural Shops, after 
which he engaged in business for himself, 
as a general painting contractor. He 
continued at this occupation until 1900, 
when he became district manager for the 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



799 



Federal Life Insurance Company of Chi- 
cago, having under his control Cham- 
paign, Greene, Miami and Clark Counties, 
which position he still retains. 

Mr. Wraight has always taken an active 
interest in politics and in November, 1905, 
was elected a member of the Board of 
County Commissioners of Clark County, 
assuming the duties of that office in Sep- 
tember, 1906. Since September, 1907, he 
has served as president of the board and 
was for about sixteen years a member of 
the Eepublican Central Committee. He 
was also for a number of years a member 
of the Executive Committee and served 
three years as a trustee of the Board of 
Water "Works. 

Mr. Wraight was married first in 187S 
to Susie Koepge, who died in 1895. He 
was married second in 1897 to Lilly M. 
Hensler of Springfield and of this union 
has been born one son, Henry L. Wraight. 
Fraternally Mr. Wraight is a member of 
the Anthony Lodge, F. & A. M. ; Eed Star 
Lodge No. 205, K. of P., of which he is 
a charter member, and is also a member 
of the Uniform Eank No. 44. 



formerly engaged in farming in the north- 
ern part of Clark County and later bought 
land in Illinois. He had eleven children. 
Joseph Hicks and wife went to Ogle Coun- 
ty, Illinois, but returned to Ohio during 
the infancy of their son, and when he was 
three years old, came to the present farm 
in Spring^eld Township. This has been 
the home of J. William Hicks ever since, 
with the exception of three years spent in 
Springfield. The children of Joseph 
Hicks and wife were: Ella, deceased at 
thirteen years ; Carrie, also deceased, who 
married William Eock; J. William; and 
Joseph Edward, residing in Springfield. 
In August, 1887, Mr. Hicks was mar- 
ried to Fannie May Lefever, who is a 
daughter of Daniel Lefever, and they 
have two children: Wilbur Eussell and 
Harry Sheaff. In addition to general 
farming Mr. Hicks keeps from sixteen to 
eighteen cows and sells his milk whole- 
sale. For about eight years he ran a 
wagon, but finds it more profitable to 
adopt modern methods of disposing of the 
milk. He is a practical, enterprising busi- 
ness man, and personally stands very 
high in the regard of his communitv. 



J. WILLIAM HICKS, a general farm- 
er in Spring-field Township, cultivating 
150 acres of land situated in Section 2, 
was born in Ogle County, Illinois, April 
6, 1864, and is a son of Joseph and Emily 
(Sheaff) Hicks. 

Joseph Hicks was born at Beading, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William 
Hicks, who died when Joseph was abotit 
seven years of age. His mother came to 
Clark County with her children and later 
became a resident of Dayton. The ma- 
ternal grandfather was John Sheaff, who 



JOHN A. WILKINSON, a well known 
citizen and prosperous farmer of Madison 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a val- 
uable farm of 200 acres lying just south- 
west of South Charleston. He was born 
in Ashtabula, Ohio, June 1st, 1847, and 
is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Mitch- 
ell) Wilkinson. The Wilkinson family is 
of the English nobility, and but two gen- 
erations of this branch of the family have 
been located in America. The grandfath- 
er of the subject of this sketch was Lord 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Harry Wilkinson, who lived in England 
all his life. 

Henry Wilkinson, father of John A., 
was born in England and spent his early 
manhood there. Before his marriage he 
came to America and engaged in farming 
near Ashtabula, Ohio, where he became an 
extensive landowner. He married Eliza- 
beth Mitchell, also a native of England, 
and they became parents of seven chil- 
dren, four of vdiom are living, namely: 
Joseph, Eichard, John A. and Martha 
Jane. Those deceased are Henry, Eliza- 
beth and Margaret. 

John A. Wilkinson grew to maturity at 
Ashtabula, Ohio, and lived at home until 
he was twenty years of age, when the fam- 
ily was broken up by the demise of both 
parents. After a time he purchased and 
moved to his present farm of 200 acres 
near South Charleston and has followed 
farming and stock-raising here since. He 
is a man of ability and has attained a high 
degree of success in his chosen occupa- 
tion. 

Mr. Wilkinson was joined in marriage 
with Elizabeth, a daughter of Thomas 
and Elizabeth Haley, and they have had 
three children born to them, John E., 
Minnie B. and Thomas Henry, the last 
mentioned being now deceased. In pol- 
itics Mr. Wilkinson is unswerving in his 
support of Democratic principles. He is 
a member of the Episcopal Church, while 
his wife is a consistent member of the 
Presbyterian. 



J. MILTON EUNYAN, one of the 
leading citizens of Pleasant Township, 
carries on general farming and raises 
horses and mules extensively on his farm 



of 440 acres, which is all in one body. He 
was born in Clark County, Ohio, June 20, 
1841, and is a son of Henry and Rachel 
(Jones) Eunyan. 

The grandparents of Mr. Eunyan, 
Abraham and Sophia Eunyan, were 
among the Virginia pioneers who settled 
in Clark County in 1815. The burial of 
Sophia Eunyan in 1823 was the second 
interment in the Asbury Cemetery. 

Henry Eunyan was born in Clark 
County, in 1809, and died in August, 1891. 
He married Eachel Jones, who was born 
in 1821, and died October 21, 185.3. They 
had ten children born to them, seven of 
whom survived infancy, namely: J. W., 
deceased, who was married to Fidelia 
Wilson, had the following children — Clay, 
Lillian, Frank, Hattie; M. L., deceased, 
was married (i5rst) to Sarah J. Mc- 
Conkey, and |;hey had one child — ^Willie, 
deceased— was married (second) to Eliza 
Valentine, who survives, with their daugh- 
ter, Irene ; J. Milton ; Esther A., who mar- 
ried J. W. Hendricks, has two children, 
Frank and Alfonso; Frank, who was a 
youthful victim of the Civil War, being 
killed at the battle of Louisburg, May 23, 
1862, was the second soldier of Pleasant 
Township to fall; Mahala, who married 
Jesse Tarbutton, has five children, Jessie, 
Earl, Mertie, Claude and Carl; and 
Emma, who married Irwin Graham, has 
two children, Floy and Foster. Henry 
Eunyan was married (second) to Maria 
Chapman and they had three children: 
Charles H., Maria and Cora. Charles H. 
Eunyan, who is postmaster at Catawba, 
married Malissa Melvine and they had five 
children. Maria married S. H. Neer and 
they had one child, Eoss. Cora married 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



801 



Frank McConkey and they have one child, 
Ruskin. 

J. Milton Runyan was educated in the 
public schools and from hoyhood has been 
acquainted with agricultural pursuits. In 
August, 1861, he left his peaceful life on 
his father's farm and enlisted for service 
in the Federal Army, becoming a member 
of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery, and after 
being on the field for a year was taken 
sick and was honorably discharged in 
1862 at Columbus. He re-enlisted, enter- 
ing Company D, One Hundred and Forty- 
sixth Regiment, Ohio National Guards, 
and served the full 100 days and was 
honorably discharged in 1864 at Camp 
Dennison. He has resided on his present 
farm for the past thirty years, engaged 
in a general agricultural line, but paying 
particular attention to raising fine horses 
and mules. By trade Mr. Runyan is a 
miller and for eighteen years he operated 
the old mill which is still standing in this 
section. He remembers that during the 
first year he paid $2.50 and $3.20 for 
wheat per bushel, and even then was able 
to profit by grinding it. This mill was 
one of the first built in Pleasant Town- 
ship. 

On March 4, 1866, Mr. Runyan married 
Mary McClennen, who was born May 22, 
1843, and is a daughter of John and Eliza- 
beth (Ropp) McClennen, of Virginia. The 
McClennen children were : Mary J. ; Eliz- 
abeth, Avho married Milton Arbogast, has 
on child, Creston; Charles, who married 
Malissa Runyan, has ten children ; George, 
who married Dorcas Hodge, has two sons, 
William and Harry; Emma, deceased, 
who married William Longbrake, had 
four children. 

Mr. and Mrs. Rimyan have had seven 



children: Arthur, Clarence, Edward, 
Percy, Charles, Maud and Walter, the 
latter of whom was born in 1881 and died 
aged four months. Arthur Runyan, re- 
sides at Fairfield, Greene County, Ohio. 
He married Ola Sholty and they have two 
children, Helen and Hazel. Mr. Runyan 
is a graduate of the Ohio Normal Uni- 
versity at Ada, and it was while attending 
there that he met the lady, a teacher, who 
became his wife. Mr. Runyan holds a life 
certificate from both the common and 
high schools of the state. Clarence 
Runyan, who was also educated at the 
university at Ada, married Millie Tav- 
enner and they have two children, Marcus 
and Emma. They reside at Catawba. 
Edward Runyan was also educated at the 
university at Ada and is a school teacher 
in Pleasant Township. Percy Runyan 
also enjoyed university advantages and is 
a teacher. He married Mabel Keesecker 
and they have three children, McK., Philip 
and Marjorie. Charles Runyan was edu- 
cated at Columbus. He married Zelda 
Bumgardner and they have one child, 
Marion. Charles is a teacher in the 
schools at Moorefield. Maud resides at 
home. 

Mr. Runyan is one of the leading Re- 
publicans of Pleasant Township. He has 
served in the office of justice of the peace 
for ten years and has just been re-elected 
to another term of four years. For twen- 
ty-one years he has been a school director 
and at various times he has served in the 
offices of trustee and road supervisor. 
His membership with the Odd Fellows at 
Catawba dates very far back and he has 
held all the offices in the local lodge. Both 
he and wife belong to the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, of which he is a trustee. 



802 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



JESSE TAEBUTTON, one of Pleas- 
ant Township's leading citizens and suc- 
cessful farmers, resides on his valuable 
farm of 132 acres, whicli is all in one body 
and which is devoted to general argicul- 
ture. Mr. Tarbutton was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, October 22, 1844, and is a 
son of Jesse and Abigail (Mowery) Tar- 
button. 

The grandparents of Mr. Tarbutton 
went from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, 
where Jesse Tai'button, the elder, was 
born in 1819. He died in 1860. His wife, 
Abigail Mowery, was born in 1817 and 
died in 1900. They were married in 1837 
and they had six children, namely : Sarah 
A., John E., James H., Jesse, Eli and 
Mary E. Sarah died in infancy. John E. 
served through the Civil War and died in 
1865. James H., who died in 1893, mar- 
ried Sai-ah Given in 1866, and they had 
eleven children: Frank, John, Laura, 
Charles, Lewis, Mary, Norah, Harry, 
Mabel, Willard and one who died in in- 
fancy. Eli, who died in 1899, married 
Ellen Saums and they have three chil- 
dren, Harry, Pearl and Ollie, all of whom 
are married. Mary Ellen, the youngest 
sister of Mr. Tarbutton, was married 
(first) in 1875 to John Sperling and (sec- 
ond) March 11, 1903, to Eli Silvers, and 
died December 6, 1907. 

Jesse Tarbutton, of the above family, 
was reared in Clark County and attended 
the country schools during his boyhood. 
His business has been farming. Since 
1893 he has resided on his present place, 
coming here from another farm after his 
house had been destroyed by fire. He 
saw three years of hard service in the 
Civil War, enlisting in 1862, at Catawba, 
Ohio, in the Ninety-fourth Eegiment, 



Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a private, 
but was soon detailed as a musician. He 
was only a boy of seventeen years at the 
time and fought through two hard battles, 
those of Kentucky Eiver and Perrysville, 
before he had reached his eighteenth 
birthday. He was also in the battle of 
Stone Eiver, was at Chickamauga and 
Lookout Mountain and was one of the 
brave men who helped to gain victory so 
often for G-eneral George H. Thomas. 
During a large part of the time he was a 
drummer and on many occasions his in- 
spiring music put courage into the dis- 
heartened soldiers. On one occasion his 
drum was used for a purpose perhaps 
never before thought of, being converted 
into a ballot box, proving a safe recept- 
acle. This was when the Ohio troops 
were returning from Atlanta, where they 
had marched under General Sherman's 
command, and the election was for the of- 
fice of Governor of Ohio. 

Mr. Tarbutton went through the haz- 
ards and hardships of three years of war 
without being either wounded or taken 
prisoner, but he contracted measles and 
the disease settled in his eyes and finally 
resulted in destroying the sight of the 
left optic. He was under treatment in a 
hospital at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and 
it was during that time that he lost com- 
mand also of his vocal chords to such an 
extent that he could only whisper. He 
finally escaped the discipline of the hos- 
pital and joined his regiment at Ander- 
son Station, Tennessee. He is justly 
proud of the fact that he was one of the 
picked veterans chosen to march with 
General Sherman, being a drummer at 
that time. In that memorable march 
there were 62,000 men, a wagon train of 




MR. AND MRS. JESSE TARBUTTON 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



803 



2,500 six-mule team wagons and 600 am- 
bulances. Mr. Tarbutton enjoyed tbe 
honors paid to the victorious soldiers at 
the grand review at Washington City. 
He received his honorable discharge 
papers at Columbus June 5, 1865, after 
which he returned home and has been a 
quiet, peaceful, useful member of his com- 
munity ever since, proving as capable a 
farmer as he had been courageous as a 
soldier. He has taken an active part in 
public affairs in this section, served one 
term as a township trustee, has been 
school director for eighteen years and has 
served a number of terms as road super- 
visor. 

On March 3, 1870, Mr. Tarbutton was 
married in Clark County to Mahala 
Florence Runyan, who is a daughter of 
Henry and Each el (Jones) Eunyan. She 
was born in Clark County, Ohio, May 16, 
1848. Her full brothers and sisters are : 
Wesley, Luther M., James M., Esther 
Ann, Francis M. and Emeline, and her 
half brother and sisters are : Charles H., 
Lucretia L. and Cora E. 

Mr. and Mrs. Tarbutton have had 
seven children, namely: Jessie, Buddie, 
Eustice, Osco Earl, Myrtle, Claud H. and 
Carl. Both Buddie and Eustice died in 
infancy. Jessie was born October 21, 
1871, married Laurence E. Davisson and 
they have four children: Edwin, born in 
1895; Florence, born in 1897; Eustice, 
born in 1899, and Emily, born 1904. 
Osco Earl, born November 10, 1875, mar- 
ried Emeline Eupert, a daughter of Adam 
and Malinda Eupert, of Champaign 
County, and they have two children: 
Lillian Opal, born December 11, 1898, and 
Eupert Earl, born July 18, 1903. Myrtle 
was born February 3, 1878, was married 

43 



to Howard Wolf in 1904 and they reside 
at Springfield. They have one child, 
Jesse Tarbutton, who was born December 
8, 1906. Claud H., born July 16, 1882, in 
1902 married Ella Lellis. They have had 
two children, and their surviving son, 
Mitchel, was born May 16, 1906. Carl, 
born in January, 1888, was married in 
1906 to Sarah Brown. 

Mr. Tarbutton did not recover his 
speech until some time after his return 
from the array. His family and neigh- 
bors had become accustomed to his con- 
versing in a whisper and when he sud- 
denly discovered his ability to talk as 
loudly as any one, he Avas overwhelmed 
with congratulations, and since that mem- 
orable day he has had no return of the 
paralysis of the vocal chords. He is a 
member of the N. M. McConkey Post No. 
391, Grand Army of the Eepublic. He at- 
tends the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Catawba. 



CLAEENCE W. AEBOGAST, treasur- 
er of Clark County, was born in Spring- 
field, Ohio, April, 1875, and is a son of 
William H. and Elizabeth A. (Willard) 
Arbogast. 

William H. Arbogast was born in 1840 
in Moorefield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and spent his entire life in Spring- 
field, where he was engaged with much 
success in the general contracting busi- 
ness. He was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth A. Willard, who died in June, 
1905, and they reared a family of four 
children, namely: Victor E., who lives in 
Schoenebeck — Elbe, Germany, and has 
charge of the American Eadiator Plant; 
Genevieve M., wife of F. M. Timmins of 



80-t 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Indianapolis; Gertrude M., who teaches 
in the public schools of Springfield; and 
Clarence W., subject of this article. Mr. 
W. H. Arbogast died in 1903 at the age of 
sixty-three years. In politics he was a 
Republican and took an active interest in 
the affairs of his party, serving in 1895 
as a member of the Board of Education. 

Clarence W. Arbogast was reared in 
Springfield and received his educational 
training in the common schools. Early 
in life he entered the Springfield Planing 
Mill as wood turner, remaining there un- 
til 1898, when he became associated with 
C. A. Little in the Hardwood Lumber 
business, operating with considerable suc- 
cess several saw-mills. In September, 
1901, he became assistant treasurer un- 
der P. M. Stewart, acting as such for four 
years, and in November, 1904, was elected 
treasurer of Clark County. He was re- 
elected to that office in November, 1906, 
and is now serving his second term, which 
expires September 1, 1909. Mr. Arbo- 
gast is also treasurer of Springfield Town- 
ship, being the only Republican elected to 
office at that election, and is a teller in 
the American Trust & Savirigs Company. 
In August, 1904, he was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Marie B. Davies of 
Springfield. Fraternally Mr. Arbogast is 
a member of the Masonic order, and has 
attained the degree of Knight Templar. 
He is a member of the High Street Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, and the Y. M. 
C. A. 



JOHN GOODFELLOW, one of the sub- 
stantial and progressive business men of 
Vienna, sole owner of the Enterprise Man- 
ufacturing Company at this point, owns 



also a valuable tract of farming land near 
the village, in Harmony Township. He 
was born in Clark County, Ohio, Septem- , 
ber 10, 1851, and is a son of Thomas and 
Mary (Sexton) Goodfellow. 

Moore Goodfellow, the grandfather of 
John Goodfellow, was the founder of this 
family in Clark County. He was born in 
Ireland, in 1786, and came to America in 
1808, shortly afterward settling in Har- 
mony Township, Clark County, which con- 
tinued to be his home during the remain- 
der of his life. He married Mary Nichol- 
son and they had a large family. 

Thomas Goodfellow, son of Moore and 
Mary Goodfellow and father of John 
Goodfellow, was born in Harmony Town- 
ship, in 1817. In 1842 he married Mary 
Sexton, who was born April 26, 1825, and 
is still living. Thomas Goodfellow died 
in 1893. They had nine children and all 
but the youngest survived infancy. Man- 
ly, the eldest, has never married. John 
was the second in order of birth. Scott 
died, aged forty- two years. Andrew mar- 
ried Amanda Hodge and they have one 
son, Elliott. George was accidentally 
killed by a horse at the age of seven years. 
Alice married William Shoray and they 
have two daughters, Mary and Hattie. 
Dora married D. H. Snaveley and they 
have three children, Mary, Glenna and 
Thomas. Clara married William H. Rob- 
erts and they have two sons. Homer and 
Frank. 

John Goodfellow was reared in Har- 
mony Township and this section has al- 
ways been Ms home, with the exception of 
four years spent in Kansas. In 1898 he 
went west and engaged in a grain and 
feed business at Topeka, Kansas, until 
June, 1902, when he returned to Clark 



AND EEPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



805 



County and resumed farming. In tlie 
spring of 1904, lie entered into partner- 
ship with Dr. E. H. Smith and John Mc- 
Coy, in the organization of a business 
which they carried on under the name of 
the Enterprise Manufacturing Company. 
The partnership continued for three 
years, when Mr. Goodfellow bought Dr. 
iSmith's interest, and on December 11, 
1907, he purchased Mr. McCoy's inter- 
est, since which time he has conducted the 
concern very successfully alone. He em- 
ploys twenty-five girls in the manufactur- 
ing of comforts and produces so excellent 
an article that the demand comes from all 
parts of the country. Prior to entering 
into this industry, while keeping a general 
store, Mr. Goodfellow was impressed with 
the conviction that such a factory might 
be made very remunerative, and has 
proved it to be so. 

On March 1, 1889, Mr. Goodfellow was 
married in Kansas to Helen Sexton, who 
is a daughter of Jonathan and Angeline 
(Dickerson) Sexton, natives of Kentucky. 
Mr. and Mrs. Groodfellow have one son, 
Thomas, who was born April 22, 1895. 

In politics Mr. Goodfellow is a Republi- 
can. For fifteen years he served as treas- 
urer of Harmony Township, for three 
terms as trustee and for a long period was 
a member of the School Board. He be- 
longs to Lodge No. 660, Knights of Pythi- 
as, at Vienna, in which he has passed all 
the chairs and is at present holding the 
office of chancellor commander. 



JOHN H. LINDENMUTH, president 
of the Board of Education and trustee of 
Mad River Township, residing on the 
Michael Spangler farm, was born March 



13, 1855, on a farm in Berks County, Penn- 
sylvania, and is a son of Erastus and Ju- 
lian (Shaffer) Lindenmuth. 

Erastus Lindenmuth was born in Berks 
County, Pennsylvania, and was a son ot 
Michael Lindenmuth, who was born in 
Schuylkill County, in the same state, 
where his parents settled upon coming to 
this country from Germany, their native 
land. Erastus followed farming in Penn- 
sylvania for many years, and in 1874 he 
and his wife, Julian (Shaffer) Linden- 
muth, came to Ohio and settled on a farm 
south of Dayton, where the latter died in 
1876. Erastus Lindenmuth served in the 
Federal army throughout the Civil War, 
and was made corporal of the Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. He and 
his wife were the parents of five children 
— Sarah, who married David Heister, and 
lives in Dayton; Lewis, who is now de- 
ceased; Wilson and Eliza, who are also 
deceased; and John, who is the subject 
of this sketch. 

John H. Lindenmuth was born and 
reared on his father's farm in Berks 
County, receiving his education in the dis- 
trict schools. He had two uncles living in 
Ohio, and having always had a desire to 
visit the west, left home at the age of 
fifteen and went to live with his uncle Hi- 
ram, after whom he was named, and who 
had a farm four miles south of Dayton. 
Two years later he began working out by 
the month on various farms, and he con- 
tinued thus occupied until his marriage, 
December 31, 1879, to Louisa Ochsa. His 
wife was born in New York City, a daugh- 
ter of John and Catherine Ochsa, who 
came from Germany. After his marriage 
Mr. Lindenmuth rented a farm in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, remaining there un- 



806 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



til March, 1891, when he rented the Ben- 
inger farm in Mad Eiver Township, Clark 
County, which property adjoins his pres- 
ent farm. In 1898 Mr. Lindenmnth moved 
to the Michael Spangler farm, where he 
has since been engaged in general farm- 
ing and stock-raising and is one of the 
most successful and prosperous farmers 
of the township. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lindenmuth have reared 
a family of seven children : Walter, who 
married Nellie Grube, and is in the em- 
ploy of the Electric Eailroad at Dayton, 
Ohio; Julia, William, Harry, Grertrude, 
John, and Mabel. Gertrude will graduate 
from the Enon High School in the spring 
of 1908, and Harry graduated from that 
school in 1905. 

Politically Mr. Lindenmuth is a Ee- 
pubhcan. He served as road supervisor 
for six years, was elected a member of the 
school board in 1893, serving in the same 
capacity since, and was made president 
of that body in 1903. He was elected 
township trustee in November, 1907. 
Fraternally Mr. Lindenmuth is associated 
with the Knights of Pythias No. 374 of 
Mad Eiver Township. 



CAPT. JAMES LAMME McKINNEY, 
a life-long resident of this county, resid- 
ing on his finely improved farm of eighty 
acres, located in Bethel Township, Clark 
County, was born on the old home place 
April 29, 1839, and is a son of Cyrus and 
Mehnda Elizabeth (Lamme) McKinney. 

Samuel McKinney, his grandfather, 
came to Clark Coimty with his parents 
from Scotland, locating on the National 
Eoad two miles west of Donellsville. 
Here he married Sarah Forgey and to 



them were born the following children: 
Elizabeth, Pressley, Susan, Miles, Eachel, 
Martha, Cyrus, Eobert, John and Will- 
iam. 

Cyrus McKinney was born in 1814 on 
the home farm one mile west of Capt. 
McKinney 's present residence, where also 
he spent his entire life. He married Me- 
linda Elizabeth Lamme, who was born on 
an adjoining farm, in 1817, and who died 
in 1881, aged sixty-four years. Mr. Mc- 
Kinney 's death occurred in 1870, while he 
was in his fifty-fifth year. Of this union 
were born four children: James L., the 
subject of this sketch; Wilham S. ; Mar- 
tha, who married a Mr. Wise, and Frank 
E. 

James L. McKinney, being the eldest 
child of his parents, much of the hard 
work connected with the clearing of the 
farm fell upon him. His educational ad- 
vantages were of a limited nature, he at- 
tending the old log district school before 
the days of modern school buildings and 
improved methods of instruction. In 1861 
he enlisted in the Sixteenth Ohio Light 
Artillery under Capt. James Mitchell and 
served nearly two years, when he was dis- 
charged owing to sickness. During this 
period he participated in many engage- 
ments, including that of Champion Hills, 
in which his captain was killed. After 
being discharged Mr. McKinney organ- 
ized the Home Guard, of which he was 
elected captain, and when the president 
issued the call for soldiers he again en- 
tered the service, participating in Im- 
boden's and Johnson's Eaids in Virginia 
and serving until the fall of 1864. Upon 
his return to Clark County, Capt. McKin- 
ney was married, November 28, 1865, to 
Elizabeth J. Lowry, a daughter of David 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



807 



and Eliza Jane Lowry. Of this union 
were born three children — Hershell, who 
died in infancy; Garena B., who died aged 
twenty-eight years; and Athella M., who 
married Eev. McDanniel Howsare, and 
has three children, George, Elizabeth Ev- 
elyn, and James E. Captain McKinney is 
a member of the I. 0. 0. F. and of Mit- 
chell Post, G. A. E. 



DAVID BENTON JENKINS, former- 
ly for two terms clerk of German Town- 
shijD, is one of the best-known educators 
of Clark County. He was born in Page 
County, Virginia, March 27, 1865, and is 
a son of Daniel and Barbara Ann (Printz) 
Jenkins. Daniel Jenkins was born in Vir- 
ginia, in which state also he died. In 1852 
he visited Ohio, and in 1856 Illinois, but 
he never resided in any state except that 
of his nativity. He followed the shoe- 
maker's trade. 

David Benton Jenkins attended the 
country schools near his home until he 
was sixteen years old, when, through the 
interest of a cousin, William H. Jenkins, 
he became a resident of Ohio. This cousin 
had lived in Clark County for a time and 
had then gone back to Virginia, but later 
had decided to return to Ohio. He recog- 
nized the fact that in the latter state the 
ambitious young man and eager student, 
David Benton Jenkins, would have better 
chances of success in life; hence he se- 
cui-ed the consent of the youth's father to 
allow him to take David to Ohio. They 
arrived in Clark County, March 7, 1882. 
David went to work for .Jacob Mitzell, 
near Tremont, and with that just man and 
his excellent wife he made his home for 



ten years, winning their confidence and 
affection, and to this day he attributes 
much of his success to their kind interest. 

For two years young Jenkins attended 
school at Tremont City, after which he 
entered the National Normal University 
at Lebanon, Ohio, and for one year he was 
fortunate enough to be under the instruc- 
tion of that able educator. Professor Al- 
fred Holbrook. Prior to this he had 
taught one term of school at Tremont, 
and after returning from the university 
he resumed teaching at the same place. 
He continued in this occupation almost 
continuously from 1884 until 1902, giving 
himself but short periods of rest and not 
really abandoning the educational field un- 
til 1902. During 1890-91 he taught the 
Lawrenceville High School. He has been 
prominently identified -wilth educational 
work all over Clark County and during 
1891 he served as county school examiner. 
Since giving up teaching he has lived on 
his farm. On September 20, 1892, Mr. 
Jenkins was married to Mary Margaret 
Overholser, who is a daughter of Samuel 
and Margaret (Callison) Overholser. 

Politically Mr. Jenkins is a Eepublican. 
From 1894 until 1898 he served most ef- 
ficiently as clerk of German Township, 
being one of the very few members of 
his party who were in office during those 
years. He is a Knight Templar Mason, 
belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, 
Council and Commandery at Springfield. 

He is also a member of the First Con- 
gregational Church of Springfield, Ohio, 
and has been a teacher in the Sabbath- 
school since 1884. 

In June, 1900, he served as census enu- 
merator for German Township. 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



DAVID SHROYER, a representative 
citizen of Pike Township, has a fine farm 
of 110 acres about fifteen miles northwest 
of Springfield. He was- born in Miami 
County, Ohio, a short distance from the 
Clark County line. May 24, 1835, is a son 
of John and Eliza (Rail) Shroyer, and a 
grandson of Thomas Shroyer. 

Thomas Shroyer, the grandfather, was 
born in Maryland and there followed his 
trade as a carpenter. He lived there many 
years after his marriage, then came west 
to Ohio with his family, making the jour- 
ney in wagons. Arriving in Dayton they 
there spent the winter and when spring 
came purchased 170 acres of land in Mia- 
mi County, just west of New Carhsle — 
the farm on which Henry Shroyer now 
lives. They cleared this farm and Thom- 
as made it his home for the rest of his 
life. 

John Shroyer, father of David, was 
born in Maryland and was about fifteen 
years of age when his parents came to 
Ohio. He followed farming throughout 
life and was a very prosperous man, own- 
ing several tracts of land in addition to 
the old home place. He married Eliza 
Rail, who was born in Bethel Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and was a daughter 
of Abraham Rail, who was one of the very 
early pioneers of the county. He made 
the brick, laid the foundation, built the 
walls and plastered the first brick house 
erected in Clark County. His home place 
was the farm on which is located the 
Scarff Nursery. Mr. Shroyer died at the 
age of fifty -four years, and his wife, sur- 
viving him some years, died at the age of 
sixty. , They had nine children, as fol- 
lows: David; Harrison, deceased; Hen- 
ry; Elizabeth, wife of J. P. Meranda, de- 



ceased; Amanda, wife of William Over- 
ton of North Dakota; Mary, who first 
married David Reed, and is now the wife 
of John Slattery of Dayton; John, who 
lives in North Dakota; William F., who 
lives in Wisconsin ; and Sarah Ellen, who 
died at the age of nine months. 

David Shroyer was born in a log cabin 
on the old home place, and received a 
very meager educational training iu the 
old log school of the district. This school, 
like most others of its kind, had a pun- 
cheon floor, and was equipped on three 
sides with slabs fastened to the walls for 
desks, and slab benches, with wooden pins 
for legs. Mr. Shroyer assisted in clear- 
ing the old farm and Kved there until he 
was twenty-six years of age, when he 
came to Clark County, locating on a farm 
in Pike Township. Four years later he 
located on the farm on which his daugh- 
ter now lives, and made that his home un- 
til August, 1893, when he bought of Seth 
Black the farm on which he lives at the 
present time. In his younger days he 
worked to some extent in a stone quarry, 
and at one time operated for three years 
a threshing machine, in which he owned 
a half interest. He has devoted his atten- 
tion to general farming, and success has 
crowned his efforts. He is considered one 
of the substantial men of the township. 

February 17, 1861, Mr. Shroyer was 
joined in marriage with Eliza Jane Jen- 
kins, who came of a prominent Clark 
County family, being a daughter of Dr. 
Wiley Jenkins. They had three children : 
Sarah Ann, who died at eighteen years; 
Ida J., wife of Joseph Lippincott, died. at 
the age of forty years ; and Rebecca, wife 
of Henry Jones, who has two children — 
Bertha and Lona. Mrs. Eliza Shroy- 




MR. AND MRS. JMRILMIAH FROCK 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



811 



er died in 1880, and Mr. Shroyer formed 
a second marital union, March 5, 1899, 
with Adeiia A. Whiting, a daughter of 
Giles and Margaret W. (DeGroot) Whit- 
ing, her father being a native of New 
York, and her mother of New Jersey. 
Her parents were married in New York, 
and went from there to Michigan, and lat- 
er to Xenia, Ohio, where Mr. Whiting con- 
ducted a store for a time and afterward 
a hotel. They then moved to Preble Coun- 
ty, where he died, and after his death 
Mrs. Whiting moved to Franklin, Warren 
County, where the remainder of her days 
were spent. Mrs. Shroyer was one of 
nine children, six of whom grew to matur- 
ity, namely: Mary, William W., Adeiia 
A., Lucy A., Jimius F., and Frances 
Helen. 

Politically Mr. Shroyer is a Democrat 
and has served two terms as supervisor. 
While in discharge of the duties pertain- 
ing to that office he was buried in a gravel 
pit, breaking a leg in three places, and 
after the expiration of his term he de- 
clined to run for the office again. Relig- 
iously he is a member and elder of the 
Reformed Church. 



A. VAN BIRD, county surveyor of 
Clark County, and a well known resident 
of Springfield, was born September 19, 
1857, four miles east of Springfield in 
Springfield Township, and is a son of Si- 
las Van Bird. 

Silas Van Bird was born in Virginia 
and came to Springfield, Clark County, 
Ohio, in 1816. He was a millwright by 
trade, and followed the same for many 
years during his early life, but subse- 
quently located on a farm near Spring- 



field, and was engaged there in farming 
until his death in 1892. 

A. Van Bird was reared in Spring-field 
Township, and attended the district 
schools, later graduating in 1880 from 
Wittenburg College, after which he spent 
much time in traveling. In 1888 Mr. Bird 
was elected township clerk and also as- 
sistant to coimty surveyor William Sha- 
ron, and in 1897, upon the appointment of 
the latter to the Board of Public Service, 
Mr. Bird was appointed county surveyor 
by Judge J. C. Mills and Judge Distin, 
and has since served continuously in that 
capacity. In 1886 Mr. Bird was united 
in marriage with Martha J. Hoffman, and 
they became the parents of two sons and 
two daughters, namely: Laura E., Silas 
Van, Martha M., and Paul S. Mr. Bird is 
a member of the First Baptist Church of 
Springfield. 



JEREMIAH FROCK, one of Clark 
County's most substantial citizens, re- 
siding in a pleasant home at Vienna Cross 
Roads, owns 160 acres of valuable farm- 
ing land in Harmony Township and 203 
acres in Moorfield and Springfield Town- 
ships. He is a native of Ohio and was 
born May 12, 1836. His parents were 
Samuel and Mary Ann (Wient) Frock. 
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Frock, 
Benjamin and Malinda Frock, were 
Maryland people, who came to Ohio in 
1844". 

Samuel Frock, father of Jeremiah, was 
born March 7, 1812. He was married, 
first, to Mary Ann Wient and they had 
six children : Jeremiah, Henry, John and 
Daniel (twins), Amos and an infant. 
Henry was born Jime 12, 1840, and died 



812 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



in 1906. He served for over tliree years 
in the ITnion Army during tlie Civil War. 
In 1865 lie married Martha Clark and 
they had two children, Harry and Frank. 
John and Daniel were born January 6, 
1842. John died in 1861 and Daniel died 
in 1864, while serving as a soldier in the 
Civil War. Amos was born June 7, 1846. 
He married Sarah Pentony and they have 
two children, Pearl and George; they re- 
side in Indiana. The mother of the above 
family died November 15, 1854, and the 
father was married, secondly, to Barbara 
A. Teach, who was born x\ugust 29, 1826. 
They had four children, namely : Samuel, 
born in 1859, who married Emma Stan- 
ford in 1882 and has one child, Maud; 
Fannie J., born in 1856, who married 
Emory White in 1877 and has three chil- 
dren — Arthur, Fred, and Edward; Ed- 
ward, born in 1867, who died in 1904. He 
married Minnie Eathburn in 1890 and 
they had one child, Ellen. The fourth 
child died an infant. 

Jeremiah Frock has been a resident of 
. Clark County since 1859, with the excep- 
tion of three years spent in Illinois prior 
to his marriage. He first rented farming 
land on Mad Eiver. In 1868 he bought 
forty-seven acres of his present farm and 
has kept adding to it until he now owns a 
great amount of property. He has car- 
ried on a large business in raising grain 
and stock and has been one of the largest 
hog-raisers in Clark County. He now 
lives retired at Vienna. In 1864 he en- 
listed at Camp Dennison and served until 
the close of the war as a member of Com- 
pany F, One Hundred and Fifty-third 
Eegim,ent, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His 
main service was in doing guard duty at 
Harper's Ferry and other points, and 



during this period he took part in a num- 
ber of sharp skirmishes. For ten days he 
was confined in a hospital suffering from 
measles, but otherwise he returned un- 
harmed to his home when his services 
were no longer needed. 

On January 16, 1862, Mr. Frock was 
married to Sophia Christina Rudolph, 
who was born August 14, 1844, and who, 
was the only child of John W. and Eliza- 
beth (Baldner) Eudolph. Mrs. Frock's 
father was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, 
and died in 1873. Her mother was born 
in Germany in 1816, and died in August, 
1896. Mr. and Mrs. Frock have had four 
children, as follows : Charles, born in 
1862, married Jessie Walker in 1886, and 
they have one son, Eobert; George Ed- 
ward, born in 1864, lives at Vienna ; Effie 
J., born in 1867, died aged ten years ; and 
Orran, born in 1868, married Minnie 
Shellebarger in 1903, and they reside in 
Clark County. Mr. Frock is of German 
ancestrv. 



WILLIAM H. BITNEE, who is mana- 
ger of the Pure Milk Company at Spring- 
field and the owner of 145 acres of excel- 
lent farming land in Springfield Town- 
ship, is one of the representative men of 
this section. lie was born in Pennsylva- 
nia August 18, 1855, and is a son of 
Henry and Nancy (Glass) Bitner. 

The parents of Mr. Bitner were natives 
of Pennsylvania and both died at Biglers- 
ville, in Adams County, in that state. 
For a number of years Henry Bitner op- 
erated a grist-mill and then kept a hotel 
at Mummasburg, later removing to Big- 
^ lersville, where he followed a butchering 
business until 1862, when he sold out and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



813 



served one year in the Civil War, during 
which period he was wounded. After re- 
turning to Biglersville he engaged in a 
nursery business for a time, but later in 
life he rented his lands and operated a 
small store. He married Nancy Glass 
and they had the following children: 
Jennie, Elizabeth, William H., George, 
Emma and Alice, both of whom, with 
Jennie, are deceased. Henry Bitner was 
married (second) to Rose Bean and they 
had two children, one of whom, Bessie, 
survives. 

Since he was a lad of nine years Will- 
iam H. Bitner has been self-supporting, 
for at that tender age he started out to 
work on farms in his native neighborhood, 
engaging by the month. Prior to this, in 
July. 18G3, while he was living at home, 
in a small town named Heidelberg, the 
great battle of Gettysburg was fought, 
ten miles distant, and the scenes before, 
during and after, that came under his 
own eyes, made impressions which can 
never be effaced from his memory. Mr. 
Bitner relates that on the day before the 
battle the Confederate troops came to the 
quiet little Dutch town of Heidelberg, 
where they encamped, tearing down the 
residents' fences to feed their camp tires. 
A large detachment settled on a vacant lot 
immediately next to the boy's home, and 
at first dem.anded all the food in the house 
and then gave the family three minutes to 
vacate the premises. His father had for- 
tunately driven his horses to Lancaster 
and thus saved them. He was preparing 
to leave the home to the invaders, when 
the order to vacate was suddenly counter- 
manded and they were not further dis- 
turbed. 

The great battle of Gettysburg came to 



an end on Friday, although smoke of gun- 
powder still hung over the battlefield on 
Sunday, when Mr. Bitner, accompanied by 
Iwo others, went to view the scene. It 
was a terrible sight, horses and men lying 
in every position so close together that 
the horrified visitors could scarcely touch 
ground with their footsteps. The great 
Lutheran College had been thrt)wn open 
as a hospital, and every poor mangled 
body in which there still remained a spark 
of l^fe had been gathered up and crowded 
in this building in the hope of easing their 
sufferings. This was no sight proper for 
a child of eight years, and probably Will- 
iam Bitner was one of the few ever an eye- 
witness of such an appalling sight on 
American soil. He walked ten miles to 
the scene of battle and then tramped over 
the grounds, returning to his home after 
covering a distance of twenty-five miles 
without even a morsel to eat. It is no 
wonder that Mr. Bitner has ever been a 
man of peace. 

When about fourteen years of age, and 
living at Biglersville, he suffered a very 
severe accident through catching his arm 
in a circular saw. After his recovery he 
went to work again on different farms, 
but received such meager compensation 
that when eighteen years old he became a 
miner and worked in the ore mines of 
Pine Grove. Pennsylvania, for two years. 
Mining is a dangerous industry, and Mr. 
Bitner was once taken from a mine eave- 
in, supposed to be dead. A strike was de- 
clared while he was working in these 
mines and he left that neighborhood and 
went to Noble's Mine, near Mt. Holley. 
Here some fifteen or twenty men lived to- 
gether in one house, doing their own cook- 
ing. Mr. Bitner remained there six 



814 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



months and then went back to Adams 
Comity and engaged in farming for 
Daniel Sheeley. In August, 1875, Mr. Bit- 
ner came to Ohio in company with Wilson 
Walley, stopping first with Michael Kline, 
near Medway. The first woi'k he ever did 
after reaching Clark County was for 
David Neff, near Medway, later worked 
for Michael Kline, still later for John 
lipp and then worked as a farm hand for 
A. Holcomli, in Springfield Township, for 
four years and seven months. Another ac- 
cident laid him prostrate for a long time, 
he being run over by a team with two and 
one-half cords of wood, and although he 
was obliged to go about on crutches for a 
considerable period, he survived this, as 
he had done other serious injuries. This, 
however, was not the end of his misfor- 
tunes. After his marriage he bought an 
interest in a steam threshing and saw- 
mill, and while operating it he fell from a 
log and thereby broke a bone in his leg. 
This accident, which would have made an 
invalid of a less courageous man, kept Mr. 
Bitner from his business for two days 
only. His physician gravely advised him 
to keep in bed, he having had his leg- 
placed in a plaster cast, but with this in 
that condition and with a crutch and cane 
he ran a saw until his recovery. 

In 1883 Mr. Bitner rented the Creighton 
farm, on the Dayton Turnpike, south of 
Springfield, and there he started into the 
dairy business in the fall of 1884. In 
April, 1885, Mr. Bitner removed with his 
family to the Snyder farm on the Valley 
Turnpike, north of Springfield, where he 
remained, renting, for thirteen years and 
eight months. On October 25, 1898, he 
sold out the stock he had accumulated and 
bought the home farm of his wife's par- 



ents, where the family has continued to 
reside, although Mr. Bitner has other in- 
terests. This farm is situated on the 
south side of the National Turnpike Road, 
two miles west of Spring-field. The com- 
modious residence was on the place, but 
the many modern features have been add- 
ed and substantial improvements have 
been made by Mr. Bitner. He has here a 
beautiful rural home. 

On December 28, 1880, Mr. Bitner was 
married to Elmira A. Miller, who is a 
daughter of Cornelius and Henrietta 
(Kieffer) Miller, old and respected resi- 
dents of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Bit- 
ner have two daughters, Etta B. and 
Grace M. Both these young ladies have 
been given educational and social advan- 
tages and both are graduates of Witten- 
berg College. 

In September, 1902, Mr. Bitner was one 
of the organizers of the Springfield Pure 
Milk Company, the starting of the enter- 
prise, being largely due to his persistent 
efforts, and now one which is recognized 
to be of incalculable advantage to the 
farmers of this whole section. He was 
the first purchaser of stock' and holds a 
large amount at the present time. Since 
October, 1903, he has devoted his entire 
time to the business and is its general 
manager and one of its board of directors. 
He is also a director of the Lagonda Na- 
tional Bank and of the Springfield Coal 
and Ice Company. In considering the 
fact that when Mr. Bitner reached Ohio, 
a five dollar bill represented his entire 
capital, his present ample fortune and re- 
sponsible position among his fellow-citi- 
zens tells a story of industry and perse-' 
verence that should not be lost on those 
who read. With his familv he belongs to 



AND REPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



815 



the English Lutheran Church and for 
many years has been superintendent of 
the Sunday-school. 

In 1898, accompanied by his wife, Mr. 
Bitner made an extended trip through 
many of the western states, the only un- 
pleasant feature of which was the experi- 
ence of being snow-bound at one point. 
The travelers visited a lead mine in 
Warder, Shoshone County, Idaho, where 
600 men are at work, and this was a very 
interesting sight to Mr. Bitner, recalling 
as it did his old experiences in the Penn- 
sylvania mines. Mr. Bitner continues 
very active in promoting dairy interests 
and on December 14, 1907, he made an ex- 
cellent address on dairy farming before 
the Farmers' Institute, at Donnelsville, 
Ohio. The subject was so well handled 
that the address was secured from Mr. 
Bitner and was published in the local 
newspapers. 



JAMES CLAEK, who was one of the 
leading citizens of Moorefield Township, 
and for over a quarter of a century filled 
uninterruptedly the office of township 
treasurer, was bom November 20, 1838, 
in Moorefield Township, Clark yCounty, 
Ohio, under the same roof that sheltered 
him through the whole of his long and 
busy life. He was a. son of John David 
and Susan M. Clark. 

John David Clark was an early settler 
in Moorefield Township and was one of 
the wealthy agriculturists of his day. He 
erected the fine brick residence which is 
occupied by the widow and younger son 
of the late James Clark, one of the most 
pretentious of this section. James Clark 
continued his father's activities and de- 



veloped still greater business qualities. 
He gained almost a national reputation as 
a breeder of fine trotting horses, and was 
able to secure very large sums for these 
valuable animals, the price occasionally 
being as much as $20,000. He bred what 
was known as the fastest yearling trotter 
in the world, which was purchased by 
Frank Rockefeller, who then was a mem- 
ber of the Standard Oil Company. James 
CJark was also engaged extensively in 
farming and stock-raising and became one 
of the capitalists of Clark County. He 
was also one of her most useful and re- 
spected citizens. For ten years he was a 
prominent member of the Clark County 
Agricultural Society and in his own town- 
ship he was held in such esteem that he 
could have filled any office in the gift of 
his fellow-citizens. When his death oc- 
curred on March 16, 1906, not only Moore- 
field Township but Clark County felt the 
loss of a man of unusual worth. 

James Clark married Emma S. Morgan 
and they had two children: Lester, who 
died aged four years ; and Emerson E. 

Emerson E. Clark was born October 24, 
1879, and was educated in the schools of 
Moorefield Township and the Nelson Bus- 
iness College. For a number of years 
prior to his father's death he had been the 
practical manager of the farm. On Feb- 
ruary 26, 1903, he was married to Ethel 
McConkey, who is a daughter of Oliver 
T. , McConkey. They have one little 
daughter, Mary Katherine. She is very 
fortunate in having a large number of 
devoted relatives, for not only her imme- 
diate ones but both of her great-grand- 
mothers still survive, Mrs. Mary Morgan 
and Mrs. Catherine Nicklin. The mater- 
nal grandfather of Emerson E. Clark was 



816 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



the late Charles Morgan, who is remem- 
bered as the proprietor of the old Taylor 
mill. His widow still survives, at the age 
of eighty-two years. A picture of the res- 
idents of Mr. Clark's home would show 
four generations, from the aged great- 
grandmother to the little babe just upon 
the threshold of life. 



JAMES T. EICHELBARGER, who is 
engaged in agricultural pursuits in Green 
Township, owns a tract of fifty acres on 
which he resides, and has also for the past 
twenty-tive years rented eighty-two acres 
of land from his mother. He was born 
on his present farm April 29, 1847, and is 
a son of Michael and Margaret Ann 
vTodd) Eichelbarger. 

Michael Eichelbarger was born Sep- 
tember 3, 1815, in Washington County, 
Maryland, and was a son of John and 
Fanny (Baker) Eichelbarger, both na- 
tives of Maryland and farmers by occu- 
pation. Michael, who was a farmer, car- 
penter and millwright by occupation, 
came to Ohio in 1836, when about twenty 
years old, and worked with James Todd 
at carpentering and as a millwright. 

James Todd, the maternal grandfather 
of our subject, was born near Philadel- 
phia on October 22, 1796, and was by oc- 
cupation a farmer and millwright. He 
married Elizabeth Grarlough, who was 
also a native of Maryland and who was 
born January 12, 1799, and of their union 
were born nine children. Mr. Todd sub- 
sequently came to Clark County, Ohio, 
and built all of the mills which are on Mad 
River. Margaret Ann Todd was born 
November 21, 1819, and was married 
May 27, 1841. Her imion with Michael 



Eichelbarger resulted in the birth of four 
children — Frances Elizabeth (Tuttle), 
Margaret Ann (Paschall), James T., the, 
subject of this sketch, and J. W., who is 
deceased. Michael Eichelbarger died Jan- 
uary 7, 1867, and is survived by his 
widow, who lives in Pitchin and is now 
eighty-eight years of age. 

James T. Eichelbarger was reared on 
liis present farm, which is part of the old 
home place, and attended the district 
schools of Green Township. He worked 
for his father until the death of the latter, 
and at the age of nineteen assumed the 
responsibilities of the home place, having 
followed farming, with the exception of 
seven years spent in operating a saw-mill, 
all his life. Mr. Eichelbarger was united 
in marriage with Eliza Nave, a daughter 
of Jacob and Mary (Knable) Nave, who 
lived on the farm just below Mr. Eichel- 
barger 's farm. Mr. Nave was born on the 
Garlough farm in Clark County, Ohio, 
and died in 1865 ; his wife, who was a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania, died in 1903. Mr. 
and Mrs. Eichelbarger have been the 
parents of four children — John, Nina, 
Claude (deceased) and Byron. The three 
living reside at home and assist in the 
work on the farm. In politics Mr. Eichel- 
barger is an independent voter. 



FRED SNYDER, clerk of Clark Coun- 
ty and a life-long resident of Springfield, 
where he was born October 26, 1875, is a 
son of John Jacob Snyder, deceased. 

John J. Snyder was born in Somerset, 
Pennsylvania, and in 1848 came to Ohio 
■and located in Springfield, where he en- 
gaged in the practice of law until the time 
of his death in 1898. He served two and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



817 



a half terms as Mayor of Springfield. 

Fred Snyder was reared in Springfield, 
and obtained his education in the public 
schools and Wittenburg College, after 
which he was for six years manager for 
the New York Life Insurance Company, 
having three counties in this vicinity. In 
1896 he became a member of the Signal 
Corps of the Third Regiment, Ohio Na- 
tional Guards, and served in the Spanish- 
American War in Company D., United 
States Eegular Army. He saw service in 
Cuba and Porto Eico and was mustered 
out in Washington in November, 1898. 

Mr. Snyder is a Eepublican in politics 
and has always taken an active interest in 
the affairs of that party. He was elected 
clerk of Clark County in November, 1905, 
and has served two terms as secretary of 
the Eepublican Central Committee. Fra- 
tei'nally Mi'. Snyder is a member and past 
Exalted Ruler of the Springfield order of 
Elks, and is also a member of the Knights 
of Pythias. 

In 1906 Mr. Snyder was united in mar- 
riage with. Miss Genevra E. Carey of 
Springfield, Ohio. They are members of 
the First Presbyterian Church of this 
city. 



beth Eopp, who was born September 10, 
1825, and is now deceased. They had 
three children — William, Eli and John W. 
William Silvers, born December 1, 1852, 
niarried Lida Melvine and they have the 
following children: Esther, Florence, 
Laura, Howard, Perry, Bertha and Omar. 

John W. Silvers was born August 8, 
1858, married Anna Erwin and they have 
three children: Chester, Celesta and 
Mary. 

Eli F. Silvers attended the schools of 
Pleasant Township and grew to manhood 
on his father's farm, which he now owns. 
He was married, first, in, 1877 to Floretta 
Sewell, a daughter of Thomas and Mary 
Sewell, of Clark County. They had one 
child, William Clyde, who was born De- 
cember 17, 1880, and died in 1898. On 
March 22, 1903, Mr. Silvers was married, 
secondly, to Mary E. Tarbutton,' who 
died December 6, 1907, leaving no chil- 
dren. She was a daughter of Jesse and 
Abigail Tarbutton. Mr. Silvers is a 
member of the Knights of the Grolden 
Eagle, Lodge No. 4, of Catawba, being 
past chief of the same and at present fill- 
ing the office of venerable hermit. He is a 
member of the M. P. Church, at Catawba. 



ELI F. SILVERS, general farmer and 
stock-raiser, whose farm of forty-three 
acres is situated in Pleasant Township, 
was born in Clark County, Ohio, July 27, 
1854-, and is s son of T. M. and Elizabeth 
(Eopp) Silvers. 

T. M. Silvers was born in Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, February 15, 1828, and is a son 
of Francis Silvers. His occupation 
through his active years was farming. 
He was married July 23, 1850, to Eliza- 



H. E. BATEMAN, a retired agricultur- 
ist and highly respected citizen of South 
Charleston, Clark County, Ohio, was born 
in Greene Countj^, Ohio, in 1837 and is a 
son of Daniel H. and Elizabeth (Surlott) 
Bateman, and a grandson of William 
Bateman, who was a native of Maryland, 
residing there when that present state 
was a colony, under the administration of 
Lord Baltimore. William Bateman mar- 



818 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ried a Miss Ducker, also a Maryland 
colonist, and tliey became the parents of 
five sons and two daughters, Daniel H., 
father of the subject of this sketch, being 
the only one who married. William Bate- 
man was a soldier in the War of the Rev- 
olution, and was by profession an edu- 
cator. 

Daniel H. Bateman was born and reared 
near Baltimore, Maryland, and was one of 
the early settlers of Greene County, Ohio, 
going there in 1816. He came to Clark 
County, Ohio, in 1851. He was united in 
marriage with Elizabeth Surlott, a de- 
scendant of the Carroll s, of Maryland, 
and to them were born three sons and two 
daughters, all of whom are now deceased 
but two — A. L. Bateman, of London, 
Ohio, and H. E. Bateman, whose name ap- 
pears at the head of this article. 

H. E. Bateman was about fourteen 
years old when he came to Clark County 
from his native county, Greene, and was 
for many years successfully engaged in 
farming in Madison Township. He is 
now living in retirement in South Charles- 
ton, enjoying a well earned rest after 
years of unceasing activity. Mr. Bate- 
man married in 1866 Ann Amelia Paullin, 
who was a daughter of Newcomb and 
Mary A. Paullin, and of this union were 
born two children— Howard D. and Mary 
A. Howard D., who is engaged in busi- 
ness in Cincinnati, Ohio, was educated at 
Andover College, Massachusetts. Mary 
A. attended Miss Phelps' school, of Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, and also the McDonnel- 
Ellis school, of Washington City. In 
politics Mr. Bateman supports the Re- 
publican party. He and his family are 
members of the Presbyterian Church. 



HON, JAMES JOHNSON, JR., for- 
merly mayor of the city of Spring-field 
and a leading member of her bar, was 
born in Springfield, Ohio, December 3, 
1856, and is a son of James and Catherine 
(Eby) Johnson. 

The late James Johnson was long one 
of Springfield's honored citizens and for 
many years he was prominently identified 
with her building interests. He was born 
in County Donegal, Ireland, December 4, 
1821, and was a son of James and Ellen 
Johnson. He was seven years of age 
when his parents came to America and, 
subsequently, to Springfield. James was 
the eldest of the family of eight children 
and he proved of great assistance to his 
father in the clearing of the 400-acre farm 
on which the family settled. When he 
reached his majority he learned the car- 
penter 's trade and in the course of time . 
built up a business in this and other re- 
lated trades that brought him both posi- 
tion and wealth. Through his public 
spirit he became prominent in civic life 
and was tendered many offices of trust 
and responsibility by his fellow-citizens. 
He was a member of the city School 
Board, of the City Council and was twice 
postmaster of Spring-field. 

In 1845 James Johnson was married to 
Catherine Eby, who was born in 1824, in 
Virginia, of old Jefferson County stock. 
They had the following children: Louis, 
James, Albert, William, Emily and Anna 
B. Miss Anna B. Johnson is a lady well 
known throughout Ohio. After com- 
pleting her education at Vassar College 
she returned to her native city and be- 
came the principal of Springfield Semi- 
nary. James Johnson died June 10, 1902, 
aged eighty-one years. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



821 



James Jolmson, Jr., was graduated 
from Wittenberg College in the class of 
1877, after wMcli he entered upon the 
study of law with the law firm of Bow-' 
man, Pringle & Scott. He was admitted 
to the bar in April, 1880, immediately 
afterwards becoming a partner with Mr. 
Pringle under the style of Pringle & 
Johnson. For seventeen years following 
this firm maintained high rank in the 
legal profession of Spring-field, each mem- 
ber bringing to bear upon a case the 
peculiar talent with which he was en- 
dowed. When by mutual consent the 
partnership was dissolved, one of the 
strongest law offices of Spring-field went 
out of existence. Mr. Johnson continued 
in practice and now occupies a very prom- 
inent position in the legal profession in 
this section of the state. From early 
manhood he has been a factor in Demo- 
cratic politics and his influence carries 
weight throughout Clark County. At 
various times his party has urged him to 
accept public office and in 1886 he was 
nominated for circuit judge of the Second 
Circuit of Ohio. In the contest he carried 
his o-wn countj", against great odds, by al- 
most one thousand votes. In 1893 fol- 
lowed his election as mayor of Spring- 
field, and during his two years in office he 
worked assiduously for public improve- 
ments, discouraged the dishonest and cor- 
rupt element which is ever ready to profit' 
by lax discipline, guarded the city's in- 
terests on every hand and left the office 
at the close of his term with the con- 
sciousness of having performed every 
known duty with fidelity. In 1897 fol- 
lowed his election to the presidency of the 
Springfield Board of Trade. He has 
served on many important charitable 



commissions and various civic boards, 
and has contributed time, money and in- 
fluence to furthering and fostering enter- 
prises which have resulted in the general 
welfare of the city. In 1888 Mr. Johnson 
was married to Blanche Obenshane, of 
White Count)^, Indiana. 



WILLIAM H. NEER, a well known 
and highly respected citizen of the village 
of Catawba, and owner of 380 acres of 
well improved farm land in Pleasant 
Township, Clark County, was born July 
5, 1848, on his father's farm two miles 
west of Catawba. He is a son of Nathan 
and Mary Ann (Hunter) Neer (the for- 
mer born on the same farm above men- 
tioned), and a grandson of Amos Neer, a 
native of Virginia and one of the early 
settlers of Clark County, Ohio, who 
served in the War of 1812. 

Amos Neer was born in Loudon Coun- 
ty, Virginia, and came to Ohio in 1817, 
settling on land entered by his father, 
Henry. Neer. The latter was born in 
1748 in Virg-inia, came to Clark County, 
Ohio, at an early day and died in this 
county February 3, 1828. 

Nathan Neer was born August 15, 1822, 
and died November 13, 1886. He married 
Mary Ann Hunter, who was born on the 
adjoining farm. March 1, 1823, and who 
died June 22, 1889. They had seven 
children, namely: Levi, William H., 
Miranda E., Luther, Charles F., Alonza 
W. and Laura J. Levi was a member of 
Company F, Eighth Ohio Cavalry, serv- 
ing five months and subsequently dying at 
the age of twenty-three years. 

William H. Neer was reared on the old 
home farm in Pleasant Township, and 



822 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



his educational training was received in 
the district schools, after wMcli lie taught 
school for four years. Since beginning in- 
dustrial life Mr. Neer has been engaged in 
agricultural pursuits and is one of the 
most enterprising and substantial farm- 
ers of the township. His land consists of 
two farms, both situated in Pleasant 
Township, and although a resident of the 
village of Catawba since 1890, he still 
continues the management of both these 
farms. 

December 29, 1874, Mr. Neer was 
united in marriage with Anna E. Cart- 
mell, and to them have been born four 
children : Estelle ; May, who died aged 
sixteen years; Carrie Amelia, Laura 
Edna and Mary Cartmell. 

Politically Mr. Neer has always given 
his support to the Republican party and 
has served in various township offices, 
having been a trustee for a period of 
eight years and treasurer of the township 
for two years. His religious connection 
is with the Methodist Protestant Church 
of Catawba ; he is now successor to Ales. 
McConkey as class leader and served as 
Sunday-school superintendent for about 
twentv vears. 



JOSEPH WEAVER, whose black- 
smith shop and thirty-five acres of valu- 
able land is situated at Vienna, and in 
Haraiony Township, has been township 
trustee for the past three years and is an 
active and leading citizen of this section. 
He was born in Clark County, Ohio, 
April 13, 1859, and is a son of Abraham 
and Mary Ann (Jones) Weaver. 

Mr. Weaver comes of Revolutionary 
ancestry, his maternal Grreat-grandfather 



Hedrick having served, with two of his 
sons, during that struggle. The paternal 
grandparents of Mr. Weaver were Joseph 
and Sarah (Hedrick) Weaver, the for- 
mer of whom was born in 1794, and died 
in 1852, and the latter was born ra 1796, 
and died in 1885. They had four chil- 
dren: Eliza, Nancy, Amanda and Abra- 
ham. Eliza was born in 1821, married 
John Dubree and had three children. 
Nancy, born in 1825, married Samuel 
Peters, had five children and died in Jan- 
uary, 1908. Amanda, born in 1828, mar- 
ried James Hicks and they had seven 
children. 

Abraham Weaver, father of Joseph, 
was born January 24, 1823. He married 
(first) Sophia SpragTie, who died in 1851, 
the mother of two children : Theresa and 
Orlando. Mr. Weaver was married (sec- 
ond) to Mary Ann Jones in 1852. She 
was born in 1827 and died in 1889. There 
were nine children born to this union, 
namely: Eliza, James, Charles, Kate, 
Joseph, Nanc}^ Hattie, Laura and Frank. 
The surviving members of this family, ex- 
elusive of Joseph, are : James, who mar- 
ried Caroline Ensley; Charles, who mar- 
ried Ida Carr, has six children ; Kate, who 
married Fletcher Tumbelsion, has two 
children; Harriet, who married Samuel 
Prugh, has two children; Laura, who 
married John Sharp, has four children; 
and Frank, who married Lillie M. Tav- 
ender. has four children. 

Joseph Weaver was reared in Clark 
County and attended the district schools. 
In 1885 he settled in Madison County, 
where he lived until 1890, when he came 
to Vienna, where he owns property and 
has conducted a blacksmith business and 
engaged in farming ever since. He is a 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



823 



well known and progressive citizen of 
Harmony Township. 

In 1885 Mr. Weaver was married to 
Luemma Smith, wlio was born in 1861, 
and they have two children : Gilbert, who 
was born March 31, 1886, and is a student 
in the Ohio State University at Columbus, 
and Irene, who was born March 24, 1896. 
The father of Mrs. Weaver, Josiah 0. 
Smith, was born April 15, 1831, and died 
April 27, 1907. On September 9, 1852, 
he was married to Nancy Lane, who was 
born in 1833 and died May 27, 1905. Mr. 
and Mrs. Smith had ten children, namely: 
Sarah, Edward H., Mary, Clara, Luemma, 
Warner, Dosa, Wade, Frank H. and Alice. 

Mr. Weaver belongs to Lodge No. 345, 
Odd Fellows, at Vienna. He is a leading 
member of the Christian Church at 
Vienna and is a member of its board of 
trustees 



DAVID BENJAMIN BEARD, presi- 
dent of the Board of Trustees of Mad 
River Township and owner of 382 acres 
of valuable farm land, was born January 
24, 1859, and is the son of John B. and 
Margaret (Shellabarger) Beard. 

John B. Beard was born in Mad River 
Township on what is now known as the 
Fulton farm and was one of a small fam- 
ily of children, all of whom are now de- 
ceased. He was reared in this township, 
which was then wholly undeveloped and 
was always engaged in farming. He mar- 
ried Margaret Shellabarger, also a native 
of this township, and they became the 
parents of ten children, namely: Esther; 
Samuel, who died aged twelve years; 
Ephriam, who died aged fifty-six years; 
Ann Rebecca, now deceased; Maiy Etta; 



William; Abigail Elizabeth, who is now 
Mrs. H. R. Miller; John Samuel, who 
died aged twenty -five years; George, a 
practicing attorney at Springfield, Ohio; 
and David Benjamin, the subject of this 
sketch. John Beard died in 1870, aged 
fifty-six years, after which David oper- 
ated the farm for his mother until her 
death in 1900, when she was in her eighty- 
third year. 

David Benjaniin Beard was born on his 
father's farm one mile south of Enon, 
where he was reared and where he re- 
sided until about twenty-one years of age. 
His education was obtained in the district 
school at Maple Grove, and at the age of 
fifteen he began farming for himself. He 
was married November 24, 1880, to Anna 
Kline, a daughter of Samuel and Rachel 
(Herr) Kline, both her parents being na- 
tives of Pennsylvania. 

Samuel Kline came from Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania, with his father, Samuel, 
Sr., to Ohio and settled in the timber- 
lands near Medway. After his marriage 
he kept a toll gate on the Valley Pike at 
a small place called Texas, which is now 
a part of Dayton, Ohio. He shortly after 
purchased a small stock of provisions and 
opened a store on his porch. He subse- 
quently came to Mad River Township, 
Clark County, and bought a farm from 
James Bier and became one of the most 
successful farmers in the township. He 
died May 16, 1904, aged seventy-seven 
years, and his wife died in December, 
1893, aged sixty-seven years. They were 
the parents of nine children, namely: 
Joseph, Sarah Jane, Mary Elizabeth, 
Benjamin, John, Anna (Mrs. Beard), 
Jacob, Elizabeth (Mrs. George Schauer) 
and Emma. Of these Joseph, Sarah J., 



824 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Mary E. and Bejijamin died when young, 
and Emma died at the age of twenty 
years. 

Shortly after their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Beard came into possession of the 
Samuel Kline farm, which lies east of 
their present farm and they resided there 
until 1905, when they removed to their 
present property, which is situated on the 
Dayton Pike, about eight miles west of 
Springfield, Ohio. Mr. Beard has turned 
all of the farm work over to his sons, who 
also deal extensively in stock, buying and 
selling cattle, horses, etc. Mr. Beard also 
has charge of another farm of one hun- 
dred acres. 

Four children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Beard as follows: John Sam- 
uel, who graduated from Wittenberg Col- 
lege in 1905, married Bertha Wahlay, and 
is a resident of Philadelphia, where he 
is clerk in the ]S^a^'y• Yard; Elmer Herr, 
who married Bessie Swadner, and lives on 
the old home farm across from his father, 
and has one child — Benjamin; Harry, who 
married, November 14, 1907, Jessie Hup- 
man, and lives at home; and Esther 
Thelma. Politically Mr. Beard is a Re- 
publican. For the past sixteen years he 
has served as school director and for 
seven years has been president of the 
Board of Trustees of Mad River Town- 
Ship, having been the first Republican 
elected to that office in years. He is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias and 
was formerly associated with the I. 0. 
F. order. 



MRS, ELIZABETH KAUFFMAN, 
widow of Emanuel Kauffman, who died 
January 12, 1895, and who was one of the 



most prominent and highly respected 
farmers of this section, resides on a fine 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres in 
Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio. 
She was born August 28, 1828, on her 
father's farm in Northampton County, 
Pennsjdvania, and is a daughter of Jacob 
and Magdalena (Hartman) Byle. 

Jacob Byle was a native of Northamp- 
ton County, Pennsylvania, and his wife, 
who was born in Lehigh County, Pennsyl- 
vania, died in Montgomery County, Ohio, 
at the advanced age of ninety-three years. 
Jacob Byle followed farming in Pennsyl- 
vania for some years and in the spring of 
1833 brought his family to Ohio and set- 
tled at Fairfield, Greene County, where 
for some time he conducted a grocery. 
He then moved to a farm in Indiana, 
where he remained but a short time when 
he went to Dayton, Ohio, and operated a 
grocery store. He later returned to 
Greene County, where he bought and lo- 
cated on a farm on which he resided until 
his death at the age of eighty-five years. 
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Byle: Elizabeth, subject of this sketch; 
Solomon; Sarah, died aged five years; 
Catherine, deceased, was the wife of J. 
Bartman, deceased; Matilda, deceased; 
William, died in infancy; and Joseph. 
Elizabeth (Byle) Kauffman was a girl of 
nine years when her parents moved from 
Pennsylvania. They made the entire 
journey over the mountains in wagons, 
it requiring about foiar weeks. This sec- 
tion of the country was still in a wild, un- 
cultivated state, consisting mainly of tim- 
ber' in which large quantities of all kinds 
of wild game found cover. At the age of 
twenty, Elizabeth Byle married Emanuel 
Kauffm_an, a son of Christian and Anna 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



825 



Kauffman, and the eldest brother of Levi 
Kaiiffman, mention of whom is made else- 
where in this work. Seven children were 
born to Mrs. Kanffman, namely: Theo- 
dore, who is engaged in the implement 
business at Osborn, Ohio, married Anna 
Hershey and has four children — Treva, 
Lloyd, Rodney, and Edwin ; Franklin died 
at the age of seven years; Agnes died 
when youn^-; Reuben also died young; 
Oscar who is now treasurer of Greene 
County, Ohio, and lives at Xenia, married 
Winifred Rail and has two children — Rail 
and Fred; and "Walter, who farms the 
home place for his mother, married Myrtle 
Miller, a daughter of Oliver Miller, and 
has one child — Louise. Mrs. Kauffman 
is a member of the Reformed Mennonite 
Church, to which her husband also be- 
longed. 



ELI C. BOWER, a successful farmer of 
Clark Coimty, Ohio, is located on a farm 
of eighty-tive acres in Pike Township, 
and is also owner of a tract of forty- 
eight acres in Bethel Township, Miami 
County. He was born in a log house on a 
farm in Perry Township, Franklin Coun- 
tj, Ohio, October S. 1849, and is a son of 
Peter and Mary (Davis) Bower. 

Henry Bower, his paternal grandfather, 
came west from York County, Pennsyl- 
vania, with his family, and settled in 
Franklin County, Ohio, near Columbus, 
when that city was about the size of a 
frog pond. They settled on a farm in the 
woods and it took three men two days to 
cut the timber and make a clearing for 
their cabin. Later Henry Bower moved 
to Clark County where he died. 

Peter Bower was born in York County, 



Pennsylvania, and was one of two chil- 
dren, having a sister, Rachael, now de- 
ceased, who married Jacob Miller. He 
there grew to maturity and during his 
early days learned the trade of a tanner. 
He was a young man when he moved with 
his parents to Franklin County, Ohio, and 
thereafter he followed farming. He ac- 
quired a tract of ninety acres near the 
Scioto River, in Perry Township, was 
married there and continued to make that 
place his home throughout life. Mrs. 
Bower died in 1874, and he survived her 
two years, dying at the age of seventy- 
six. He married Mary, a daughter of 
William and Mary Davis, she being a 
young girl when brought from their home 
in Maryland to Franklin County, Ohio. 
This union was productive of the follow- 
ing issue: Mary Ann, wife of John 
Reiley, both deceased; Joseph, deceased; 
William ; John ; A manda, wife of R. Sells ; 
Sarah, deceased, formerly wife of James 
Thomas: Margaret, who died young; 
Alexander ; Eli Cicero, whose name heads 
this sketch; Walter; and Frank. 

Eli Cicero Bower remained on the home 
place and cared for his parents until their 
death. He attended the common schools 
of his home district and has always fol- 
lowed agriculture. At the age of twenty- 
five years he started out for himself, go- 
ing to Plain City, where for some time 
he worked on the Pike. After his mar- 
riage he pui'chased a farm of forty acres 
of the Thomas heirs in German Town- 
ship, Clark County, and later bought ad- 
ditional land in Spring-field Township, but 
continued to make his home on the former 
place for eight years. August 12, 1885, he 
purchased his jJresent farm, known as the 
old Andrew Black farm, from Jeanette 



826 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Dilly, remodeled and improved the build- 
ings and lias resided there since. He has 
followed general farming and stock-rais- 
ing and the success attending his efforts 
has been the result of hard work and 
capable management. 

Mr. Bower was married October 26, 
1876, to Rebecca Thomas, who is a daugh- 
ter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Vale) 
Thomas, well known residents of Clark 
County. Five children have been born 
to them: Charles Eber, who married 
Nancy Funderburg and lives on his farm 
in Bethel Township, has two children — 
Herma and Ruth; Delbert, who married 
Bessie Musselman, has two children — 
Verna and Marie. (He lives in Miami 
County, Ohio, on his father's farm) ; 
Homer; Harrison; and Hazel. Our sub- 
ject is a Republican in politics, and while 
a resident of German Township served on 
the Republican County Central Com- 
mittee. He formerly was a member of 
the order of Odd Fellows, passing through 
all its chairs at Dublin, and is now a 
member of the Evening Star Lodge. He 
and his wife belong to the Brethren in 
Christ Church. Mr. Bower also served as 
member of the Board of Education of Pike 
Township tor several years. 



WILLIAM S. WILSON, president of 
the Springfield Savings Bank, with which 
he has been prominently identified sincfe 
1885, is one of Springfield's most highly 
respected citizens and representative 
business men. He was born in Moore- 
field Township, Clark County, Ohio, and 
is a son of Hugh and Martha B. (Ruther- 
ford) Wilson. 

Hugh Wilson was a native of Pennsyl- 



vania who came to Clark County, Ohio, in 
1833 and here engaged in business until 
the time of his death, which occurred in 
1860. He married Martha B. Ruther- 
ford, who was also born in Pennsylvania, 
and their union resulted in the birth of 
four sons and one daughter, three of 
whom are still living, namely: Moses S., 
who lives in Green Township; Mary E., 
wife of Jacob Barnett of Springfield, and 
William S., subject of this notice. 

William S. Wilson was reared and edu- 
cated in Springfield and early in life en- 
tered the Old Springfield Bank, with 
which he was connected for some time, 
having been in their employ at two dif- 
ferent periods. In 1861 he enlisted in 
Company H, Seventy-first 0. V. I., and 
was in the service for about four years, 
his regiment forming a part of the Army 
of the Cumberland. Beginning as a 
private, he was promoted to second 
lieutenant, and later to first lieutenant, 
and was mustered out October, 1865, as 
captain of his company. 

Upon his return from the war, Mr. Wil- 
son engaged in the grain business in 
Springfield, buying and shipping grain for 
some ten or eleven years with much suc- 
cess, after which he served as treasurer of 
Clark County from 1881 until 1885. In 
1888 he became president of the Spring- 
field Savings Bank, and has since been 
prominently identified with that institu- 
tion, retaining the presidency. Mr. Wil- 
son is also president of the Springfield 
Coal and Ice Company, and is interested 
in other business enterprises of Spring- 
field. 

In 1865 Mr. Wilson was united in mar- 
riage with Elizabeth Weakly, who died in 
1876. They had no children. Mr. Wil- 



AND REPEBSENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



827 



son's second marriage occurred in 1894 
to Maria Goode and they have one son, 
William G. Wilson. Mr. Wilson is a mem- 
ber of the Mitchell Post G. A. R., and re- 
ligiously, of the Second Presbyterian 
Church. 



HENRY SEITZ, a well-known citizen 
of Tremont City, who owns a valuable 
farm of one hundred and fifty-seven acres, 
which is situated in Champaign County, 
Ohio, was born on Snow Hill, just north 
of Spring-field, Ohio, June 15, 1834, and 
is a son of Andrew and Ann (Baker) 
Seitz. 

Andrew Seitz was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of 
Henry Seitz, who brought his family in 
wagons from that state to Clark County, 
Ohio, in 1831. Andrew Seitz subsequent- 
ly married Ann Baker, who was born in 
Virginia and was a daughter of Rudolph 
Baker, who came to Clark County after 
the close of the War of 1812. Mr. Baker 
settled in German Township, near the 
present base ball grounds on the Valley 
Turnpike. After marriage, Andrew Seitz 
settled at Snow Hill for a time, but during 
the boyhood of his son Henry he moved 
to a farm on what is now the Valley Turn- 
pike, where he also purchased a small 
saw and grist-mill. In 1845, he bought 
the mill at Tremont and in 1859 he built 
the mill which is now operated by Amos 
Seitz, one of his sons. 

In 1849, Henry Seitz went to work in 
the Tremont mill and after the new one 
was built he worked in it and later ran 
it until 1873, when he left the mill and 
settled on his farm in Champaign County. 
He continued in agricultural pursuits un- 



til 1900, when he returned to Tremont, but 
still retains his farm, which is a very valu- 
able property. 

In 1863, Mr, Seitz was married to 
Hester Ann Rector, who died May 4, 1904. 
She was the mother of the following chil- 
dren : Annie, who married Frank White ; 
Carrie, who died April 19, 1908, and was 
the wife of Charles Maggert; Ira.; Ada, 
who married Eugene Phillips ; Nellie, and • 
Stanley. 



DR. ALBERT McCLINTOCK, one of 

New Moorefield's skilled physicians and 
esteemed citizens, who has been engaged 
in the practice of his profession here since 
1889, was born December 21, 1853, in 
Fletcher, Miami County, Ohio, and is a 
son of William and Martha (Denman) Mc- 
Clintock. 

William MoClintock, the doctor's 
father, was the village wagon maker of 
Fletcher, Miami County, Ohio, and died 
there at the age of tbirty-two years, in 
January, 1857, when the subject of this 
sketch was three years old. His wife died 
in June of the same year, aged twenty- 
six. 

Albert McClintock, after the death of 
his parents, went to live with his maternal 
grandfather, Abraham Denman, and was 
reared on the latter 's farm, which was 
located four miles east of Piqua, Ohio. 
His elementary education was obtained in 
the country schools and was supplemented 
by a course at the Normal School at Leb- 
anon, Ohio. He then taught school for 
a period of thirteen years, teaching in 
Fletcher, where he was principal of the 
school for two years. In 1885 he en- 
tered the Columbus Ohio Medical College 



828 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and graduated in the spring of 1888. He 
first engaged in the practice of medicine 
in Shelby County, Ohio, remaining there 
but a short time, however, when he came 
to New Moorefield, where he has -since 
made very satisfactory progress, hav- 
ing become well and favorably known 
throughout the community. 

Dr. McClintock was united in marriage 
on Thanksgiving Day, 1875, with Ella 
EobinsoD, a daughter of James Robin- 
son, a well known farmer of Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio. Four children have been born 
to Dr. and Mrs. McClintock, namely: 
Martha Belle, wife of Edward Rawlings, 
who has one child — Harold ; Clarence, now 
in New Mexico, who is a graduate of the 
Piqua Commercial College; Edgar, born 
November 4, 1883, who died September 
16, 1907; and James F., who is residing 
at home. Edgar attended the Piqua Com- 
mercial College and also Nelson's Busi- 
ness College, of Spring-field, after which 
he went to Chicago, where he entered the 
employ of a firm by which his brother 
Clarence was also employed. Failing 
health necessitated a change of climate, 
and he was accompanied south to New 
Mexico by his mother and his brother, 
Clarence. He remained there for two 
years, returning July, 1907, and his death 
occurred in September, two months later. 

Fraternally Dr. McClintock is a mem- 
ber of the Knights of Macabees, and the 
J. 0. A. M. 



HARRY G. REDMOND, owner and 
manager of Redmond's Mill, which is lo- 
cated in Spring-field Township, five miles 
east of Springfield, succeeded to this prop- 
erty on the death of his father, the late 



Judson Redmond, who was a pioneer 
miller of Clark Coimty. He was born at 
Stony Creek, Logan County, Ohio, De- 
cember 31, 1864, and is a son of Judson 
and Harriet (Hinman) Redmond. 

Judson Redmond, whose death took 
place on June 21, 1906, was born in Cat- 
taraugus County, New York, August 16, 
1824. In 1838 he began to learn the mill- 
ing biisiness, and in 1841 came to Ohio 
and located at Maumee City, where he 
lived several years. In 1847 he returned 
to New York and was married to Harriet 
Hinman, and in the following- year he 
came back to Ohio and settled near West 
Liberty, in Logan County, where he en- 
gaged in farming and milling. In the fall 
of 1865 he purchased what were called the 
Jimction Mills, on account of their stand- 
ing- at the junction of Sinking Creek and 
Little Beaver Creek, now the site of Red- 
mond's Mills. From 1866 until he retired 
from active industrial life, Mr. Redmond 
was engaged in milling at this point. This 
mill site is an old one. The first structure 
of frame burning down in 1837, it was 
replaced in 1840, by the brick building 
now in use, which was built by a Mr. Rod- 
gers. After Mr. Redmond bought the mill 
property from L. C. Huffman, the busi- 
ness was subsequently conducted under 
the firm name of J. Redmond & Son, which 
continued until Harry G; Redmond be- 
came proprietor. 

Judson Redmond and wife had the fol- 
lowing- children: Francis, Edgar J., 
Sarah 0., Clara E., Inez I., and Harry G. 
In 1871, with his wife, Mr. Redmond 
imited with the Trinity Baptist Church of 
Spring-field. In December, 1880, they 
with others formed the Sinking Creek 
branch of the Lisbon Baptist Church, 




MR. AND MRS. JUDSON REDMOND 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



831 



which a few years later became a separate 
body. At the organization of this church, 
Mr. Redmond was chosen a deacon, and 
he was continued in this office during the 
remainder of his life, also serving in 
other cliurch offices. Not only to his 
church was he generous, worthy objects 
of charity at all times claming his atten- 
tion and receiving his aid. His widow 
still lives. 

Harry CI. Redmond was two years old 
when his parents came to Springfield 
Township, and when he grew old enough 
he was taught the milling trade under his 
father's supervision. His whole business 
career has been connected with milling 
and the larger part of his experience has 
been in his father's and his own mill. In 
Jime, 1904, Mr. Redmond installed the 
celebrated Wolf rollers and sifter, and in 
1907, the Richmond City sifter, and with 
these modem mill appliances, he has been 
able to produce a still better grade of 
flour than that on which the firm had al- 
ready built up a fine reputation. The 
special product of this mill is the ' ' Golden 
Crown" brand of flour, other brands be- 
ing also produced, together with different 
kinds of meal. Two millers and two as- 
sistants are required by Mr. Redmond and 
his business is constantly on the increase. 
On October 14, 1903, Mr. Redmond was 
married to Mary Suavely, who is a daugh- 
ter of D. H. Suavely, of Springfield, and 
they have two children, Harold Judson 
and Elizabeth Dora. 



WILLIAM E. TUTTLE, senior mem- 
ber of the W. E. Tuttle & Company, 
dealers in all kinds of grain and seeds, 
has been a resident of Spring-field for 



the past sixteen years and is a native of 
Springfield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio. He was born in 1856, a son of 
Greorge Tattle, now deceased, who was 
born in 1821 within the corporation of 
Spring-field, and who died in 1891. He 
was always engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits and was one of the leading and pub- 
lic spirited citizens of the county. John 
Tuttle, grandfather of the subject of this 
sketch, was a native of Pennsylvania and 
came to Claii^ County, Ohio, in October, 
1806, with his father, Sylvanus Tuttle, 
who died and was buried in Clark County, 
as were also the grandfather and father 
of our subject. 

William E. Tuttle was reared on his 
father's farm in Spring-field Township 
and received his education in the public 
schools of the township. He was then 
engaged in farming and stock-raising with 
much success for a great many years. 
About 1882 he began shipping clover seed, 
which enterprise so expanded in his hands 
that he was finally shipping more clover 
seed than any other man in the county. 
This resulted in his gradually drifting in- 
to the general grain business, in which he 
is now engaged, shipping his grain from 
Locust Grrove. 

In 1893 William E. and W. F. Tuttle 
bought out Brooks & Green, grain dealers, 
of Springfield, and established a grain 
business in Springfield, .operating under 
the firm name of Tuttle & Tuttle. Two 
years later, in 1895, they built a grain 
elevator which was the first grain elevator 
in operation m Springfield, and which is 
still successfully operated by Mr. Tuttle. 
During the year 1899 Mr. Tuttle handled 
twenty-four cars of clover seed, shipping 
1,600 bushels direct to Germany. In 



832 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



1899 W. F. Tuttle retired from the firm 
and tlie subject of this sketch continued 
alone in the business for about one 
and a half years. In September, 1900, 
Thomas A. Paine became a member of the 
firm, which has since been known as W. 
E. Tuttle and Company. In addition to 
regular ■ grain shipping they make a 
specialty of seeds, handling great quan- 
tities of timothy seed which they obtain 
in car lots, jobbing it mostly to retail 
dealers. Mr. Tuttle is also interested in 
other business enterprises of Springfield, 
being vice president of the Eeed Bros. 
Manufacturing Company, and a member 
of the fi.rm of F. 0. Jones & Company. 

In 1880 Mr. Tuttle was joined in mar- 
riage with Clara Otstot, who was born in 
Clark County and died in April, 1900, 
leaving five children, namely: Florence, 
Grace, Amy, Pearl, and Roger. Politi- 
cally Mr. Tuttle is an adherent of the Re- 
publican party and has served as a mem- 
ber of the Republican Central Committee. 
Religiously, he is a member of the First 
Baptist .Church and has been president 
of its board of trustees for the past two 
vears. 



M. H. COLLINS, M. D., one of the 
best known physicians of Clark County, 
is now living in retirement in the village 
of South Charleston, which has been his 
place of residence since birth. He comes 
of a well known family of physicians, his 
father and his maternal grandfather hav- 
ing practiced medicine here before him. 

Dr. M. n. Collins was born in the house 
in which he now lives, in 1853, and is a son 
of Dr. Elijah T. and Sarah Louise (Hous- 
ton) Collins. The paternal grandfather. 



Thomas Collins, came from Virginia when 
young and located in Clark County, 
Ohio. His wife's maiden name was Mur- 
ray, and their union resulted in the birth 
of sixteen children. 

Dr. Elijah T. Collins was born on a 
farm near Moorefield, Clark County, Ohio, 
January 12, 1818, and was engaged in the 
practice of medicine throughout his ac- 
tive career. As above noted he married 
Sarah Louise Houston, who was bom in 
the same house as the subject of this 
sketch, and who was a daughter of Dr. 
Robert Houston. The latter came from 
Kentuckj^ when a boy and engaged in the 
practice of medicine in South Charleston. 
He built the home in which Dr. Collins 
now resides and gave it to the latter 's 
mother upon her marriage. He married 
a Miss Pierce of Troy, Ohio, and had ten 
children. Elijah T. Collins was a man 
distingTiished for his scholarly attain- 
ments. A man of deep thought and a 
philosopher, he gave to the public the 
benefit of his many years of research and 
investigation in numerous carefully pre- 
pared and well written articles. His 
pjsychological research resulted in the 
publication of a book written by him en- 
titled "The Soul," which is widely read 
and is in the libraiy at Spring-field. 

Dr. M. H. Collins is the sole survivor of 
a family of eight children born to his 
parents. After a careful preparatory 
training, the doctor followed in the foot- 
steps of his father and grandfather by 
engaging in the practice of medicine. He 
met with a high degree of success during 
his active practice, and numbered among 
his patients many of the leading families 
of tliis section of the county. He is now 
living in retirement at South Charleston, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



833 



but still looks after his property inter- 
ests here and in Illinois, where he owns 
land. Dr. Collins has never married. He 
is a Bepnblican in politics, whilst re- 
ligiously he is a member of the Methodist 
Church. 



GEOEaE W. DILLAHUNT, road 
superintendent of Mad Eiver Township 
and a prominent general farmer, was born 
August 17, 1854, on his father's farm in 
this township, and is a son of Alexander 
N. and Hannah (Malone) Dillahunt. 

Alexander Dillahunt was born on the 
eastern shore of Maryland and was the 
eighth in a family of nine children. Wlien 
he was small, his parents, William and 
Melcha (Gooden) Dillahunt, removed to 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where 
the father died when Alexander was but 
nine years old. William was too young to 
enter the army during the Eevolutionary 
War, but had one brother who fought un- 
der Gen. Anthony Wayne, and another 
who returned from the war shortly after 
Braddock's defeat. After Alexander's 
marriage to Hannah Malone, who was 
born near Baltimore, he operated a tiour- 
raill for some time in Maryland. His 
brother, George Dillahunt, came to Ohio 
in 1853, and in April, the following year, 
Alexander followed and settled in Clark 
County, buying a farm of one hundred 
and sixty-four acres in Mad Eiver Town- 
ship. He later purchased more land and 
had at one time two hundred and nineteen 
acres, part of which is now owned by his 
son, George W. He died on this farm in 
January, 1887, and his widow survived 
him until January, 1898. They had a 
family of twelve children. 



George W. Dillahunt was reared on his 
father's farm in Mad Eiver Township and 
attended the district schools during the 
winter months after the corn was safely 
in the granary. He remained on the farm 
until after his marriage. Duiing many 
years he was engaged in fruit growing, 
but more recently his time has been de- 
voted to general farming and in attend- 
ing to his duties as road superintendent. 
His farm lies on both sides of the Dayton 
Pike, about three miles west of Spring- 
field. 

Mr. Dillahunt was married on Christ- 
mas day, 1877, to Emily Hebble, a daugh- 
ter of Dr. Joseph and Elizabeth Hebble. 
Six children have been born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Dillahunt, namely: Mabel, who 
teaches in the Mad Eiver Township 
schools, is a graduate of the Springfield 
High School, and also attended Witten- 
berg College for some time ; Clarence, who 
is an electrical engineer in the mines at 
Jasonville, Indiana, who was married in 
August, 1907. to Esther Curry; Gertrude, 
who teaches in the Mad Eiver Town- 
ship schools, and is a graduate of the 
Enon High School; Joseph H., who died 
April 8, 1905, aged twenty years ; George 
W., Jr., a graduate of the Enon High 
School, who taught for two years and at 
present is taking a course in the me- 
chanical department of the Ohio State 
irniversity; and Pauline, who is a grad- 
uate of the Enon High School and is tak- 
ing a post-graduate course at Enon. 

Mr. Dillahunt has been a member of 
the School Board since 1888, and has been 
president of that body for twelve years. 
He has served as road supei-visor since 
1889 and is now superintendent of roads. 
Politically, he is an independent voter. 



834 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



He is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias, and he belongs to the First 
l^ntheran Church of Springfield. 



ISAAC ULERY, proprietor of the old- 
est established hardware store in New 
(Carlisle, Ohio, has been a life-long resi- 
dent of Clark County, and was born April 
3, 1862, on the old home place three miles 
north of New Carlisle. He is a son of 
George and Mary (Fundeberg) Ulery. 

John Ulery, grandfather of Isaac, was 
born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a 
son of Daniel Ulery, who was a native of 
Wurtemberg, Germany, and one of the 
early settlers of Pennsylvania. Upon 
first coming to Ohio, John Ulery located 
in the woods near Dayton and cleared a 
great deal of land in the vicinity of that 
city. He subsequently returned to Penn- 
sylvania and after the Indian War 
brought his family to Ohio in wagons and 
settled in the woods near New Carlisle, 
where he and his wife Elizabeth spent 
the rem.ainder of their days, both passing 
away in advanced age. They were the 
parents of five children: John, Jacob, 
George, Phoebe, and Nancy, the latter of 
whom is still living at the age of ninety 
years. 

George Ulery, father of Isaac, was 
quite young when his parents came to 
Ohio. His boyhood home was an old log 
house and he helped clear a large tract 
of the surrounding land. He followed 
farming- through life and became a min- 
ister of the Brethren in Christ Church. 
He was joined in marriage with Mary 
Fimdeberg, whose parents were also 
early settlers of Clark County. To them 
were born nine children : Elizabeth, died 



aged eleven years; Samuel; "William; 
John, deceased; Mary, deceased, was the 
wife of Samuel Walters; Isaac; Ezra; 
Lucinda, died aged three years; and 
George, who lives on the old home place. 
George Ulery died in 1881, aged about 
fifty years, and is survived by his widow 
who lives on the home place. 

Isaac Ulery was reared on the home 
farm and attended the district schools 
of the township. At the age of fifteen his 
father died and as the other children were 
married and had left home, he took 
charge of the farm, and the responsi- 
bilities then assumed, although heavy at 
the time, proved a very valuable experi- 
ence for him. After his marriage he 
worked in a pump factory at New Car- 
lisle for a year and a half, then returned 
to the farm for five years. Subsequently 
he returned to New Carlisle and em- 
barked in a hardware business in a small 
way, in one small room, having about a 
wagon load of stock. He continued in 
that room for about five years, when he 
moved to a larger room at his present lo- 
cation. Five years later he was burned 
out. When he resumed business he in- 
creased his stock, and has since occupied 
three rooms on the main floor of the build- 
ing on Main Street, carrying an extensive 
line of paints, harness, seed, stoves and 
farming implements. 

Mr. IT]ery was married in July, 1883, 
to Luella Bailey, a daughter of James and 
Levina (Brandel) Bailey, and to their 
union have been born two children: 
Loureta, who married Charles Bucher; 
and Russell. 

Politically, Mr. Ulery is a Democrat 
and has served as a member of the School 
Board, and had the honor of being ap- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



835 



pointed trustee of the proposed Clark 
(;ount}' Memorial Building by Gov. Har- 
ris. He is a memher and trustee of the 
Brethren in Christ Church. 



HAEVEY BOWEES, one of the lead- 
ing farmers of German Township, where 
he owns seventy acres which lie on the old 
Troy road, about tive and one-quarter 
miles northwest of Spring-field, was born 
in Shenandoah County, Virginia, August 
4, 1843, and he is a son of Eeuben and 
Mary (Hollar) Bowers. 

The grandfather, Philip Bowers, came 
from Virginia to Ohio in 1830, settling on 
a farm north of Lawrenceville, on which 
he died in ]889. The parents of Mr. 
Bowers, however, never came to Ohio, the 
mother passing away in Virginia, on 
Christmas day, 1860. The father re- 
mained in the old home, where he died in 
1883. 

Harvey Bowers was reared in Virginia 
and before he came to Ohio, in 1869, had 
learned the carpenter trade and this he 
followed for some eight or ten years at 
Spring-field, after locating in Clark Coun- 
ty. He was one of the organizers and 
original stockholders in the Springfield 
Planing Mill and Lumber Company. He 
continued to be interested in this enter- 
prise for a number of years and also fol- 
lowed contracting at Spring-field. He then 
bought a farm, which he subsequently 
sold, lived several years on a rented farm 
of four hundred acres, in Champaign 
County, but on January 14, 1904, he re- 
turned to the farm he had acquired in 
German Township, on which he has car- 
ried on general farming, having been re- 
tired from carpenter work and contract- 



ing since 1S91. He has a fine property 
which he manages with great success. 

Mr. Bowers was married (first) to 
Theresa Stevenson, who died without is- 
sue. He was married (second) in 1888, 
to Mrs. Anna A. (Stevenson) Cook, a 
widow, whose son, J. Walter Cook, still 
rents the large farm in Champaign Coun- 
ty, which Mr. Bowers formerly conducted. 
Mrs. Bowers is a daughter of James 
Stevenson and a sister to Mr. Bowers' 
first wife. To this union three children 
have been born, namely: H. Alfred 
Homer, Ethel Hazel and Eobert Lee. 
The five daughters of Mrs. Bowers' 
former marriage are : Minnie, who mar- 
ried Seymore Edward Calhoun, residing 
at Beatty; Emma, a bright young lady, 
who is cashier of the Arcade Hotel, at 
Springfield ; Effie, who married J. Wilbur 
Folk; Annie, who married Frank Ke- 
ton; and Ada, who married Edgar Eey- 
nolds. 

In politics, Mr. Bowers is a Democrat 
and on that ticket he served four years as 
a trustee of German Township. He is 
a member of the fraternal order of Eagles 
and both he and his step-son, J. Walter 
Cook, belong to the Junior Order of Amer- 
ican Mechanics. Mr. Bowers is consid- 
ered one of the representative men in his 
communitv. 



EOBEET C- EODGEES, attorney at 
law, has been a resident of Springfield 
since 1857 and is one of the city's repre- 
sentative men. He was born in Knox 
County, Pennsylvania. 

When five years of age, the parents of 
Ml'. Eodgers came to Springfield and here 
he enjoyed educational advantages which 



836 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



mcluded attendance at private schools 
and Wittenberg College. From the lat- 
ter he entered Princeton University, be- 
ing a member of the class of 1875, but 
left college in his junior year and returned 
to Springfield in order to enter upon the 
study of law. After a course of reading 
with a leading attorney of Springfield, 
he was admitted to the bar in 1877, has 
been in continuous practice ever since and 
now occupies a prominent i^osition in his 
profession all through Clark County. 

In 1879, Mr. Eodgers was married to 
Emma M. AVhite, who is a daughter of 
Judge William A^Hiite, and they have two 
sons — William W., who is engaged in busi- 
ness at Springfield, and James L., who is 
a student in the United States Naval 
Academy at Aimapolis, Maryland. Mr. • 
and Mrs. Eodgers are members of the 
Second Presbyterian Church. 



JOHN MILLS, one of the oldest and 
liighly respected citizens of Green Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, residing on a 
tract of two hundred and fifty acres, lo- 
cated six miles southeast of Springfield, 
has been a life-long resident of this coun- 
ty, and was born on his present farm Jan- 
uary 7, 1826, a son of Thomas and Jane 
(Dale) Mills. 

Thomas Mills was born in Virginia and 
at the age of five years came down the 
Ohio River with his parents to Kentucky, 
where they folloAved farming the rest of 
their lives. Thomas Mills was reared and 
educated in Kentucky and was there mar- 
ried to Jane Dale, by whom he became tho 
father of ten children, the subject of this 
sketch being the only surviving child. 
He later came to Clark Countv, Ohio, and 



settled on our subject's present farm. 

John Mills was born and reared on his 
present farm and has always been a farm- 
er by occupation, having remained on the 
home place. He was united in marriage 
with Clara J. Baird, who was one of 
eleven children born to her parents. Her 
father, Peter C. Baird, was a native of 
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 
who after coming to Ohio followed farm- 
ing near Harmony. There have been no 
children born to our subject and his wife. 
In politics he is a Republican and during 
his active career, always took an active 
interest in the affairs of his party. His 
religious association is with the Method- 
ist Protestant Church. 



CHARLES E. ROLLER, residing on 
a tract of one hundred and nine acres sit- 
uated in Bethel Township, about seA^en 
miles west of Springfield, on the west side 
of the Enou Road, where he is engaged 
in general farming and wholesale daiiy- 
iug, is one of the most successful farmers 
and highly respected citizens of the town- 
.'^hip. He was born December 16, 1865, in 
Spring-field Township, Clark Coimtj', 
Ohio, and is a son of Sylvanus and Eliza 
Jane (Henslee) Roller. 

Sylvanus Eoller was born in Virginia 
and when a child came to Ohio with his 
father, Andrew Eoller. The family made 
the trip from Virginia in wagons, and 
settled on a tract of timberland in Spring- 
field Township, although the father had 
been offered a large tract of land at Trap- 
pers Corners for his old horse that wasn't 
worth a hundred dollars, but he took the 
farm in Spring-field Township in prefer- 
ence. At that time Springfield was not 




A 

1 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



839 



tlie county seat, and the land where the 
Public Square is located was a swamp. 
Andrew Roller set about cleariag up the 
land with the assistance of his sons, burn- 
ing many dollars worth of timber. Here 
he lived the remainder of his life, passing 
away at the advanced age of eighty-one 
years. His wife, Anna Katherine Roller, 
died April 17, 1864, aged seventy-seven 
years. They reared a family of six chil- 
dren, three sons and three daughters, of 
whom Sylvanus and twin sister, Sally, 
were the oldest. 

Sylvanus Roller was born March 28, 
1820, and practically spent his entire life 
in Clark County. He came into posses- 
sion of part of the Roller estate, and to 
this added more land, a part of which is 
now owned by our subject. He married 
Eliza Jane Henslee, who is still living and 
they reared two children — Charles E., the 
subject of this sketch; and Ada M., the 
wife of M^illiam Thomas. Mr. Roller's 
death occurred in 1894, when he -ypas aged 
seventy-four years. 

Charles Ellsworth Roller was born and 
reared on his father's farm in Spring- 
field Township, and remained at home im- 
til the time of his marriage. His educa- 
tional training was obtained in the district 
schools and at Nelson's Business College, 
of Spring-field, which he attended for two 
winters. After his marriage he remained 
a resident of Springfield Township for a 
period of five years, when he rented his 
father's place for one year. At the end 
of that time he purchased the land, where 
he has since been engaged in general 
farming and wholesale dairying, keeping 
about eighteen cows. In 1905 he built 
the large brick residence which the family 
occupy, and in 1908 the large bank barn. 



There are also two other dwellings on the 
place. 

In February, 1887, Mr. Roller was joined 
in marriage with Ella Olivia Downs, 
who was born at Bellfontaine, Ohio, and 
is a daughter of William 0. and Martha 
Louisa (Usher) Downs, the former of 
whom died in January, 1903, aged seven- 
ty-four years, the latter being still living 
at the age of sixty-four years. Mrs. 
Roller has one brother, William Harri- 
son Downs, and a sister, Lillith May, the 
wife of Frank Sparrow. Mr. and Mrs. 
Roller are the parents of four children, 
namely : Chester A., Ethel May, Alta 
Fern, and Earl E. The last mentioned 
died at the age of one year and twenty- 
three davs. 



HARRY SNYDER MELLINGER, 

proprietor of the Maple Grove Farm, a 
tract of one hundred and eighty-two acres 
located four miles west of Springfield on 
the Fairfield Pike, is one of the repre- 
sentative farmers and most highly re- 
spected citizens of Spring-field Township. 
He was born on his present farm Decem- 
ber 20, 1861, and is a son of John Hertzler 
and Rachel (Rosser) Mellinger. 

John H. Mellinger was born in Lancas- 
ter County, Pennsylvania, and when a lad 
of six or seven years came to Ohio with 
his parents, Jacob and Martha Mellinger, 
who settled on a tract of one hundred and 
eighty-five acres in Mad River Township, 
now known as the David Herr farm. His 
paternal grandparents both died on this 
farm at an advanced age. They were the 
parents of four children, namely: Mary, 
now deceased; John H., father of our sub- 
ject; Martha, the wife of M. Patton, who 



840 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



resides in Springfield, Ohio; and Jacob, 
who is deceased. 

John H. Mellinger spent t^e greater 
part of his boyhood days on the farm in 
Mad River Township. When a young- 
man he began dealing in stock, and he 
was at one time the largest shipper of 
stock in Clark County. He became an ex- 
pert at giiessing weight and was finajicial- 
]y very successfnl. In 1860 he purchased 
the present farm of the subject of this 
sketch, then consisting of timberland, 
from A. Leffel, and followed farming on 
it for many years thereafter. Later he 
moved to Yellow Springs in order to se- 
cure educational advantages for his chil- 
dren. ' There his death occurred at the 
age of sixty-one years. He was married 
about 1860 to Rachel Rosser, a native of 
Springfield Township, and daughter of 
"William Rosser, a native of Wales. 

She is still living in Springfield, Ohio. 
They were the parents of five children — 
Harry Snyder, subject of this sketch; 
Emma, wife of D. Herr, who conducts an 
imdertaldng establishment in Springfield ; 
Martha, who married H. Hedges of Cleve- 
land, -Ohio; John, who is deceased; and 
Anna, also deceased, who was the wife of 
Robert Mills. 

Harry S. Mellinger has spent .the 
greater part of his life on his present 
farm and obtained his educational train- 
ing in the district schools. Being the eldest 
son, it fell to his lot to assist his father 
to a large extent, and he was practically 
reared in the saddle, beginning to work as 
soon as he was old enough to be of serv- 
ice. He later bought the farm from his 
father's heirs and has since followed gen- 
eral farming and stock-raising, breeding 
principally hogs, cattle and horses. He 



keeps about twenty head of horses, some 
of which he has bred himself. 

Mr. Mellinger was married February, 
1901, to Enna Flenner, a daughter of 
Charles and Cora Flenner. Mrs. Melling- 
er died in January, 1904, leaving one 
child, Harry Flenner Mellinger. Politi- 
cally, Mr. Mellinger is a Republican; 
fraternally he is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias lodge at Enon, Ohio. 



GEORdE H. SLAUGHTER, owner 
of a furniture and undertaking establish- 
ment, is one of the successful and in- 
fluential business men of South Charles- 
ton. He was born February 21, 1880, on 
his father's farm in Madison County. 
Ohio, and is a son of Marion and Floretta 
(Watson) SlaiTghter. Peter Slaughter, 
his grandfather, was a resident and a 
large land owner of Madison County, 
Ohio, where he was engaged in agricult- 
ural pursuits and in stock-raising. 
Marion Slaughter, father of our subject, 
was one of a family of seven children, and 
a native of Pennsylvania. When a young 
man he moved to Madison County, Ohio, 
and devoted his entire life to farming. 
He married Floretta Watson of Clark 
County and they became the parents of 
five children, all of whom but one are 
living. 

George H. Slaughter received his early 
educational training in the public schools 
of Clark County, after which he took a 
course of study at Puget Sound Univers- 
ity, and Wittenberg College. He then 
purchased his present business from 
Adams & McMillan, and has since con- 
ducted it with much success. Mr. 
Slaughter is a man of considerable busi- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



841 



ness ability, following up-to-date methods, 
and the success attending his efforts is 
well merited. Mr. Slaughter married 
Ethel Arthur of Springtield. Religious- 
ly, he is affiliated with the Presbyterian 
Church of South Charleston. He is fra- 
ternally a mehiber of the Masonic order, 
of the I. 0. 0. F. and K. of P. Politically, 
he is a Republican. 



ROSCOE GLENN STOTTS, M. D., 
physician and surgeon at Catawba, was 
born at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, 
June 11, 1881, and is a son of Leonard B. 
and Anna (Postal) Stotts. 

Dr. Stotts was reared on his father's 
stock farm at Alton, near Columbus, and 
attended school both in Alton and Colum- 
bus. Prior to entering Starling Medical 
College, he taught school for four years. 
In the fall of 1902 he became a student at 
the above-mentioned and well-known med- 
ical institution, where he was graduated 
In the spring of 3906, with the degree of 
M. D. He was then for two years en- 
gaged in hospital work, acting as first as- 
sistant at St. Anthony's Hospital, and for 
one year of this period having charge of 
the free dispensary connected with Star- 
ling Medical College. Subsequently, after 
practicing nine months in Hancock Coun- 
ty, Dr. Stotts settled in Catawba, May 1, 
1 907, where he has since gained his share 
of public patronage and has proved his 
ability and medical skill. 

On November 5, 1906, Dr. Stotts was 
married at (blumbus, to Mabel Seymour, 
who was born and reared in Madison 
County, Ohio. She is a step-daughter of 
Dr. C. M. Deem, her father, Wilson Sej^- 
mour, having died when she was but one 



day old. Dr. and Mrs. Stotts are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Dr. Stotts is a Mason and an Odd Fellow 
and he retains his membership in the Phi 
Sig-ma Psi fraternity of Sterling Medical 
College. 



CHARLES ADAM YOUNG, a promi- 
nent wholesale meat dealer and business 
man, is a resident of Spring-field Town- 
ship, where he has a fine home and two 
small farms. He was born in Donnels- 
ville. Clark County, Ohio, May 16, 1872, 
and is a son of John and Elizabeth 
(Creshbaum) Young. 

John Young was born in Germany, 
where he learned the trade of a mason in 
his early days. While a young man he 
came to America, settling first in Penn- 
sylvania, where he engaged in the meat 
business. After his marriage he came to 
Clark County, Ohio, locating at Donnels- 
ville. in Bethel Township, where for 
years he sold meat through the country. 
He lived there until his death in June, 
1897, when he was aged seventy-nine 
years. He was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth Creshbaum, who was born in 
Germany and was but two years of age 
when bi-ought to this country by her par- 
ents. She survives her husband and re- 
sides at Donnelsville. Four children 
blessed their union: John A., who lives 
at Yellow Springs; Peter of Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania ; William of Springfield, 
Ohio ; and Charles Adam. 

Charles Adam Young was reared at 
Donnelsville and attended the public 
schools there. He remained at home un- 
til his marriage, and for two years there- 
after continued to reside in that village. 



842 



HISTOEY OF CLAKK COUNTY 



He then purchased his present place from 
G. W. Adams. The large house of ten 
rooms and the barn were built when he 
moved upon the farm, but the cold stor- 
age plant and the cattle yards were built 
by Mr. Young. He has a very extensive 
business, disposing of all his meats to the 
retail establishments of Springfield. He 
is a successful business man and stands 
very high in the esteem of his fellow 
citizens. 

Mr. Young was joined in marriage, Oc- 
tober 2, 1895, with Miss Amy E. Minnich, 
who was born in Bethel Township, where 
her parents, Dewitt C. and Elizabeth 
(Higgins) Minnich still reside. She is 
one of five children, as follows: Grace, 
wife of Lee Miller; Anna, wife of Dr. H. 
L. Herstand ; Amy E. ; Edith, wife of M. 
Aston; and Ethel, wife of Henry Willett. 
Mr. and Mrs. Young are parents of three 
children — Kathleen, who died at the age 
of six months; Robert, and John. Fra- 
ternally, Mr. Young is a member of Mad 
River Lodge, K. P., at Enon ; and Spring- 
field Lodge, U. C. T., No. 23. Politically, 
he is a Democrat. He and his wife are 
consistent members of the Lutheran 
Church. 



CHARLES H. PATTERSON, a farm- 
er, residing on a valuable property in 
Harmony Township, containing sixty-one 
acres of land, was born in Clark Coimtj', 
Ohio, October 1, 1873, and is a son of 
Malcolm H. and Anna E. (Beales) Patter- 
son. 

The grandparents of Mr. Patterson, 
Charles C. and Caroline Patterson, 
passed the larger part of their lives at 
Springfield, Ohio. Charles C. Patterson i 



was born in 1802 and died at Springfield 
in 1892. His wife was born in 1812 and 
died in 1888. They 'have three children — 
Malcolm H., Barney, and Agiies. Barney 
Patterson, who is now deceased, was a 
clergyman in New York city. Ag-nes Pat- 
terson is the widow of Edwin Duley and 
has one child, Alice. 

Malcolm H. Patterson was born at Day- 
ton, Montgomery County, Ohio, October 
2, 1839, and died February 6, 1886. He 
saw service in the Civil "War, enlisting as 
a private August 9, 1862, in Companj^ D 
(Capt. James L. Hart), One Hundred and 
T wen tj^- third Regiment Illinois Infantry. 
He was discharged at Spi'ing-field, Illinois, 
on the expiration of his term of service, 
July 8, 1865. He first met Anna E. 
Beales his future wife while he was a sol- 
dier in the Federal army. She is still 
living and is now a resident of Dayton. 
Her people were prominent Southerners, 
and one of her brothers was a soldier in 
the Confederate army. Circumstances 
brought her into close contact with mil- 
itary affairs during the great struggle; 
she witnessed many battles, and had a 
personal acquaintance with several of tlie 
high commanding officers of the Confed- 
erate army. Her early home was in Mis- 
souri. To Malcolm H. Patterson and his 
wife were born six children, namely: 
Carrie, who is the widow of Gfeorge Run- 
yan, and has two sons, Bruce and Lewis ; 
Nettie, who is the wife of Charles A. 
Jones, and has one son, Malcolm ; Charles 
H., subject of this sketch; Howard Lee, 
born in 1876, who now resides in Mexico; 
"Frank, born in 1881, who resides in Day- 
ton; and Chester A. born in 1883, now re- 
siding in Chicago, Illinois, who married 
Grace L. Clapp. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



843 



Charles H. Patterson was married at 
Spring-field, Ohio, in 1899, to Leona Smith, 
who is a daughter of Amos and Catherine 
Ann (Wiet) Smith, and they have one 
son, Robert S., born May 6, 1902, who is 
a pupil in the local school. Mr. Patterson 
is a prominent member of Vienna Lodge 
No. 66(1, Knights of Pythias. 



D. H. SNYDER, a leading business 
citizen of Snyderville, is vice president 
of The Victor Rubber Company, an im- 
portant manufacturing industry of Clark 
County. He was born on his father's 
farm in Mad River Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, December 10, 1867, and is 
a son of Henry and Anna H. (Hertzler) 
Snyder. 

Henry Snyder accompanied his parents 
to Ohio from Pennsylvania, walking a 
large part of the distance. He became a 
farmer and grain merchant and operated 
mills for a number of years in Mad River 
Township. He was a member of the D, 
L. Snyder Company, which donated 
Snyder Pnrk to Springfield. The old 
Snyder estate has never been entirely 
settled, 1,600 acres of land around Snyder- 
ville being involved. Henry Snyder died 
June 28, 1893. He married Anna H. 
Hertzler, who has been a life-long resi- 
dent of Mad River Township. She was a 
daughter of Daniel Hertzler who was one 
of the prominent and wealthy men of 
Clark County. He was born in Lancas- 
ter County,. Pennsylvania, where he en- 
gaged in farming and milling. He mar- 
ried Catherine Hershey and they came to 
Ohio in 1834, accompanied by one child, 
Barbara, who is now the wife of Samuel 
Huffman, residing at Springfield. They 

45 



lived at Springfield, then a small town, 
for a short time, and then settled in Mad 
River Township on what is now the Sny- 
der, farm,. Here, in the wilderness, Daniel 
Hertzler built a mill which he operated 
for many years, also carrying on farm- 
ing, and then returned to Springfield in 
order to give his children better educa- 
tional advantages. Mrs. Snyder was edu- 
cated in the school, now the Springfield 
Seminary, which is attended by her grand- 
children. 

After a residence of four years a,t 
Springfield, Mr. Hertzler purchased a 
farm near the one he had formerly owned 
and was residing there when he met his 
death from the attack of six masked as- 
sassins, who entered his house at night 
and shot him. He was a large and power- 
ful man and fought hard, as evidences 
showed, before he was overpowered. His 
death was a shock to the community, and 
although large sum's were offered for the 
capture of the murderers, they have never 
been apprehended. His widow survived 
him five years. The children who were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Hertzler after com- 
ing to Ohio were: Martha, deceased, 
who married L. Baker; Mary, who died 
in youth; Anna, who was born on her 
present farm October 26, 1839; Susan and 
Elizabeth, twins, both deceased, the for- 
mer the wife of Jacob Rubsam and the 
latter of William Pope; Daniel, who died 
aged eighteen years; and Benjamin and 
two others died young. 

D. H. Snyder was educated in the dis- 
trict schools of Mad River Township, at 
Oxford and at Media, Pennsylvania. 
After his return home he naturally be- 
came a miller, this having been a family 
occupation for generations back, even be- 



844 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



fore his ancestors left Switzerland. His 
father owned the Teeumseh mill, in Mad 
River Township, and he started to work 
in that mill, which became his property on 
the death of his father. He operated the 
mill for ten years and then leased it to the 
firm of Allen & King, of Springfield. In 
1903 the old mill was destroyed by fire. 

In 1903 Mr. Snyder began working in 
the office of the company with which he 
has been identified ever since, which was 
then known as the Victor Rubber Com- 
pany. The business was founded by J. S. 
Harshman, Mr. Snyder's brothei'-in-law. 
After the failure of Mr. Harshman, with 
this enterprise, a new company was or- 
ganized in July, 1904, of which Henry H. 
Durr became president and Mr. Snyder 
vice president. At this time the present 
firm style was adopted. The business is 
the manufacturing of all kinds of molded 
rubber goods. Employment is given 100 
men. The plant occupies six acres of 
ground and the buildings are all of brick 
construction. 

Mr. Snyder belongs to the Elks and to 
the Junior Order of United American 
Mechanics, both of Spring-field. 



THOMAS B. MINNICH, one of Ger- 
man Township's most respected citizens, 
resides on his valuable farm of fifty-two 
acres, which is situated on the Jordan 
Turnpike, about six miles northwest of 
Springfield, was born in German Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, December 19, 
1887. He is a son of Peter and Martha 
(Stephenson) Minnich. 

Peter Minnich was born in Pennsylva- 
nia and was a son of Peter Minnich, who 
brought his family to Clark County about 



1808. They settled on a farm about one 
and one-half miles east of the present 
place. The maternal grandfather, David 
Stephenson, came to Ohio from Virginia 
and settled in Champaign County, Ohio, 
entering land about three miles southeast 
of Urbana. After his death on that land, 
his widow and children moved to German 
Township, Clark County, and located near 
Peter Minnich. The parents of Thomas 
B. Minnich were married in 1816 and went 
to housekeeping on the farm on which he 
was born, the youngest of their ten chil- 
dren. Peter Minnich died in 1842 and 
Avhen Thomas B. was fourteen years old 
his mother married Jonathan Park and 
they . m^oved to Logan County, near the 
Shelby County line. Mrs. Park died in 
1873, aged seventy-six years. 

When his mother contracted her second 
marriage Thomas B. Minnich started out 
to take care of himself and is an example 
of a self-made man. He engaged in farm 
work in different neighborhoods and 
after his marriage he rented a farm in 
German Township, which he operated for 
a number of years. In 1886 he bought his 
present farm and in 1901 he erected his 
comfortable residence. He is assisted in 
the management of the property by his 
eldest son, John B., who is a member of 
the school board of this township. 

Thomas B. Minnich was married De- 
cember 2, 1875, to Elizabeth Michael, who 
is a daughter of John and Eliza Ann 
(Domer) Michael. Mrs. Minnich was 
born and reared in German Township. 
Her father was born in Virginia and ac- 
companied his father, Frederick Michael, 
to Clark County in 1812, being then a boy 
of twelve years. The maternal grand- 
father of Mrs. Minnich, John Domer, 




MR. AND .MRS. WILLIA.M A. LAYTON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



847 



came to Clark County from Maryland. 
Thomas B. Minnieh and wife have four 
children, namely: John B., residing at 
home, was educated at Wittenberg Col- 
lege, where he spent three and one-half 
years; Ozzie B., who operates the North- 
ampton Bell Telephone Exchange, gradu- 
ated from the Lawrenceville Township 
High School in 1899, married Alice Nave ; 
Charles Stephenson, who graduated from 
the Lawrenceville High School in 1900, at- 
tends a business college at Spring-field; 
and Lulu Blanche, who graduated from 
the Lawrenceville High School in 1903, 
taught two terms of school in District No. 
10, German Township. Mr. Minnieh 's 
family is prominent in the educational 
and social circles of German Township. 



"WILLIAM A. LAYTON, township 
trustee and owner of 112 acres of fine 
farming land in Mad River Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, was born in Bethel 
Township, Clark County, November 15, 
] 845, and is a son of John A. and Eveline 
(TuUis) Layton. 

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Lay- 
ton, Arthur Layton, came to Ohio with 
his father, William, from Pennsylvania 
in 1787, settling on Mad River. Arthur 
Layton married a Miss McKinney, who 
was later killed while riding horseback. 
William Layton was the parent of eight 
children, five sons and three daughters, 
Joseph being the first Common Pleas 
judge of Clark County. Arthur Layton, 
who died in Bethel Township when John 
was eight years old, served as a colonel in 
the War of 1812, and John Tullis, the ma- 
ternal grandfather of our subject, helped 



to erect the first brick wall in Springfield. 
John A. Layton was born in 1838 on the 
old home farm in Bethel Township and 
devoted his life to farming, making a 
specialty of fruit trees during the latter 
part of his life. He married Eveline 
Tullis and they were the parents of two 
children, Lucinda, who married, first, A. 
N. Brown, secondly, Harry Kryder and 
thirdly, F. Moudy, now deceased; and 
William A. The death of Mr. Layton oc- 
curred while he was in his sixty-third 
year and his wife died aged seventy-four. 
When William A. Layton was seven 
years old the family moved to Yellow 
Springs and seven years later to his pres- 
ent farm, which was purchased from John 
. Flohr. Mr. Layton attended the district 
schools of his native locality, and also 
Antioch College for two years. After his 
marriage he spent seven years on his 
present farm, then bought a farm of 145 
acres in German Township, residing there 
for "the succeeding twelve years. At the 
end of this period he bought his present 
farm and has since devoted his time to 
general farming and stock-raising. Mr. 
Layton was married December 30, 1869, 
to Angeline Wolf, who is a daughter of 
Michael and Sarah (Ruppert) Wolf. 
Seven children were born of this union, 
namely: Carrie, who died aged four 
years; Claudius A., who married Alice 
Arthur, lives in Clark County, and has 
two children — Arthur and Lowess; 
Charles, who married Dora Ada, and 
lives in Clark County; Edward A., who 
married I^aura Dunevant, resides in Clark 
County, and has one child — Aldrich E.; 
Louie B., married H. Birch, of Spring- 
field, Ohio, and has two children — Arthur 
and Eugene; Myrtle E., who married Wil- 



848 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



bert Newlove, of Clark County; and 
Frank, E., who is living at home. 

In political affairs Mr. Layton is a Re- 
publican, and in 1905 was elected town- 
ship trustee and president of the school 
board, holding both of these offices at the 
present time. He has served as a member 
of the school board for about thirty-seven 
years. Fraternally Mr. Layton belongs 
to the Masonic Lodge, No. 421, at Yellow 
Springs and is master of the Husted 
Grange. Religiously he is connected with 
the Lutheran Church, in which he is a 
member of the council, having just been 
re-elected for two years. 



J. S. ELLIOTT, one of Springfield's 
men of capital and business success, is 
president of the J. S. Elliott Company, 
leaders in general insurance, with com- 
modious quarters in the Mitchell Build- 
ing. Mr. Elliott was born in Queen 
Anne County, Maryland, December 9, 
1854. 

Mr. Elliott remained at home until his 
school days were over and then became 
clerk in a store at Centerville, Maryland, 
where he gained the experience that 
made him an acceptable addition to the 
clerical force in the Murphy Brothers 
store, when he came to Springfield in 
1875. Later he entered into the insur- 
ance business and in March, 1902, the J. 
S. Elliott Company, general insurance, 
was incorporated, with a capital stock 
of $25,000, its officers and directors being 
the following: J. S. Elliott, president 
and general manager; John M. Good, 
vice president; D. D. Downing, of Lon- 
don, secretary and treasurer; and John 
0. Elliott and David F. Snyder, the other 



members of the board. This firm repre- 
sents some of the leading insurance com- 
panies in the United States and does a 
very large amount of business. 

In September, 1877, Mr. Elliott was 
married to Mary W. Boyer, of Dayton, 
Ohio, who died in December, 1882, leav- 
ing two children, John Oliver and Lyda 
B., the latter of whom married C. C. 
Linnbocker, of Dayton. Mr. Elliott was 
married (secondly) in January, 1884, to 
Nora E. Wood, who was born and reared 
in Springfield. Two sons and one daugh- 
ter have been born to this marriage, 
namely: Benjamin F., Allan G., and 
Margaret, the last mentioned of whom is 
the wife of John Snyder. 

Mr. Elliott is a Democrat and he takes 
an active interest in public affairs. He 
is a member of the Board of Public 
Safety at Springfield. Fraternally he is 
a Mason and has reached the 32d degree. 
He belongs to the Springfield Commer- 
cial Club and also the Lagonda Club. 



EDWARD C. PHLEGEE, a promi- 
nent farmer and stock-raiser of Moore- 
field Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- 
siding on a valuable farm of 100 acres, 
which is part of the old Thomas B. Wil- 
son farm, was born October 19, 1871, on 
the Mechanicsburg Pike, Moorefield 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a 
son of Edward and Jane H. (Lynn) 
Phleger, further mention of whom may 
be found elsewhere in this volume. 

Edward C. Phleger was reared and 
educated in his native township, where 
he has always followed farming and 
stock-raising, and is one of the most pros- 
perous young farmers and well known 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



849 



stock-raisers of Moorefield Township. He 
makes specialties of draft and road 
horses, hogs, cattle, etc. Mr. Phleger 
was united in marriage December 22, 
1898, to Dora Bumgardner, a daughter 
of Levi Bumgardner, and to them has 
been born one child, Pauline Gladys. 
After his marriage Mr. Phleger lived on 
a farm of forty-five acres in Champaign 
County, Ohio, until March 6, 1906, when 
he removed to his present farm of 100 
acres, which he had purchased in the pre- 
ceding January. 



DANIEL EANDOLPH TAYLOR, 

postmaster and ticket agent for the elec- 
tric railroad and express agent for the 
Pacific Express Company, at North 
Hampton, is 'probably one of the best 
known men in Pike Township. He was 
born December 31, 1835, in Virginia, and 
is a son of Daniel and Mary (Crowisen) 
Taylor. 

The parents of Mr. Taylor were born 
in Virginia. His father was a mill- 
wright by trade and in search of work 
he came on horseback to Zanesville, Ohio, 
in 1834. His young wife followed shortly 
afterward, with her infant son, Daniel 
Randolph, in her arms, also making the 
joui-ney on horseback. She was left a 
widow soon after reaching Zanesville, her 
husband meeting death by accident in that 
city. She remained at Zanesville for sev- 
eral years, when she moved to Newark 
and then to Granville, Licking County, 
where she married David Southwick. To 
this marriage four children were born, 
two sons and two daughters. Mrs. South- 
wick died at the age of sixty-five years. 



•She was related to the Virginia Ran- 
dolphs and gave her fix'st son that name. 
Daniel Randolph Taylor is a self-made 
man. His mother had been married but 
a few months to her second husband when 
the lad left home, determined to take care 
of himself and he never returned except 
to visit. He was about ten years old 
when he started to work in a rope fac- 
tory. The power was supplied by hand 
and it was his duty to turn ,the power 
wheel, receiving twenty-five cents a day 
for his labor, boarding himself in the 
meantime. Later he learned the cooper 
trade and after serving an apprenticeship 
of two years, went to Urbana and became 
an employe in the cooper shop of the Hag- 
genbaugh mills. 

It was during his residence at this 
place and while he was working in these 
mills that he was , married, January 4, 
1854, to Harriet A. Merser, who was a 
daughter of one of the leading citizens 
of' Alexandria, Ohio, Dr. N. Z. Merser. 
This marriage was an elopement and had 
many romantic features. In the course 
of a few years the parents of Mrs. Tay- 
lor became so reconciled that they came 
to reside in the home of their son-in-law, 
where Dr. Merser died and where Mrs. 
Merser resided for many years after- 
ward. In following his trade, Mr. Tay- 
lor soon moved to St. Paris, Ohio, where 
he was working as a cooper when the 
Civil War was declared. He enlisted in 
the regimental band in the Forty-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in 
which he remained for sixteen months, 
when a general order was given that all 
organizations of this kind should be mus- 
tered out. Mr. Taylor returned home, 
but three months later, at Columbus, he 



850 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



reenlisted in Company E, One Hundred 
and Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, and was assigned to band duty 
in the Third Brigade, Fourteenth Army 
Corps, in which he remained until the 
close of the war. 

Mr. Taylor participated in many bat- 
tles and endured the, privation and hard- 
ships which came to the gallant men of 
General Sherman's army. On the mem- 
orable march to Atlanta, which consumed 
ninety days from Rossville to the ob- 
jective point, from the third day the sol- 
diers engaged in fighting or skirmishing 
continuously. They remained at Atlanta 
for three weeks and then, started by rail 
to Chattanooga. After a most trying 
series of raids in Alabama, the regiment 
was again returned to Chattanooga and 
by that time, Mr. Taylor was so worn 
out that "he was obliged to rest for sev- 
eral weeks in a hospital and was then 
given a furlough of thirty days, which he 
spent with his family in Ohio. On his 
way back to his regiment, he was stopped 
at Louisville by orders to take a large 
squad of furloughed soldiers to Bedloe 
Island, where he remained for three 
weeks. Then, with a force of 1,000 men 
he went aboard an ocean steamer bound 
for a North Carolina port, and from there 
they were distributed to their various 
commands, Mr. Taylor reaching his regi- 
ment at Groldsboro, on the day before the 
fight at Black Swamp. The regiment was 
then sent after the Confederate General 
Johnston and when within ten miles of 
Raleigh, they paused for dinner. At three 
o 'clock that afternoon rumors were heard 
of the surrender of General Lee and be- 
fore they could reach General Johnston, 
he had also surrendered to the Union 



forces. The regiments then had rations 
for fifteen days issued and orders given 
them to rejjort at Richmond, Virginia. In 
the rapid march to the Southern capital, 
the army corps to which Mr. Taylor be- 
longed, was the first to reach Richmond, 
making the trip in seven days. They re- 
jnained there three days and then received 
orders to march to Washington, where 
several weeks were passed and then the 
brigade was started to Louisville, Ken- 
tucky. They made the trip to Parkers- 
burg, West Virginia, in bos cars, where 
they took boats on the Ohio River and 
thus reached Louisville. The brigade 
camped for five weeks in the environs of 
this city, when, as peace seemed to be 
firmly established, they were sent. to Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, where Mr. Taylor and his 
comrades were mustered out in August, 
1865. 

The many events, which Mr. Taylor had 
been called on to participate in and the 
trying scenes in which he so often was 
forced to take part, exerted a very sober- 
ing effect on his mind and resulted in his 
serious contemplation of becoming a min- 
ister. He still resides at St. Paris, where, 
in 1872, he entered the ministry of the 
Reformed Church, and served the congre- 
gation at Bradford, Ohio, for three years. 
From there he went to the Union charge 
in Clark County, where, for seventeen 
years he labored with great success, meet- 
ing the encouragement which causes true 
ministers to feel that their endeavors are 
blessed. During this period of seventeen 
years he received between 900 and 1,000 
additions .to the church, officiated at 500 
weddings and preached 600 funeral ser- 
mons. During his last pastorate he re- 
sided at North Hampton, where he sub- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



851 



sequently engaged in a shoe business. He 
gradually added other activities and be- 
came the agent of the local electric rail- 
road which opened for business July 4, 
1903. Although he is a stanch Democrat 
he is an admirer of President Roosevelt 
and was appointed postmaster by him at 
North Hampton. Mr. Taylor has served 
as a Justice of the peace and now holds 
the office of notary public. 

Mr. Taylor has had four children, all 
born of his first marriage, namely : Harry, 
deceased ; Leno ; , Albert ; and Ella, who 
married James Rector. Some years after 
the death of his first wife, Mr. Taylor 
married Anna M. Minnick, who still sur- 
vives. 

On June 4, 1857, Mr. Taylor was made 
a Mason and a Master Mason in July of 
the same year. He belongs also to the 
Chapter. He has led a most interesting 
life, into which almost every element of 
happiness and pain has entered, and his 
reminiscences of its various phases are 
deeply interesting. 



JOEL EBERSOLE, one of the most 
highly respected citizens of German 
Township, resided on a farm of 100 acres, 
which is situated on the Joel Ebersole 
road, six miles northwest of Spring-field, 
is a member of one of the old pioneer 
families of this section. He was born 
on a farm in Bethel Township, six miles 
from Springfield, June 24, 1821, and is a 
son of Jacob and Sarah (Keller) Eber- 
sole. 

Jacob Ebersole, father of Joel, came 
to Clark County in 1810, with his father 
and his future father-in-law, John Keller. 
They settled on a farm in Bethel Town- 



ship, the same on which Joel Ebersole 
was born and reared. Jacob Ebersole 
married Sarah Keller and they had ten 
cliildren, five sons and five daughters, all 
of whom, with one exception, reached ma- 
turity. The survivors are: Joel, who 
was the third in the order of birth, and 
John, who was the last born. Jacob Eber- 
sole was a farmer. He was a worthy, 
Christian man, being an elder in the 
Dunkard Church, and he performed the 
ceremonies of baptism, marriage and 
funeral for a large number of the fam- 
ilies in this part of the county in , those 
early years. He died December 18, 1851, 
and was survived by his widow from Oc- 
tober, 1864. They were quiet, virtuous 
people, who found their greatest pleasure 
and happiness in working for the good 
of others. Both came of Revolutionary 
stock, their fathers entering the Patriot 
army when sixteen years of age and serv- 
ing like men, for six long years. Both 
were fine types of manhood, strong in 
body and courageous in spirit. Side by 
side they carried their muskets and side 
by side fought the enemy. Both escaped 
with their lives from the great struggle 
and both faced the future together in the 
wilds of Clark County, bringing their 
families with them from Lancaster Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. It was with the same 
friendly feeling that they secured their 
farms of 160 acres adjoining, and it gave 
them happiness to have the families 
united by the marriage between their chil- 
dren. Both of the grandfathers of Mr. 
Ebersole were buried, full of years, in 
Clark Coimty. 

Joel Ebersole was reared to manhood 
about one and one-half miles from his 
present home, and he resided with his 



852 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



father until he was twenty-seven years of 
age. The main interest of his life has 
been farming. In 1854, , four years after 
his marriage, he moved to Wells County, 
Indiana, where he resided fpr two years 
and ten months, at the end of this period 
returning to Clark County, at the earnest 
solicitation of his father-in-law, who de- 
sired Mr. Ebersole to assist him in the 
c-are of his three large farms. 

On February 14, 1850, Joel Ebersole 
was married to Catherine Click, who was 
born in 1833, and they have the distinc- 
tion of being the oldest married couple in 
Clark County. She was reared on the 
present home farm, which has but recently 
been sold by Mr. Ebersole to. his son, John 
H., from the age of three years. Her 
parents were Samuel and Mary (Garber) 
Click, who came to Ohio from Bridge- 
water, Virginia. They were very promi- 
nent in founding the Dunkard Church 
here and the father of Mrs. Ebersole was 
a man of large fortune. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ebersole have had eleven children, the 
four survivors being : John Henry, Clara 
B., Samuel W., and J. Grant. Five chil- 
dren died in infancy. John Henry Eber- 
sole, who now owns and operates the home 
-farm, married Ida Grisso and they have 
five children: Ralph, Clarence, Orren, 
Alice and Ruth. Clara B. Ebersole mar- 
ried Neil Glass, who is manager of the 
Pacific Telephone Company, of Los An- 
geles, California. At the present writing 
(1908) Mrs. Glass is with her parents 
preparing to leave for her home at Los 
Angeles. She has resided prior to this 
for several years at Spring-field and Chi- 
cago. Samuel W. Ebersole is a resident 
of German Township. He married Jen- 
nie Domer and they have two children. 



Howard and Noah. J. Grant Ebersole, 
who is a commercial traveler for the Rey- 
nolds Company, at Piqua, Ohio, taught 
school for eleven years. Maiy Elizabeth 
Ebersole, the oldest of the family, mar- 
ried Thomas Baker. She died May 3, 
1904, leaving two children, Florence and 
Emma. Florence married Roy Ream of 
Northampton and has two children, Lu- 
ther and Catherine. Emma married Ver- 
non Swartzbaugh and they have two chil- 
dren, Daisy and Russel. Phebe Hannah 
Ebersole died aged three years, four 
months and twenty-four days. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ebersole have been per- 
mitted to pass a long life together and 
although they have had sorrows as well 
as joys, they have been greatly blessed in 
many ways. They have all the comfoi'ts 
that their declining years demand and 
have devoted children and grandchildren 
to surround them with affection. Both 
have been somewhat crippled by paraly- 
sis, but both have regained their usual 
health and find pleasure in family life, 
social communion and church attendance. 
They have remarkable memories and can 
entertain the passing stranger so well 
with their reminiscences of the past that 
he would fain prolong his visit. They 
are valued and beloved members of the 
Conservative Dunkard Church. 



JONATHAN D. BAKER, general 
farmer and owner of valuable farming- 
land in Mad River Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, consisting of forty-four 
acres on which he resides and forty-two 
acres farther down the township which 
he rents, was born November 17, 1844, 



AND EEPEteSENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



853 



near Ms present residence, and is a son of 
Moses M. and Mary (J)avis) Baker. 

The grandparents of Mr. Baker, 
Jonathan and Sarah (Mulfred) Baker, 
came to Ohio in 1798, from Elizabeth, 
New Jersey, having made the entire jour- 
ney over the mountains on horseback. 
With them came a family by the name of 
Miller and three of Mr. Baker's brothers. 
The entire party settled first near Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, and sis years later moved 
to Clark County, buying government land 
in Mad Eiver Township for $1.25 an 
acre. The land purchased by the Baker 
and Miller families consisted of a tract 
two miles sciuare and practically the en- 
tire piirchase is owned by the descendants 
of the two families, Jonathan D. Baker's 
farm having been a part of the old home- 
stead. Jonathan Baker was one of the 
founders of the Christian Church in this 
section of Ohio, and was appointed a 
deacon, holding the office until he was in- 
capacitated on aecoimt of old age. This 
office has been in the Baker family for' 
103 years, the father of Jonathan D. hav- 
ing been elected upon the retirement of 
Jonathan Baker and he being succeeded 
by his son, J. 1). Baker. 

Jonathan Baker was married in New 
Jersey, where he followed the cooper 
trade, to Sarah Mulfred and to this union 
were born nine children, namely : Benja- 
min, Meline, Moses, Miller, Milton, Alfred 
and John, sons, and Phoebe, who married 
Moses Wheeler, and Anna, who married 
William Lay ton, daughters. The death of 
Jonathan Baker occurred in 1840, being 
followed by the death of his wife in 1860, 
both passing, away in Mad Eiver Town- 
ship. Mrs. Baker was seventy-two years 
of age at the time of her death. 



Moses M. Baker was born within forty 
rods of his son's present residence, in 
1809, and the old log house in which he 
was born is still standing. He spent all 
of his boyhood in this township, and 
helped to clear the home place. At the 
age of eighteen he went to Springfield, 
Ohio, which was then but a small village, 
with but one tavern. While there he 
learned the brick-laying and plastering 
trade and was engaged in this work until 
1836. During this period Mr. Baker, in 
company with a merchant of Springfield 
by the name of Charles Caveleer, took a 
trip to New York to purchase goods, the 
entire trip being made on horseback. 
Moses Baker was married in Springfield 
to Mary Davis, who came with her par- 
ents from Wales when nine years of age. 
At the time of his marriage he built a 
home on Factory Street, Springfield. 
This house, which is still standing, he 
subsequently sold, after which he pur- 
chased a farm east of the old Baker home 
place in Mad Eiver Township, and here 
the remainder of his life was spent. 
Moses Baker died in 1881, aged seventy- 
two years, his wife's death having oc- 
curred sixteen years previously, in 1865, 
when in her fiftieth year. They had the 
following children: Eobert, deceased; 
Sarah, who married John Shellabarger, 
both deceased; Miriam, Jasper, Jonathan 
D. and Mary, who died young. 

Jonathan Dickenson Baker was given 
his second name after an ancestor by the 
name of Dickenson, who succeeded Aaron 
Burr in the presidency of Princeton Col- 
lege. His boyhood days were passed on 
the home farm and his primary education 
was received in the old brick school which 



854 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



was later attended by his children. He 
later entered Adrian College, at Adrian, 
Michigan, and for the succeeding eighteen 
years tanght school, first in Michigan and 
later in Clark County, Ohio. In his 
earlier professional woi'k he devoted his 
winters only to teaching, giving his sum- 
mers to farming, but in the last few years 
he taught he devoted nine months to the 
educational field. 

J. D. Baker was married (first) in Sep- 
tember, 1874, to Agusta Wilson, who 
died in 1882, leaving two cliildren, Ber- 
nard M.. who resides in North Dakota, 
and Mary, who married A. Bradley, also 
lives in North Dakota. His second mar- 
riage occurred October 20, 1885, to Emma 
Gill, a daughter of James and Olive 
(Austin) Gill, and a native of Bridgeport, 
Ohio. James Gill was born in Virginia 
and his wife in Wheeling, West Virginia. 
Two children have been born to the sec- 
ond union: Horace Gill, who died aged 
two years, and Helen, who attends the 
Enon High School. Mr. Baker is affili- 
ated with the Enon Christian Church, 
having been a member since 1861, and is 
serving as deacon. Politically he is a Re- 
publican. 



JOHN L. PHLEGER, township treas- 
urer of Moorefield Township and a lead- 
ing farmer of this section of Clark Coun- 
ty, where he owns 153 acres of excellent 
land and superintends the W. S. Thomas 
farm of several hundred acres, was born 
at New Moorefield Village, Clark County, 
Ohio, December 12, 1859. His parents 
were Edward and Jane (Lynn) Phleger. 

Edward Phleger was born in Mary- 
land and was a son of John Phleger. In 



1847 Edward Phleger came to Clark 
County and engaged in work as a miller, 
working first at the old Snyder Mill in 
Springfield Township and from there all 
through the county. At one time he 
owned the Moorefield Mill, in partnership 
with his father-in-law, Joseph Lynn. In 
1861 he began to farm the place which his 
son, John L., now owns, and he continued 
here for the remainder of his life, his 
death taking place in 1901. He married 
Jane Lynn, who died in 1895, and of this 
union seven children were bom! 

John L. Phleger was reared at New 
Moorefield, and with the exception of 
three years spent at Selma, he has al- 
ways resided in sight of the village. His 
life has been a busy one, occupied with 
attending to large agricultural interests 
and to performing the duties of public of- 
fice. He was appointed townshijo treasur- 
er to fill out the unexpired term of the 
late James Clark and assumed the duties 
of the office on May 1, 1906, and in the fall 
of 1907 he was elected township treasurer 
on the Republican ticket. He is a man of 
sterling integrity and as such he enjoys 
the wide-spread confidence of his fellow- 
citizens. He is a charter member of 
Moorefield Council, Junior Order of 
American Mechanics. 

Mr. Phleger married Nettie McConkey, 
who is a daughter of Enos McConkey, and 
they have one child, Williard. This son 
was born December 4, 1882. 



W. H. SCHAUS, proprietor of the only 
exclusive china store in Springfield, has 
been for thirty years one of Spring-field's 
most highly respected citizens and repre- 
sentative business men. He was born in 



AND BEPEESENTATIVB CITIZENS. 



Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1857, and at 
the age of sixteen years went to Newark, 
Ohio, where he learned the stone-cutters' 
trade, having previously learned shoe- 
making. In 1877 he came to Springfield 
and here conducted a china store under 
the firm name of W. H. Schaus & Com- 
pany for about four and a half years. He 
then disposed of the business and for five 
years was engaged as a traveling sales- 
man for a Pittsburg house, after which 
he established his present business, in 
which he has since continued. He is a 
man of high principle, possessed of up- 
to-date business methods and the success 
attending his efforts is well merited. 

Mr. Schaus is also interested in various 
other enterprises of this community, be- 
ing director and treasurer of the Lagonda 
Box Company, director and treasurer of 
the Fortuna Fruit Company, of Spring- 
field and Cuba, and director in the fol- 
lowing business concerns: The Spring- 
field National Bank; the Peoples Light, 
Heat & Power Co., the Springfield and 
Xenia Telephone Co., and the Springfield 
and New Carlisle Telephone Co. He is 
also a director and ardent supporter of 
the following: The Spring-field Cemetery 
Association, the Law and Order League, 
the Humane Society, and the Y. M. C. A. 
He is also closely connected with the work 
of the Y. W. C. A., being one of its fiscal 
trustees. He is treasurer of the Clark 
County Sunday School Association. He 
was the first president of the City Coun- 
cil elected under the new municipal code 
in 1903. He also served on the Board 
of Elections for four years. He is a 
man of public spirit and has done much 
to advance and develop the interests of 
this city. He was one of the trustees of 



855 

the hospital at the time of its erection, 
and is a member and served as president 
of the Commercial Club in 1900. Dur- 
ing his term as vice-president of the Com- 
mercial Club in 1899, in the absence of 
the president he issued a call for a citi- 
zens' meeting for making arrangements 
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 
city, and was selected as a member of the 
Executive Committee. 

In 1886 Mr. Schaus was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Mollie McClintock, a daugh- 
ter of John McClintock, one of the pio- 
neers of Clark County. In January, 1905, 
he was deprived of the companionship of 
his wife and helpmate by death. Fra- 
lernally Mr. Schaus is past master of 
Clark' Lodge, F. & A. M., and is a mem- 
ber of Moncrieffe Lodge, K. of P. He is 
a member of the Fourth Lutheran Church, 
being also one of its deacons, and super- 
intendent of the Sunday-school, and is 
always associated with the advancement 
of the plans of civic righteousness. 



C. S. OLINGER, a member of the 
Springfield bar, who has been a resident 
of this city since July 27, 1887, was born 
at Brighton, Clark County, Ohio, January 
27, 1864, and is a son of Joseph C. dinger. 

Joseph C. dinger was born in Augusta 
County, Virginia, and came to Clark 
County in 1846, locating at Brighton. He 
followed farming in that vicinity from 
that time until his death, which took place 
May 25, 1894. 

C. S. dinger was reared on his father's 
farm and after attending the schools at 
Brighton entered the Normal School at 
Valparaiso, Indiana, where he remained 
for almost three years, completing the 



856 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



scientific course. For nine months there- 
after he taught the callage school at Bright- 
on and then came to Spring-field. Here he 
read law with the firm of Pringie & John- 
son, and was admitted to the bar in Octo- 
ber, 1889, immediately afterward opening 
an office in this city. He has taken an 
active part in public affairs and has been 
prominently identified with Republican 
politics. He was secretary of the Clark 
County Republican Central Committee 
during the late Senator Hanna's first 
campaign, and he served as a member of 
the Board of Education for three years. 
He has business interests at Springfield 
outside of his profession and is secretary 
and treasurer of the Bayonet Trolley 
Hasp Company, manufacturers of trolley 
hasps, trolley wheels and trolley poles and 
bases. 

On August 1, 1895, Mr. Olinger was 
married to Mary E. Sparrow, of Spring- 
field, Ohio, and they have two children — 
Frances Marie and Robert Stanley. Mr. 
Olinger is a member of the Central Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church and is secretary 
of its board of trustees. He belongs to 
Moncreiffe Eodge, Knights of Pythias, to 
Springfield Council No. 240, Junior Order 
United American Mechanics, and is a 
charter member of the Modern Woodmen 
of America. 



WILSON WALHAY, owner of a fine 
farm of 109 acres, situated in Bethel 
Township, not far from Medway, on the 
Valley Turnpike, engages in general farm- 
ing and stock-raising. He was born July 
15, 1853, on his father's farm in Adams 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
AVilliam and Catherine (Rice) Walhay. 



The grandfather was born in England 
and when he came to America he located 
on the farm in Adams County, on which 
his son William was subsequently born. 
The father was killed by runaway horses 
when William was only a lad, the young- 
est of the five children. With his widowed 
mother, William Walhay remained on the 
farm, which later came into his posses- 
sion by purchase. William Walhay was 
married (first) to Catherine Rice, who 
died aged forty-three years. They had six 
children : Eliakim, who died in 1907 ; Eliz- 
abeth, who is the wife of Oliver Karns; 
Angeline, who is the widow of Daniel 
Sheeley; John, who is deceased; Wilson; 
and Minnie, who married Dr. Stewart, of 
Carroll County, Maryland. William Wal- 
hay was married (second) to Mrs. Ruth 
Swope, who had a child by her former 
marriage. 

Wilson Walhay was born and reared on 
the little farm on which his grandfather 
had first settled. It lies along Bear 
Mountain, and is about eight miles from 
the historic battlefield of Gettysburg. He 
remembers watching the progress of the 
battle from the top of the adjacent moun- 
tain. When he was sixteen years of age 
he went to Hagerstown, Maryland, where 
his uncle. Dr. T. Slusier, was practicing 
as a dentist, and after working for him 
for several months, became inspired with 
a desire to study dental surgery, but the 
money was lacking for college expenses 
and he was obliged to abandon the idea. 
In 1875, accompanied by William Betner, 
he came to Osborn, Ohio, and immediately 
secured employment on the farm of Mich- 
ael Kline, in Bethel Township. Mr. Wal- 
hay remained with Mr. Kline during the 
succeeding winter, and then worked for 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



857 



two and one-half years for Andrew Mouk 
and one and one-half years for Reuben 
Harnish. After he married he moved to 
Medway, and for one year worked by the 
day as a laborer and' also raised tobacco 
and potatoes. Mr. Walhay then moved 
to the Andrew Mouk farm and operated 
it for six years, moving from there to the 
Tatman farm, a tract of 250 acres, where 
he remained for seventeen years. Dur- 
ing this period he laid the formdation of 
his present ample fortune and in the 
spring of 1898 he purchased his present 
farm, of Jacob Tippey. Here Mr. Wal- 
hay has carried on extensive agricultural 
operations ever since. 

On January 14, 1880, Mr. Walhay was 
married to Margaret Mouk, who is a 
daughter of Andrew Mouk, and they have 
the following children : Bertha, who mar- 
ried John Beard, residing in Philadel- 
phia; Harry; Eva; Ward, who is em- 
ployed in the office of the auditor of the 
C, B. & I. Railroad;. Mary and Rita. Mr. 
Walhay is a member of the Lutheran 
Church at Osborn, in which he is a dea- 
con. Politically he is identified with the 
■Republican party. Mr. Walhay is an ex- 
ample of a self-made man. When he came 
to Clark County, his whole capital was 
fifty cents. 



RICHARD HENRY RODGERS, 

whose large business interests have been 
mainly concerned with Springfield enter- 
prises, was born September 23, 1836, at 
Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, where 
his family, coming from old pioneer 
stock, has been prominent for many 
years. He was educated in his native 
city, completing his course at Witten- 



berg College. He was seventeen years 
of age when he became a clerk in a local 
drug store, and later he was for several 
years a member of the office force of the 
Sandusky Railroad. At this period his 
uncle was cashier of the Clark Coimty 
Bank, and thus a promising opening was 
offered the young man and he became 
connected with the bank and remained 
with it until its reorganization, in 1857. 
Mr. Rodgers then left his native city for 
the first time, accepting a position with 
a wholesale and retail carpet house at St. 
Louis, Missouri, but one year later he 
returned to Springfield, and subsequent- 
ly was appointed deputy county treas- 
urer, in which capacity he served for five 
years. In the meantime he had been con- 
sidering a business proposition which re- 
sulted in his embarking in a book and 
stationery enterprise, in partnership 
with Captain E. P. Ransom, under the 
firm name of Ransom and Rodgers. 
After retiring from the county treas- 
urer's office, Mr. Rodgers gave his entire 
time to the book business, attending to 
all its details, while Mr. Ransom served 
in the army. After the latter 's return 
Mr. Rodgers bought his interest, and con- 
tinued to operate his book store until 
1867. At this date he purchased an in- 
terest in a business already established 
at Springfield, which later became known 
as the firm of Thomas, Ludlow and Rodg- 
ers, continuing thus until November 1, 
1893, when the firm was merged into the 
Superior Drill Company. This subse- 
quently became a part of the American 
Seeding Company, which is still engaged 
in the manufacture of drills. 

As indicative of Mr. Rodgers' grasp of 
business it may be mentioned that he is 



858 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



vice president and a director of the First 
National Bank of Springfield; president 
of Mast, Foos & Company; president of 
the Springfield Gas Engine Company, 
builders of gas and gasoline and traction 
engines, and president of the Corrugated 
Steel Nail Company, of which his twin 
brother, Isaac W., is treasurer. The lat- 
ter is also president of the Patric Manu- 
facturing Company. Both Mr. Rodgers 
and his brother reside at No. 206 North 
Limestone Street. 

Mr. Rodgers was married in 1866 to 
Alice Kilgore, and they had three chil- 
dren — Charles Kilgore, Robert S., and 
Effie S., the last mentioned of whom died 
in infancy. Charles Kilgore Rodgers 
married Florence Mast, and died October 
27, 1902, leaving one son, Richard Mast. 
His wife died in April, 1901. Robert S. 
Rodgers married Edith Winwood, and 
resides in Spring-field, where he is super- 
intendent of the manufacturing depart- 
ment of the American Seeding Machine 
Co. He has one daughter, Alice K. Mrs. 
Alice Rodgers died February 12, 1884. 

Mr. Rodgers is an excellent type of the 
modern business man, alert and progres- 
sive, yet careful and thorough — one who, 
while conducting enterprises of world- 
wide fame, still finds time to interest 
himself in various matters pertaining to 
the welfare of his native city, promoting 
her religious, charitable and philan- 
thropic causes and institutions. With 
his family, he is identified with the Pres- 
byterian Church. 



WILLIAM L. SNYDER, proprietor of 
Snyder's flouring mill, which is situated 
on the Valley Turnpike Road about one 



and a quarter miles north and west of the 
corporation lines of Springfield, is one of 
t]ie largest landowners of Clark County. 
He was born in German Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, March 28, 1858, and is a son 
of Christian and Amanda (Lay ton) Sny- 
der. 

Henry Snyder, the grandfather of Will- 
iam L., was born in Cumberland County, 
Pennsylvania, where he learned the mill- 
ing business. At a somewhat early day 
he settled in Dayton, Ohio, where he lived 
for one year before coming to Clark Coun- 
ty, where the remainder of his life was 
spent. In 1825 he built the mill which is 
owned by his grandson, William L., and 
it is situated on a farm of 415 acres. 
Henry Snyder had five sons. 

Christian Snyder, father of William L., 
was a babe when his parents came to 
Clark County, where he spent his life, 
his death taking place in 1907. For many 
years he operated Snyder's mill and was 
also engaged in a distillery business. 

William L. Snyder was educated in the 
country schools and at the celebrated Mo- 
ravian Academy at Nazareth, Pennsyl- 
vania. His agricultural interests are 
large, as he owns almost 1,000 acres of 
land. It is divided into three farms, Mr. 
Snyder residing on his mill property, 
where he has a fine brick residence, which 
he completely remodeled in 1899. He has 
named his place "The Park Farm," 
which, on accormt of its location and nat- 
ural and artificial beauties, it is very aptly 
called. He raises horses, cattle and stock. 
In 1899 Mj . Snyder installed the Rich- 
mond milling machinery in his mill and 
his products are feed and flour, he making 
two special brands of the latter: "The 
Pride of the Valley" and "Solid Com- 




ELBERT FINCH 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



859 



fort." The mill is operated and managed 
by his son and son-in-law. Mr. Snyder 
married Catherine Bernhill and they have 
two children — John L., who has one 
daughter', Catherine; and Grienna, who 
married John Taylor Grillard. 



ELBEET FINCH, a well known manu- 
facturer of Springfield, Ohio, is presi- 
dent of The Finch Shoe Company, a con- 
cern extensively engaged in the manu- 
facture of shoes, shipping their products 
to many states of the Union. He was 
born in New York City, April 30, 1846, 
and has been a resident of Springfield 
since 1858. 

Absalom Finch, father of Elbert, came 
from New York City to Springfield, Ohio, 
and here engaged in the shoe business 
until the Civil War. He entered the 
Union Army in 1861 and served continu- 
ously until the end of the war. He went 
out as quartermaster of his regiment, 
the Sixteenth Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, and later was advanced to the 
rank of brigade and division quarter- 
master. "When the war ended he ob- 
tained a position in the Custom House at 
New Orleans and continued thus occu- 
pied until his death, in 1869. 

Elbert Finch was twelve years of age 
when he accompanied his parents to their 
^ew home in Ohio, and here he learned 
the shoe business in association with his 
father. He later spent two years in a 
shoe factory in Cincinnati, and became 
well grounded in the details of the busi- 
ness. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B, 
Eighty-sixth Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, under Captain Johns, but was 
subsequently transferred to the quarter- 



master's department, where he was a 
clerk under his father until the end of 
the war. Eeturning to Springfield from 
Cincinnati, he worked in a shoe factory 
until February, 1872, at which time he 
established a business of his own on 
West Main Street. This he conducted 
successfully during a period of ten years, 
when he moved to South Fountain Ave- 
nue. In 1895, in association with Mr. 
Charles P. Kalbfus, he established the 
Finch Shoe Company on West Washing- 
ton Street, starting in a small way with 
eighteen or twenty employes. Success 
attended their efforts- from the first, and 
it became necessary to enlarge their busi- 
ness and increase their working force 
from time to time, until at the present 
the pay roll numbers one hundred and 
ten persons, the output being 700 pair of 
shoes daily. They ship to many of the 
states of the Union, the demand taxing 
the capacity of their factory. 

Mr. Pinch was first married in Decem- 
ber, 1877, to Miss Louise Crown, who died 
December 17, 1878, leaving one daugh- 
ter, Lizzie M., now the wife of John C. 
DeHart, of San Francisco. Mr. Finch 
formed a second union, January 18, 1905, 
with Miss Amelia Hoffman. Fraternally 
he is a member of the Knights of Py- 
thias, which order he joined in 1874. He 
is one of the leading business men of 
the city, and has always given his sup- 
port to measures tending toward its wel- 
fare. 



THOMAS MATTINSON, owner of 
about 2,500 acres of the best farming 
land in Clark County, was born on the 
place on which he now resides, in Madi- 



860 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



son Township, December 18, 1864, and is 
a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Wilkin- 
son) Mattinson. 

Thomas Mattinson, the grandfather of 
the present bearer of that name, was 
born in Westmoreland, England, and 
came to America and directly to Clark 
County, in 1834. He was a farmer and 
he purchased land and erected the resi- 
dence in which his grandson resides. 
Among his seven children was Thomas 
Mattinson (2d), who wa? born in Eng- 
land and accompanied his parents to 
Clark County. On the death of his father 
Thomas 2nd took charge of a part of the 
present property and lived on it during 
the remainder of his life, dying Septem- 
ber 19, 1903, at the age of eighty-three 
years. He married Elizabeth Wilkinson, 
who was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, 
and they had four children. 

Thomas Mattinson, third of the name 
and the direct subject of this sketch, is 
the only survivor of his parents' family. 
He was educated in the district schools 
and assisted in the management of the 
home farm as long as his father lived, 
and later became its owner. He super- 
intends the cultivation of the entire prop- 
erty. Mr. Mattinson married Byrd D. 
Pugsley, who is a daughter of James F. 
Pugsley, whose farm adjoins the Mattin- 
son property. Mr. and Mrs. Mattinson 
have had five children, all of whom are 
living. Mr. Mattinson is a good citizen 
and takes an intelligent interest in local 
affairs. He votes independently. 



WILLIAM THOMAS, proprietor and 
o-^mer of the Indian Mound Fruit Farm, 
in Pike Township, comes of one of the old 



pioneer families of Clark County. He 
was born in German Township, this coun- 
ty, March 6, 1831, and is a son of Thomas 
P. and Phoebe (Kiser) Thomas, and 
grandson of Leonard Thomas. 

Leonard Thomas was born in Pennsyl- 
vania, whither his father had come from 
England in the days of William Penn, 
and he lived to the remarkable age of 100 
years. Leonard Thomas resided in his 
native state until 1815, when he came 
west and located in German Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, at a time when it was 
largely a wilderness. He subsequently 
moved to Preble County, where he died at 
the advanced age of ninety-four years, 
longevity'' being a marked characteristic 
of this family. 

Thomas P. Thomas was born in Penn- 
sylvania and was about sixteen years old 
when he accompanied his parents west to 
Clark Coimty. . He had, prior to that 
time, worked in a factory, but upon com- 
ing here tiirned his attention to farming, 
assisting in clearing the home farm. 
After his marriage he and his wife were 
given a farm of 160 acres by her father, 
and they moved upon it, this being the 
farm on which their son William now 
lives. He cleared the land, assisted by his 
eldest son, and continued to reside here 
until his death in 1891. He held large 
landed interests in the far west, which at 
his death were valued at $35,000.00. He 
was joined m marriage with Phoebe 
Kiser, who was born in Shenandoah 
County, Virginia, and was very young 
when iu 1811 she accompanied her par- 
ents to Clark County, Ohio, where her 
father, David Kiser, became the first 
county recorder. Her maternal grand- 
father, Thomas Norman, was a member 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



861 



of the historical "Boston Tea Party," 
and was also a pioneer citizen of Clark 
County, Ohio. The latter came in 1812 
on horseback from Virginia and carried 
in his saddlebags seed for one of the first 
orchards grown in this vicinity. Thomas 
P. and Phoebe Thomas reared five chil- 
dren: William; David K., of Iowa; 
Susan, widow of John Holzhauer ; Simeon 
A., of Iowa ; and Mary, wife of George 
Brooks, deceased. 

William Thomas was born in a log 
cabin on his grandfather's farm and was 
about four years old Avhen his parents 
moved to Pike Township, where he grew 
to maturity. He well remembers the trip,' 
first the visit at Dayton and a few months 
later the coming to his present place. He- 
attended the old log schoolhouse and later 
the high schools at New Carlisle and 
Springfield. He engaged in teaching 
school for a period of nine years and met 
with success as an instructor. As a 
young man he assisted his father in clear- 
ing the home farm and lived. there until 
he was married. He then farmed for 
himself a short time in Pike Township, 
after which he spent four years at St. 
Paris, at the end of which time he located 
at Millerstown. He remained there two 
years during the Civil War, then moved 
to Auglaize County, where he still owns a 
farm of eighty acres. About 1894 he re- 
turned to his present farm, known as the 
Indian Mound Fruit Farm. Here he first 
set out some 200 trees and has added 
thereto from time to time until he now has 
the finest orchard in Clark County, con- 
sisting of apples, cherries, plums and 
peaches, in addition to berries and small 
fruits 'of all kinds. He conducts his busi- 
ness along modern and approved plans. 



and is frequently called upon to read a 
paper before the Horticultural Society, of 
which he is a member. 

Mr. Thomas was married September 
18, 1856, to Martha Moore, a daughter of 
John and Rachel (Tannehill) Moore. 
Her father was a soldier in the War of 
1812, and upon one occasion killed a hos- 
tile Indian in the woods. Six children 
were born to bless this union, as follows : 
Clinton, who died young; John Charles, 
of Auglaize County, married Hulda Jane 
Swartz; Phoebe Jane, deceased, wife of 
John Hiderman; Laura, wife of Ells- 
worth Birt; Ida, wife of William Hen- 
ning; and William, who married Harriet 
Lipp. Mr. Thomas has been a member of 
the Masonic fraternity for more than 
forty years. In politics he is a stalwart 
Republican, but has never aspired to po- 
litical honors. 



WILLIAM B. PATTON, M. D., of 

Springfield Ohio, was born January 29, 
1872, in Montgomery County, Ohio. His 
father was John B. Patton and his moth- 
er was formerly Caroline Brentlinger, 
both natives of that county. They are 
now living on a farm on the Urbana Pike, 
just across the line in Champaign Coun- 
ty. The family moved to Green Town- 
ship, this county, in 1879, where the sub- 
ject of this sketch spent his boyhood days 
on the farm. After completing the com- 
mon school work he entered Antioch Col- 
lege, where he spent five years. He 
taught in the public schools of Greene 
County for one year and then entered the 
Ohio Medical University, in 1895, gradu- 
ating from the medical department in 
1898. He was elected to the position of 



862 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



house physician to the Protestant Hos- 
pital, at Columbus, Ohio, which he held 
for one year, and then came to Spring- 
field, where he has since resided and fol- 
lowed his chosen profession. 

Dr. Patton has been a me]>iber of the 
City Hospital staff for a number of years. 
He is a member of the Clark County Med- 
icab Society, as well as of the State and 
National Medical Associations. 

He was married September 28, 1899, to 
Miss Catherine Green, of Union County, 
Ohio, and to them have been born three 
children — Helen, Dorothy Bell and John 
Stuart. 



CHARLES aEIS, who is engaged in 
general farming on a well improved farm 
of 125 acres in Mad River Township, was 
born November 21, 1861, on his father's 
farm in Bavaria, Germany. He is a son 
of Martin and Nan (Slate) Geis. 

Martin Geis and his wife were both 
natives and life-long residents of Ger- 
many, where they were engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits. Martin died in 1892 in 
his eighty-fourth year, and Mrs. Geis died 
in 1879, when about fifty-seven years of 
age. They were the parents of eight chil- 
dren, three of whom died in infancy. 
Those living are as follows : Lawrence, 
who resides in Greene County, Ohio ; Mar- 
tin, who is still a resident of Germany; 
Mary (Mrs. John Bigner), who lives in 
Greene County, Ohio; Charles, the sub- 
ject of this sketch; and Anna, who lives 
with our subject. The maternal grand- 
mother of Mr. Charles Geis came to 
America with some of her children and 
located in Greene County, Ohio, where 
her death subseqiiently occurred. One of 



her children resides in Greene County, 
Ohio, another in Xenia, Ohio, and a third 
child in Tennessee. 

Charles Geis was reared on his fath- 
er's farm in a small village in Germany 
and attended school until fourteen years 
of age, after which he attended school on 
Sundays for two years. In July, 1882, he 
and his sister sailed for America, and 
having relatives in Greene County, Ohio, 
first settled there. Having no money, 
young Geis worked out by the month on 
various farms, after which he rented a 
farm in Greene County from Prank Ful- 
ton. He continued on this farm for six 
years and in March, 1901, removed to his 
present farm, which he bought from the 
Feirstine heirs. He erected his large 
seven-room frame house in 1906, the barn 
having been built two years previously. 
Mr. Geis raises a great many hogs, and is 
one of the most successful farmers of the 
township. Mr. Geis is a Democrat in pol- 
itics and is a member of the Catholic 
Church of Yellow Springs, Ohio. 



EDWIN S. KELLY, one of Spring- 
field's leading citizens, is president of the 
Home, Lighting, Power and Heating 
Company, and is vice president of the 0. 
S. Kelly Company. He was born April 
17, 1857, at Springfield, Ohio, and is a 
son of the late Hon. Oliver S. and Ruth 
Ann (Peck) Kelly. 

Both parents of Mr. Kelly were born 
in Clark County, Ohio, and both passed 
away at Spring-field, the father on April 
9, 1904, and the mother May 9, 1901. 
They had five children, of whom two sons 
now survive. The late Oliver S. Kelly 
was one of Springfield's strong, Intel- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



863 



lectnal, self-made men. He was identi- 
fied with many of her most successful en- 
terprises and was prominent in her pub- 
lic affairs. 

Edwin S. Kelly was reared at Spring- 
field and received a collegiate education. 
He became associated with his father in 
business while still a young man and has 
continued his connection with important 
enterprises. Mr. Kelly married Martha 
Linn, who is a member of an old pioneer 
family that came to Clark County from 
Pennsylvania. They have three children. 
In political sentiment Mr. Kelly is a 
stanch Eepubliean, but he is more of a 
business man than a politician. He owns 
a beautiful home at Yellow Springs, Ohio. 



ABRAHAM C. HEISTAND, a repre- 
sentative citizen of Bethel Township, re- 
siding on his valuable farm of 110 acres, 
which is situated on the north side of the 
old Carlisle Turnpike Road, six miles 
west of Springfield, was born on his fath- 
er's farm in York County, Pennsylvania, 
January 11, 18.38. His parents were 
Abraham and Leah (Longenecker) Hei- 
stand. 

Some of the family records of the 
Heistand family indicate that members of 
it came to Pennsylvania in the days of 
William Penn, but the first authentic date 
is 1731, when John, Abraham, Balser, 
Barbara and Anna Heistand sailed for 
America in the ship Brittania. They were 
natives of Germany, but had been forced 
to flee to Switzerland on account of re- 
ligious persecution, and for freedom of 
religious belief they crossed the Atlantic 
Ocean and established a home in what was 
then largely an unsettled country. In the 



fall of 1731 they landed at Philadelphia 
and John and Abraham went to Lancas- 
ter County, where they took up 500 acres 
of land, 200 of which still remains a pos- 
session of the family. Balser went to the 
South and all trace of him or his descend- 
ants have been lost sight of. 

Abraham Heistand, son of John Hei- 
stand, was born in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, where he became a man of 
wealth and influence. He subsequently 
moved to York County, where his last 
years were spent. He was twice married 
and his children were of his first union, as 
follows : John, Abraham, William, Bal- 
ser, Sarah, Nancy and Susan. 

Abraham Heistand, son of Abraham 
and father of Abraham C, was boi-n on 
his father's farm in York County, Penn- 
sylvania, where he lived a long and use- 
ful life and died at the age of seventy- 
eight years. He married Leah Longe- 
necker, who survived to the age of ninety- 
two years. They had eleven children, as 
follows: John, Catherine, Sarah, Chris- 
tian L., Abraham, Susan, William, Jacob 
and Amanda, twins, Anna and Alice, all 
of whom survive with the exception of the 
youngest. 

Abraham C. Heistand was reared on 
his father's farm and in boyhood went 
to school, a distance of three miles, when 
his services were not required at home. 
In 1861 he joined his older brother, Chris- 
tian L., in Clark County, Ohio, and to- 
gether they bought a farm of 280 acres, 
the old General Mason place, in Moore- 
field Township. They continued to farm 
that place for seven years and then sold 
out to Jacob Hertsler. Mr. Heistand 
then cam-e to his present farm, buying the 
first seventy acres from Samuel Miller and 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



the remainder he purchased from other 
parties as he has seen a chance for a good 
investment. At the time of purchase an 
old brick house stood on the place, which 
Mr. Heistand tore down and replaced 
with a comfortable eight-room frame 
dwelling. He erected all the substantial 
farm buildings and made all the very 
noticeable improvements. He carries on 
general farming and devotes considerable 
attention to raising fine Durham cattle. 

In 3869 Mr. Heistand was married to 
Martha Fisher, who is a daughter of 
John Fisher. They have one son, 
Clarence. Mr. Heistand, like all other 
members of his family, is a Democrat. 



MICHAEL HINKLE, imtil recently 
one of the representative agriculturists 
of Springfield Township, was the owner 
of 120 acres of excellent land and carried 
on farming and stock-raising on the home 
farm of 100 acres, lying in Section 26.' Mr. 
Hinkle was born on this farm May 29, 
1834, a son of John and Mary Ann (Way) 
Hinkle. He died at the age of almost 
seventy-four years, on May 6th, 1906, and 
in his demise the township lost a useful 
and highly esteemed citizen. 

John Hinkle, father of Michael, was 
born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 
He remained there until his marriage, 
when he started for Ohio with his wife, 
driving overland to Columbus. During 
the summer of 1833 he lived at Columbus 
while prospecting for a desirable farm, 
at length finding land to please him in 
Clark County, on which he settled in the 
fall of the above-mentioned year. He pur- 
chased about 700 acres at that time and 
continued to live on that part of the farm 



on which he first located, until his son 
Michael was several years old, when he 
changed his home to another part of the 
same farm. 

About three years after Michael Hinkle 
was married he moved back to the origi- 
nal home place, after an absence of some 
twenty-seven years. His father still 
owned the land, but Michael received the 
place as his portion, after his father's 
death. There were five children born to 
John Hinkle and wife, Michael being the 
second-born, the oldest, a sister, dying 
in infancy. 

Mr. Hinkle began making improvements 
on his farm as soon as he took possession, 
and erected every building now standing 
on it, including the residence, barns, sheds 
and out-buildings of all kinds needed in 
successfully carrying on large agricul- 
tural operations. He had eight children, 
namely: John, now residing in Green 
County, engaged in farming; Elizabeth, 
residing at home ; Mary, who married Jo- 
seph Crabill, Jr., a member of the town- 
ship school board; Alexander, a resident 
of Springfield Township; Susan, residing 
at home ; Alice, who died in childhood ; 
Sarah, who married Alva Graham, who 
resides on Mr. Hinkle 's second farm; and 
Margaret, who is the popular school 
teacher at the Cross Roads, near her fath- 
er 's home. The Hinkle family is a promi- 
nent one of Springfield Township. 



CALEB TUTTLE was long one of 
Clark County's leading citizens. He was 
born in Virginia, in 1799, and was a son 
of Sylvanus Tuttle, who was the pioneer 
of the family in Ohio, coming as early 
as 1806. Sylvanus Tuttle settled in 




CALEB TUTTLE 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



867 



Moorefield TownsMp, near the line of 
Springfield Township, and there both he 
and wife died. 

Caleb Tuttle was seven years old when 
his parents brought him to Clark County, 
where he continued to live during the re- 
mainder of his life. He carried on agri- 
cultural pursuits on an extensive scale 
and invested his capital in land until he 
owned 1,000 acres, the larger part of 
which has more than trebled in value since 
then. He was a man of fine business in- 
telligence and he also was useful to his 
comlnunity in furthering public improve- 
ments and encouraging education and re- 
ligion. Caleb Tuttle married Mary Prick- 
ett, who was born in Clermont County 
and was brought to Lagonda by her fath- 
er, who settled first in Clermont and later 
in Clark County. Nicholas Prickett oper- 
ated the first flour mill at Lagoada and 
settlers came many miles to this mill in 
early days. Caleb Tuttle and wife had 
the following children born to them : Cath- 
erine, who married Herbert Byrd; Eliza 
Jane, who married John Monahan; Mar- 
garet, who married Silas V. Byrd; Eliza- 
beth B., who married Joseph Wallings- 
ford; Rachel, who is the widow of Jacob 
L. McClellan; Sylvanus, who died aged 
two years; Isaiah, now deceased, who 
never married; William H., who died in 
the spring of 1885, leaving a family; 
Thomas, who died in infancy ; David, who 
died aged sixteen years; and Laura M. 
The only survivors of the above family 
are Mrs. McClellan and Miss Laura M. 
Tuttle. 

Miss Tuttle was reared and educated in 
the locality in which she was born. She 
is well known and most highly esteemed. 
Miss Tuttle owns the old Caleb Tuttle 



home place, containing 163 acres, which 
is situated directly opposite the Sinking 
Creek Church. Another very valuable 
piece of property is hers, this being four 
acres on the corner of Burnett and Main 
Streets, Springfield. This land has a pro- 
ductive orchard on it and a very fine 
dwelling, which is now occupied by Dr. 
Cromer, a well-known physician of 
Springfield. 



CHARLES CHRISTIAN FREID for 

many years was one of Springfield's val- 
ued citizens, was born at Springfield, 
Ohio, May 13, 1842, and his native city 
was his field of endeavor through a use- 
ful life, which terminated April 18, 1907. 
Charles C. Fried was eighteen years 
of age when he put aside his books, to- 
gether with his ambitious plans for the 
future, in order to enter the Federal 
Army and to perform his loyal duty to 
his country. He became a member of 
Company F, Second Regiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, and during the 
period of his enlistment bravely faced 
danger and met the hazards which attend 
a soldier's life. After the close of his 
military service he returned to Spring- 
field, where he completed the jeweler's 
trade. In 1870, in association with J. 
W. Mulholland, he established the busi- 
ness which is the oldest continuous jew- 
elry house at Springfield. In the course 
of time he acquired sole control of the 
same and when his son reached manhood 
he was admitted to partnership, the firm 
becoming C. C. Fried & Son. Mr. Fried 
continued to be actively interested until 
in September, 1905, when he retired from 



868 



HISTORY OF CLAltK COUNTY 



business care, but lie retained his finan- 
cial interest and had been in the busi- 
ness for thirty-seven years at the time 
of his death. Since then Carl Knott 
Fried, Mr. Fried 's only son and his 
partner, has had sole control, and he is 
numbered with Springfield's enterpris- 
ing and successful young business men. 

In 1863, Charles C. Fried was married 
(first) to Sarah McBeth, who died in 
1873, leaving one daughter, Jessie L., 
Mrs. R. L. Queisser, who is a resident of 
Cleveland. In 1875 Mr. Fried was mar- 
ried (second) to Anna Knott, who was 
then a resident of Spring-field, Missouri, 
but was born and reared in Clifton, Clark 
County, Ohio. Mrs. Fried is a daughter 
of William H. and Lydia (Price) Knott, 
and a granddaughter of Peter KJnott, 
who was a prominent pioneer of Clark 
County. William H. Knott at one time 
owned flour mills and large sections of 
real estate, and later was interested in 
farming. To the second marriage was 
born one daughter and one son: Anna, 
who died in infancy, and Carl K., who 
resides with his mother in the beautiful 
family home at No. 417 South Limestone 
Street, Springfield. 

Mr. Fried was a life-long Republican, 
and for twenty-two consecutive years 
was a member of the city council, on sev- 
eral occasions being elected its presi- 
dent. His services were highly valued 
by his fellow-citizens, who relied upon 
his judgment and followed his lead in 
many public-spirited enterprises which 
have vastly benefited the city. Although 
failing health debarred him for several 
closing years of his life, from active par- 
ticipation in public affairs, he never lost 
his interest nor failed to express pride 



in the prosperity of his native city, whose 
infant industries he had often assisted. 

At the time of his death, Mr. Fried was 
serving as a member of the Board of 
Trustees of the First Presbyterian 
Church, with which religious body he had 
identified himself in early years. He 
was prominent in both the Odd Fellows 
and the Masons, in the latter organiza- 
tion having attained the 32nd degree. 
Locally he belonged to the Lagonda and 
Commercial Clubs. 



JOHN P. CRAWMER, a well known 
farmer and highly respected citizen of 
Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, has 
a fine farm of 204 acres located about 
sixteen miles northwest of Springfield. 
He was born in Miami County, Ohio, 
April 16, 1848, and is a son of Michael 
and Miranda (Mumford) Crawmer. 

Michael Crawmer was born in Mary- 
land, of German parentage. After his 
marriage he left Frederick County, 
Maryland, and arrived in Miami County, 
Ohio, with a cash capital of fifty cents. 
He located in the woods, on the Dr. Beard 
farm, and thirteen years later moved to 
near Alcony, in the same county, where 
he and his wife both died. He lived as 
the pioneers of that period did, and met 
with more than common success, having 
340 acres of land at his death. During 
his early life he followed the trade of a 
cooper. He and his wife were parents 
of eleven children, of whom the follow- 
ing are now living: George, Charles, 
James, John P., Miranda E., Mary, and 
Elizabeth. 

John P. Crawmer was born on the Dr. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



869 



Beard farm, in Miami County, and as a 
baby was rocked in a sugar trough, hewn 
from a log. His mother spun the cloth 
for his clothes until he reached the age 
of twenty years, and he now treasures 
among his possessions the old family 
spinning wheel. He was five years old 
when his parents moved to near Miami 
City, and there he grew to maturity, at- 
tending the district schools in his 
yoimger days. After his marriage, at the 
age of twenty-seven years, he moved on 
a farm he had bought in Pike Township, 
Clark County, from Thomas Meranda. 
He resided there for eighteen years, la- 
boring hard to establish himself well in 
a business way, and at the end of that 
time was enable to buy a tract of 118 
acres from the McCagey heirs, which is 
a part of the farm on which he now lives. 
He met with success and added to his 
possessions, until he now ranks among 
the afiftuent citizens of the community. 
With the exception of the sum of $2,000 
which he inherited, and $800 which his 
wife inherited, what he has was made 
through their individual efforts. He has 
retired from the active management of 
the farm, which is now operated by his 
son-in-law, Jacob Davis. 

Mr. Crawmer was united in marriage 
September 30, 1875, with Miss Ella 
Weaver, a daughter of John and Eliza- 
beth Ann (Levina) Weaver. She died in 
1902, at the age of forty-two years, and 
is survived by three children, namely: 
Iva Belle, who was married October 4, 
] 906, to Jacob Davis, son of Jacob Davis, 
Sr. ; Ona, who was married May 27, 1902, 
to Harry Hunder, a son of Lewis Hun- 
der, and lives in Clark County ; and Alta, 
who lives at home with her father. Mr. 



Crawmer is a Democrat in politics, and 
religiously is a faithful member of the 
Christian Church. 



JACOB MITZEL, a well-known citizen 
of German Township, who owns a valu- 
able farm of 118 acres, which is situated 
just west of Tremont, was born in York 
County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1831, 
and is a son of Jacob and Catherine 
(Flinchbaugh) Mitzel. 

Jacob Mitzel was reared on his father 's 
farm in York County, where he remained 
until he was eighteen years of age, when 
he learned several trades — ^brick-laying, 
stone-laying and coopering. In the fall 
of 1852, he came to Ohio and worked at 
his various trades for two years and then 
went to Moorefield Township and engaged 
for a short time in farming. He was 
working as a brick-layer when he was 
married, June 12, 1860, to Elenora Neff, 
who is a daughter of Adam and Margaret 
(Turman) Neff. Adam Neff was born at 
New Market, Shenandoah County, Vir- 
ginia, and was a son of Abraham Neff, 
who was an early settler in German Town- 
ship, Clark County, where he acquired 
a large body of land. Adam Neff mar- 
ried Margaret Turman, in Clark County. 
She was born in this section and was a 
daughter of Isaac Turman, who was a 
native of New England, who was first a 
pioneer in Kentucky and later in Clark 
County, Ohio. The mother of Mrs. Mitzel 
died when she was an infant, leaving two 
children, Mrs. Mitzel and a son, Turman. 
They were reared from infancy by a step- 
mother, their father having married Mary 
Neff. 

Immediately after marriage, Mr. and 



870 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mrs. Mitzel located on a farm whicli had 
been settled by her grandfather and in- 
herited by her father. It formerly con- 
tained 1261/2 acres, but Adam Neff gave 
sis acres as a site for the German Re- 
formed Church and cemetery and the D. 
T. & I. Railroad took four and a half ad- 
ditional acres. Adam Neif owned three 
farms, one of which he sold, one, just 
south of Tremont, he gave to his son Tur- 
man Neff, and the third he gave to Mrs. 
Mitzel. Mr. Mitzel has made many im- 
provements on the place, where he has 
carried on general farming, but ever since 
1860 he has also done more or less work 
at his trades and can point to many sub- 
stantial buildings, including the Reformed 
Church, as proofs of his skill and in- 
dustry. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mitzel have had four chil- 
dren, namely: Arvilla, who died aged 
seventeen years; Laura, who married 
George Kohler, has three children, Ches- 
ter Neff, Quay Harrison and Mary Ellen ; 
Lucien Cbandler, who died aged eight 
months ; and Adam Jacob. The youngest 
son is a young man of bright mind and 
there is every indication that he has a suc- 
cessful future before him. He is a stu- 
dent of civil engineering at the Washing- 
ton and Jefferson University. 

In 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Mitzel united 
with the Congregational Church at 
Springfield. 



E. P. FLYNN, postmaster at South 
Charleston, was born at South Charles- 
ton, Clark County, Ohio, December 19, 
1858. His grandfather was a native of 
Ireland. John Flynn, father of E. P., 
was born, reared and educated in the 



State of Maryland, where he owned large 
properties prior to the Civil "War. He 
came to Clark County after his marriage 
to Frances Pierce, who was a daughter 
of William Williams, of Maryland, and 
they settled near South Charleston, 
where he followed agricultural pursuits 
until his death, in 1860. His widow sur- 
vived him until 1900. 

E. P. Flynn was the only child of his 
parents. He was reared on the Pierce 
homestead farm, three miles from South 
Charleston, where he resided until 1881. 
He enjoyed liberal educational advant- 
ages, attending Delaware University 
after graduating from the Delaware 
High School. When Mr. Flynn left the 
farm he took charge of the "Sentinel," 
at South Charleston and conducted it as 
an able organ of the Republican party 
until his appointment as postmaster, by 
the late President McKinley. Mr. Flynn 
has been very active in politics for a num- 
ber of years in this section, and served 
for five terms as township clerk and six 
times was elected to that important po- 
litical office, central cornmitteeman. 

Mr. Flynn married Josephine Pratt, a 
daughter of A. G. Pratt, of London, Ohio, 
who was formerly yiee president of the 
Farmers' Bank at Charleston. Mr. and 
Mrs. Flynn have one child, who died in 
1903. They are members of the Presby- 
terian Church. Mr. Flynn has been con- 
nected with the Elks organization and is 
also a Mason. 



P. J. SHOUVLIN, proprietor of The 
Superior Gas Engine Co., at Springfield, 
has spent almost a quarter of a century 
in this city, where he occupies a position 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



871 



of business i^rominence. He was born 
February 1, 1863, on the northwest coast 
of Ireland, and is a son of Daniel and 
Bridget (G-allagher) Shouvlin. 

In 1866 the parents of Mr. Shouvlin 
came to America and settled in Allentown, 
Pennsylvania, where the son attended 
school until he was eleven years of age. 
He then took upon himself the main sup- 
port of the family, owing to the death of 
his father, entering the anthracite mines, 
in which he continued to work until he 
was twenty years of age. Then coming 
to Springfield, he entered as an appren- 
tice the old Ohio Railroad shops and con- 
tinued there for several years, completely 
mastering every detail of the machinist's 
trade. In 1887 Mr. Shouvlin went to La 
•Crosse, Wisconsin, where he was placed 
in charge of the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy Railroad shops, and where he re- 
mained until the great railroad strike. 
His next location was at Tacoma, Wash- 
ington, where he was in charge of the 
Northern Pacific shops. Later on he re- 
turned to Springfield, where he purchased 
a small machine shop and conducted the 
same on Washington Street for several 
years and then moved into the East Street 
shops. From boyhood his active mind 
has been given to the invention of me- 
chanical appliances, and in 1893 he suc- 
ceeded in perfecting the Superior gas en- 
gine, and knew that his hopes of success 
had met with fruition. In 1902 he built 
his present plant on Sheridan Avenue, 
which is of brick, its dimensions being 
300x75 feet, and it is equipped particu- 
larly for the manufacture of his engines. 
He is the proprietor of the Vulcanized 
Cup & Valve Co. He owns a considerable 
quantity of oil land situated in Illinois, 



Kansas and Oklahoma. His industry at 
Springfield is one of large scope and im- 
portance and he affords constant employ- 
ment to 100 skilled workmen. 

In 1885 Mr. Shouvlin was married to 
Catherine Burns, and they have six chil- 
dren, namely, Daniel, John, Raphael, Jo- 
seph, Anna and Mary. Mr. Shouvlin is 
a consistent member of St. Joseph's Cath- 
olic Church. He belongs to the order of 
Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order 
of Hibernians, the old Emmet club and 
the Lagonda club. He is a good reliable 
citizen and is a member of the board of 
trustees of the Springfield City Hospital. 



CHARLES EDWARD FULLER, ex- 
tensive farmer and stock dealer of Pike 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a val- 
uable estate of 240 acres, on which is lo- 
cated one of the finest brick residences in 
the county. He was born on his present 
farm July 14, 1864, is a son of James C. 
and Mary Jane (Verdier) Fuller, and 
grandson of James and Diana (Acres) 
Fuller. 

James Fuller, the grandfather, was born 
in Montgomery County, Virginia, and in 
early manhood went to Kentucky, where 
he was married to Diana Acres. They 
spent the first few years of married life 
in the Blue Grass State, and in 1815 
moved to Ohio, settling near New Car- 
lisle, in Bethel Township, Clark County. 
He remained there one year, then came 
to Pike Township, purchasing the first 
160 acres of land from the government 
for $2.00 per acre. He put up a log 
house on the clearing which he made, and 
in a few years replaced it with a brick. 
He also erected the first bank barn in this 



872 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



vicinity, and it still stands on the place 
and is in use. He followed farming, and 
in addition bought and sold land exten- 
sively, being considered one of the sub- 
stantial men of the township. He was a 
Democrat in politics and served as town- 
ship treasurer and filled other local offi- 
ces. He survived his wife some years, 
and died in 1883. They were parents of 
ten children. 

James C. Fuller, the father, was born 
in this old home place in Pike Township, 
January 19, 1820, and spent all his life 
in this county. He assisted in clearing 
the land and followed farming on a large 
scale, at one time owning as much as 640 
acres in Pike Township. This success 
was not accomplished without hard labor, 
however, as he started with but $1,000 
in money, and eighty acres of land. He 
was married April 14, 1842, to Mary Jane 
Verdier, who was born in Pike Township 
in 1824, and was a daughter of Adam and 
Elizabeth Verdier, who also came from 
Virginia. Mrs. Fuller died February 6, 
1897, and James C. Fuller June 6, 1899. 
They were parents of eight children, as 
follows: Altersa, deceased, who was the 
wife of David Fortney, of Osborne, Ohio ; 
Columbus, deceased ; Marietta, who makes 
her home with her brother, Charles Ed- 
ward; Martha, who is the widow of Jo- 
siah Knoop; James H., deceased; Edith, 
deceased, who was the wife of Edward 
Hoover; Charles Edward; and Bertha, 
deceased, who was the wife of Elmer 
Sultzbach. Mr. Fuller was a Democrat 
in politics and served in township offices. 

Charles Edward Fuller was born on 
the home place, which had been secured 
by his grandfather, attended the district 
schools, and later pur^'^'^d a course of 



study at the Normal School at Lebanon, 
Ohio. He came into possession of his 
parent farm by buying 152V2 acres from 
his father, in 1897, and with his sister in- 
herited the remainder upon the death of 
his parents. He has followed general 
farming and stock dealing, but at the 
present time he rents the farm and gives 
his attention mainly to the stock business. 
The fine bank barn was erected by his 
father in 1879, and was at that time con- 
sidered the finest in this section of the 
county. Mr. Fuller is a progressive man 
and in his business employs new and 
modern methods, which have proved suc- 
cessful. He is a stalwart Democrat in 
politics, and from 1905 to 1907 he served 
the township efficiently as treasurer. 



HAELEY TITUS, a well known citizen 
and prosperous farmer of Harmony 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a fine 
farm of 120 acres, a part of the old Titus 
liome farm. He was born in Springfield 
Township, Clark Cotinty, Ohio, January 
34, 1863, and is a son of James P. and 
Eliza (Price) Titus. 

James P. Titus, father of our subject, 
was born in Chester County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and at an early age came west to 
Clark County, Ohio. He was a successful 
farmer and business man and upon his 
death left quite a large estate to be di- 
vided among his children, our subject's 
share being a part of the old home place 
and 120 acres of land. He died March 11, 
1900, having been preceded to the grave 
by his wife some fifteen years. Six chil- 
dren were born of their union, four of 
whom grew to maturity, as follows : Her- 
man, Harley, James and Grustavus. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



875 



Harley Titus was reared in his native 
county and received a good common 
school education. He has always engaged 
in farming and stock-raising, and is one 
of the largest stock dealers in this sec- 
tion of the country, buying and selling all 
kinds and. grades of live-stock. He lived 
with his parents until 1885, since which 
time he has farmed his present place, 
which his father bought originally of Jo- 
seph Newlove. 

Mr. Titus was united in marriage with 
Mary E. Hazzard, who was born in Vicks- 
burg, Mississippi, February 14, 1868, and 
who is a daughter of William S. and Mary 
h. (Hendren) Hazzard, her father a na- 
tive of Maryland and her mother of Vir- 
ginia. She was reared in Vicksburg and 
attended the schools there imtil 1881, 
when she came to Columbus, Ohio, and 
lived with an aunt, Mrs. J. S. Morton, 
until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Titus 
have five children, as follows : Lamar C, 
born October 20, 1885, who is an auction- 
eer; Homer T., born October 1, 1887; 
Howard P., bom August 31, 1890; Mor- 
ton S., born November 26, 1893 ; and Mal- 
com, born October 20, 1895. All of the 
children are living at home. There is liv- 
ing with the family an old colored woman. 
Rose Anabelle, of the Southern type, who 
is more than one hundred years old and 
who has been in the Titus family more 
than half a ceAtury. Religiously, our sub- 
ject and his family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 



WILLIAM J. STICKNEY, residing on 
the old Stickney homestead, which is situ- 
ated in Springfield Township, on the 
Springfield and South Charleston turn- 



pike, some five miles east of Fountain 
Avenue, Springfield, is a representative 
member of an old pioneer family of this 
section. William J. Stickney was born 
on this farm in Clark County, Ohio, Sep- 
tember 27, 1852, and is a son of Henry 
and Isabel (Baird) Stickney. The grand- 
father, John Stickney, was born in Eng- 
land and came to Clark County, Ohio, at 
a very early day, locating and dying on 
the farm now owned by his grandson, 
William J. 

On this farm Henry Stickney, the father 
of William J., was also born, and in a 
house which is, still used as a residence. 
When the present fine brick residence was 
built, the old house was sold and was 
moved off the farm. Here Henry Stick- 
ney was reared and inherited 160 acres 
from his father, to which he subsequently 
added, until he had in all about 400 acres. 
He married Isabel Baird, a daughter of 
William D. Baird, who was an early pio- 
neer in Harmony Township, to which lo-, 
cality he came probably from Virginia. 
Henry Stickney and wife went to house- 
keeping on a tract of twenty-two and one- 
half acres of the old farm, which he 
bought, and this portion is now owned by 
Mrs. Robert Rodgers, a daughter. Two 
children were born to them, William J. 
and Sarah, the latter of whom married 
Robert Rodgers and resides in Spring- 
field. Henr^^ Stickney became a promi- 
nent and succesful man. He died on this 
farm December 30, 1893, at the age of 
seventy-two years. His widow survived 
until July 17, 1899. 

William J. Stickney attended the neigh- 
boring schools in his boyhood, and has 
always given the larger part of his atten- 
tion to agricultural pursuits. At the age 



876 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



of thirty-five years he was married to 
Catherine Huffman, who is a daughter of 
Samuel and Barbara Huffman, and they 
liave become the parents of sis children, 
namelj^: Baird, who married Emily 
Hayes ; Howard, a student at Berea Col- 
lege, Kentucky; and Clark, Mary, Mar- 
garet and Isabel. T^Tien first married, 
William J. Stickney and wife settled on 
the farm in Harmony Township which 
belonged to his mother, a fine property 
of 338 acres, on which he remained for 
seventeen years. In February, 1903, he 
returned to his home farm. He has been 
largely engaged in raising Shorthorn cat- 
tle and Poland China hogs and is the old- 
est breeder of the latter variety in Clark 
County, making his initial effort in boy- 
hood. Mr. Stickney has done a great deal 
for this locality in raising the standard 
of both stock and cattle. He is a stock- 
holder in the W. F. Tuttle Hardware 
Company of Springfield. 



AARON SPANGLER KNEISLY, a 
well known citizen of Pike Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, resides on a fine 
farm of seventy five acres located near 
the village of Dialton. He was born in 
Grreene County, Ohio, October 2, 1861, and 
is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Dice) 
Kneisly. 

Daniel Kneisly was born in Cumber- 
land County, Pennsylvania, September 
26, 1822, is a son of John Kneisly and a 
grandson of George Kneisly. The family 
is an old one in this country and was es- 
tablished here by three brothers, who 
came from Switzerland, one of whom was 
the father of George, above mentioned. 
John Kneisly, grandfather of Aaron S., 



was born in Ijaucaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and was a farmer and distiller. 
With his family he moved from his native 
state to Ohio in 1827, locating near Day- 
ton, in which city he died at the age of 
seventy-seven and his wife at the age of 
eighty-seven years. He married Susan 
Whitmer, by whom he had twelve chil- 
dren, as follows: George, deceased; 
Daniel; Catherine, deceased; John W. ; 
Benjamin F., deceased; Jacob, deceased; 
Mary Ann, deceased; Abe; Susan, de- 
ceased ; William ; Emma ; and Samuel F., 
deceased. 

Daniel Kneisly was five years of age 
when brought by his parents to Ohio, who 
located on ^lad River, six miles east of 
Dayton, in Bath Township, Greene Coun- 
ty. They bought the old grist-mill, now 
known as the old Kneisly Mill, and oper- 
ated it many years. Daniel grew to ma- 
turity there and attended school in the 
log schoolhouse, which was equipped with 
slab benches and desks. The legs of the 
benches were wooden pins driven into the 
slabs, while the slab desks were support- 
ed by wood pins driven into the walls. 
The pupils sat with their faces to the wall, 
the desks being along three sides of the 
room, and when recitation time came 
swung their feet over the benches and 
faced the center. The fourth side of the 
room Avas equipped with a fire-place, in 
which big logs were kept burning. From 
1835 to 1850 Mr. Kneisly worked in the 
mill and in a small store conducted by his 
father. In the latter year he went west 
to the gold fields of California, where he 
mined with some success for four years. 
He then returned to Bath Township, re- 
maining until 1877, when he came to Pike 
Township, Clark Coimty, and continued 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



877 



actively in the harness until January, 
1908, when he retired and is now living in 
North Hampton. He was first married in 
1845 to Catherine Jane Miller, a daughter 
of David Miller, and she died in 1848, 
without issue. In 1858 he contracted a 
second marriage, with Mrs. Elizabeth 
(jjice) Spangler, whose first marriage, in 
1850, to Henry Spangler resulted in the 
birth of two children : Emma, wife of J. 
W. Haines, and James W. Mrs. Kneisly 
is a daughter of Jacob and Jane (Weid- 
ner) Dice. Her marriage to Daniel 
Kneisly has been blessed with five chil- 
dren: Edwin Aaaron Spangler, John 
Franklin, Jennie, wife of Stephen Trout, 
and I.ulu B. He is a Republican in pol- 
itics and fraternally has been a member 
of the Odd Fellows Order since January, 
1850. He first joined Buckeye Lodge at 
Dayton and now belongs to Turner Lodge 
No. 414 at Osborn. 

Aaron S. Kneisly was reared on the 
home place in Greene County and lived 
there with his parents until he was mar- 
ried. He has always followed farming 
and has met with good results, and is 
now located on seventy-five acres of the 
old Thackery estate. He was married 
December 20, 1888, to Emma E. Thackery, 
a daughter of Duncan and Susan (Eay) 
Thackery. 

Duncan Campbell Thackery, father of 
Mrs. Kneisly, was born at the home of his 
father, John Thackery, in Pansgill, York- 
shire, England, December 13, 1813, and 
Avas sixteen years old when his parents 
sold their possessions preparatory to com- 
ing to the United States. Leaving Liver- 
pool March 18, 1829, they arrived in New 
York City after a voyage of twenty-one 
days, and immediately set out for Ohio, 



where they expected to make their future 
home. They came to within one hundred 
miles of Columbus on the Ohio Canal, 
then proceeded in wagons to North Hamp- 
ton, Clark County, where they lived until 
the following October. They then moved 
to Champaign County, and in a single 
day erected a log cabin on their place in 
the woods. Duncan was twenty-six years 
old when his father died, leaving debts to 
pay, and it devolved upon him to look 
after the family. Thus handicapped he 
embarked on life's voyage, and the fact 
that he subsequently was owner of 900 
acres of land reflects the energy of his 
work and his good business judgment. 
He married Susan Eay, a daughter of 
Lewis and Elizabeth (Zeigler) Eay, who 
came through from Virginia to Ohio with 
a four-horse team. The Eays located first 
.^t Cincinnati, then came to Clark County, 
where both lived at the time of death. 
They had the following children: John, 
Mary, Henry, Michael, Emil, Susan, 
Lewis and Sarah. Duncan and Susan 
Thackery were parents of nine children, 
namely: Ann Jane, Sarah E., Mary, 
John, William, Joseph, Eleanor Belle, 
Finley and Emma Etta. The eldest is 
deceased. 

Mr. and Mrs. Kneisly have one daugh- 
ter, Susie. Eeligiously they all are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Politically he is a Eepublican, but has 
never been an aspirant for office. He is 
a member of the Knights of Pythias at 
North Hampton. 



WILLIAM H. TITTTLE, for many 
years one of Springfield Township's most 
highly respected citizens, was born on the 



878 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



old Tuttle home farm, opposite the Sink- 
ing Creek Church, in Clark County, Ohio, 
August 2, 1838, and died March 8, 1885, 
in his forty-seventh year. His parents 
were Caleb and Mary (Prickett) Tuttle. 

Caleb Tuttle was born in Virginia, in 
1799, and was seven years of age when he 
came to Clark County, Ohio, with his 
father, Sylvanus Tuttle, in 1806. He 
married Mary Prickett, who was born 
east of the Allegheny Mountains, but who 
came to Clark County from Claremont 
County, Ohio. Caleb Tuttle 's father-in- 
law, Nicholas Prickett, operated the first 
flour-mill at Lagonda. Of Caleb's eleven 
children nine reached maturity and two 
are now living, namely: Rachel, who is 
the widow of Jacob Leslie McClellan, and 
Miss Laura Tuttle. 

William H. Tuttle spent his boyhood on 
his father's farm and attended the Sink- 
ing Creek School. He secured 100 acres 
from his father and to this he added by 
purchase until he owned 300 acres of ex- 
cellent land. Farming was his main busi- 
ness through life, combined with dealing 
in stock in his earlier years. Like all 
members of his family, he was a man of 
many sterling virtues. 

On October 26, 1871, Mr. Tuttle was 
married to Mary Catherine Luce, who is 
a daughter of John and Martha Ann 
(Bird) Luce, and they had three children, 
namely : Frances A., Carrie and Clarence 
1. Frances A. graduated from the 
Spring-field High School a-nd later took a 
select course at Shepardson College, 
Granville, Ohio. Miss Carrie Tuttle 
graduated from the Springfield High 
School, the Wittenberg College and took 
the Library Course of the University of 
Chicago. She taught school for one year 



near her home and for four years in city 
schools of Spring-field, after which she be- 
came librarian at the Manuel Training 
and State Normal School at EUendale, 
North Dakota, where she is still located. 
Clarence I. Tuttle graduated from the 
academy connected with AVittenberg Col- 
lege, attended the college proper for one 
year and later took a commercial course 
at the Nelson Business College. 

Mrs. Tuttle continues to reside at her 
country residence with her son and daugh- 
ter. They occupy a beautiful brick man- 
sion which Mr. Tuttle completed so that 
it was ready for the family's Thanks- 
giving dinner in November, 1877. 



RUSSELL SMITH, owner of a fine 
tract of seventy-three acres located in 
Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
was born on a farm near Spring-field, 
Ohio, December, 1877, and is a son of T. 
A. and Catherine (Miller) Smith. 

T. A. Smith, who, with his wife, resides 
at Enon. Ohio, was born in Clifton and 
has been a life-long resident of Clark 
County. His wife was born in Virginia 
and when a child came to Ohio with her 
parents, who settled at Catawba. 

Russell Smith is one of a family of 
seven children, namely: George, Alva, 
Erwin, Russell, Estella, who married E. 
Crabill, Mary and Myrtle, deceased. 
When quite young the parents of Mr. 
Smith moved to Spring-field, Ohio, and 
there his boyhood days were spent. He 
attended the public schools and also took 
a course at Nelson's Business College. 
When a young man he worked for two 
years in a meat market owned by J. G. 
Kramer, then was employed for two years 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



879 



by Phillip Folckemer. In 1902 lie bought 
out the meat market at 124 Clifton Street, 
then owned by C. N. Slyer, and this he 
operated until he moved to his present 
home in April, 1907, which he had pur- 
chased in 1905 from Mrs. Joseph Baker. 
Mr. Smith was married June 10, 1903, to 
Emma Sumner, the only child of Richard 
and Sarah (Watson) Sumner. Mr. and 
Mrs. Sumner, who reside near South 
Charleston, Ohio, are natives of England, 
where they were married. They came to 
America in 1880 and settled near Spring- 
field on a farm which was owned by 
Steven Kirham, a relative. Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith are the parents of two children — 
Russell Barton and Norman Edwin. 



GEORGE H. FREY, SR., owing to his 
prominence in the business, political and 
social life of Springfield for so many 
years, is rightly numbered with the city's 
representative men. He was born De- 
cember 19, 1825, at Philadelphia, Jeffer- 
son County, New York, and is a son of 
Samuel C. and Susan (Calhoun) Frey. 

The Frey family is an old one in Amer- 
ica and has had many distinguished mem- 
bers. History tells of their connection 
with matters of the greatest public inter- 
est even prior to the Revolutionary War. 
Philip Frey, the grandfather of George 
H., was born in the Mohawk Valley, New 
York, but went to Canada when sixteen 
years of age. His last years, however, 
were spent in his native place, where he 
was engaged in the pi-actice of law. He 
was married, first, to Marie Louise St. 
Martin, of Detroit, Michigan, who was a 
member of the family of General Mont- 



calm, and, secondly, to Mrs. Elizabeth 
Howe. 

Samuel Challott Frey, father of George 
H., was born of the second marriage. He 
followed the trade of jeweler and silver- 
smith at Canajoharie and at Syracuse, 
New York, until 1830, when he located at 
Brockville, Ontario, in the Dominion of 
Canada, where he resided until 1837. He 
then returned to the United States and 
settled for a few months at Morristown, 
New York. In 1838 he removed to Can- 
ton, Ohio. In 1857 he came to Spring- 
field, where he was engaged in business 
until 1870, when he removed to Decatur, 
Alabama, in which place he died in 1877. 

George H. Frey was afforded excellent 
educational advantages, and in June, 
1847, after some time spent in the study 
of law, he was admitted to the bar at 
Xenia, Ohio, and immediately afterward 
opened a law office in Springfield. Here, 
soon after, he became interested in the 
"Republic," which was then the leading 
Whig journal of Clark County. In 1854 
Mr. Frey became one of its owners and 
editors, retaining his interest therein 
until 1861. Mr. Frey had previously ac- 
quired a knowledge of telegraphy, of 
which he made practical use when, in 
1849, he was placed in charge of the 
office of the Cincinnati & Sandusky Tele- 
graph Company, at Springfield. In 1850 
he was elected superintendent of the 
line, and two years later he became presi- 
dent of the company and served as such 
until it lost its individuality tlu'ough its 
absorption by the Western Union cor- 
poration. After retiring from news- 
paper work, in 1861, Mr. Frey began de- 
veloping a valuable quarry property 
which he had acquired along Buck Creek, 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and which became, in his hands, a very 
important business. Among other enter- 
prises with which Mr. Frey was connect- 
ed were the S. M. & P. Ey., in the organi- 
zation of which he was a prime mover, 
and which is now a part of the Big Four 
system ; and the Jackson & Pomeroy Rail- 
way, now known as the D., T. & I. 

In 1879, after over forty years of ac- 
tivity, Mr. Frey retired from the busi- 
ness field, taking with him the respect 
and esteem of his fellow-citizens. 

In 1851 Mr. Frey was married to Jane 
Quigley Ward, who was a daughter of 
Isaac and Mary Ward, of Springfield. 
Mrs. Frey died in April, 1881, having 
been the beloved mother of twelve chil- 
dren, the following of whom survive: 
Isaac Ward, residing at Joplin, Missouri ; 
George H., Jr., residing at No. 297 East 
High Street, Springfield, who is president 
of the Springfield, Wilmington & Cincin- 
nati Railroad Company; Albert C, resid- 
ing at No. 204 North Fountain Avenue, 
who is an extensive real estate dealer; 
Robert R., who is manager of The Grand 
Detour Plow Company, at Dixon, Illi- 
nois ; and Susan H. 

Mr. Frey is a stanch Republican and 
for many years was active in political 
life. While serving as county commis- 
sioner, some important additions and im- 
provements were made in the county 
buildings, among them the county Court 
House and Jail, the Children's Home, the 
County Infirmary (main building) ; also 
several turnpikes and many bridges 
throughout the county were constructed. 
Mr. Frey was also president of the board 
of trustees of the water-works depart- 
ment which, in 1881-83, constructed the 
present water-works system. 



Mr. Frey was an elder in the Second 
Presbyterian Church at Springfield. His 
name is associated with many of the city's 
benevolent enterprises and charitable or- 
ganizations. 



CHARLES H. MERRITT, a highly es- 
teemed agriculturist of Madison Town- 
ship, and owner of 300 acres of fine farm- 
ing land, was born October 11, 1848, near 
Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, on the 
present site of the Springfield water- 
works, and is a son of Edward and Maria 
(Mullen) Merritt. Thomas Merritt, the 
grandfather of Charles H., came from 
Mt. Holly, New Jersey, to Clark County, 
in 1831, and here engaged in farming. He 
married Jane Gaskill, of New Jersey, and 
to them were born two sons and two 
daughters, Edward, father of our sub- 
ject, being the second in order of birth. 

Edward Merritt was born April 8, 
1820, in New Jersey, and came to Clark 
County with his parents, who settled near 
South Charleston. Here he followed farm- 
ing all his life, his death occurring near 
South Charleston, in August, 1906. His 
marriage with Maria Mullen, of Warren 
County, Ohio, resulted in the birth of 
four children, three of whom are living. 

Charles H. Merritt was reared in 
Springfield Township, receiving his pri- 
mary education in the country schools 
and completing this by a course of study ' 
at Wilmington, Delaware, after which he 
engaged in farming and stock-raising. 
In 1880 he came to his fine farm of 300 
acres in Madison Township, and has re- 
sided here continuously since, having one 
of the finest country homes in this local- 
ity. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



881 



In 1886 Mr. Merritt married Alice Buf- 
fenbarger, a daughter of Peter and Eliz- 
abeth Buffenbarger, residents of Clark 
County, who were at one time large land 
owners in this county. Five children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Merritt, namely: 
Beulah E.; T. Edward; Esther A.; Mary 
E.; and Charles H., Jr., all residing at 
home. In politics Mr. Merritt is a Prohi- 
bitionist, but votes independently. Re- 
ligiously he is a member of the Society of 
Friends. 



CHRISTIAN L. HEISTAND, one of 
Clark County's most highly respected 
citizens, resides on a valuable farm con- 
taining 1211/2 acres, which is situated in 
Bethel Township, about si'x miles west of 
Springfield, and owns an additional 165 
acres which is located in Springfield 
Township. Mr. Heistand was born on 
his father's farm in York County, Penn- 
sylvania, December 26, 1836, and is a son 
of Abraham and Leah (Lonnecker) Hei- 
stand. 

The Heistand family in America is co- 
temporary with William Penn's settle- 
ment in Pennsylvania. The first authen- 
tic record is when John Heistand sailed 
from Germany in the ship "Brittania," 
in 1731, accompanied by his two broth- 
ers, Abraham and Balser, and two sisters, 
Barbara and Anna, to join the Penn col- 
ony in Pennsylvania. They had fled prior 
to this to Switzerland on account of re- 
ligious persecution. These emigrants 
landed at Philadelphia in the fall of the 
above year and they settled in Lancaster 
County. According to family tradition 
the family had been represented in 
Penn's earliest settlements, but only au- 



thenticated records are here given. The 
John Heistand above named took up 500 
acres of government land, and 200 acres 
of this remains in the possession and the 
name of the Heistand family. John and 
Abraham remained in Pennsylvania, but 
Balser went to the South, and all trace 
of that line is lost. 

Abraham, son of the above John Hei- 
stand, was born in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, where he lived to the age 
of eighty-eight years. His occupations 
were those of the prosperous men of his 
day, tanning, distilling and milling. He 
was a man of robust constitution, and it 
is recorded that he frequently took a 
horseback ride of sixty miles between 
York, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, 
Maryland. He also traveled over the 
country by the same means and visited 
Niagara Falls. Later in life he removed 
to York County and engaged in farming, 
becoming a man of large means for his 
day. He was twice married, his children 
being those of his union with his first 
wife, Elizabeth, Inamely: John, Abra- 
ham, William, Balser, Sarah, Nancy and 
Susan. His second marriage was to 
Anna Carl. 

Abraham Heistand, father of Christian 
L., was born on his father's farm in York 
County, Pennsylvania, where his whole 
life was passed, his death taking place 
at the age of seventy-eight years. He 
married Leah Lonnenecker, who survived 
to be ninety-two years old. They had 
eleven children, as follows : John, Cather- 
ine, Sarah, Christian L., Abraham, Susan, 
WilUam, Jacob and Amanda, twins, Anna 
and Alice, all of whom still survive ex- 
cept Alice, who was the wife of J. Ro- 
baugh. 



882 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ciiristian L. Heistand remained on the 
liome farm until he was sixteen years of 
age, when he went to Baltimore and 
learned the machinist's trade in the Pool 
& Himt machine shops, where he served 
an apprenticeship of four years. From 
there, in 1860, he came to Ohio and 
worked for a short time in the Pitts ma- 
chine shops at Springfield. His brother, 
Abraham, then joined him, and together 
they bought the old General Mason farm 
in Moorefield Township, situated on the 
Urbana Turnpike, consisting of 220 acres, 
and on this place they lived for four 
years. 

On December 22, 1863, Mr. Heistand 
was married to Catherine M. Leffel, who 
was born on the present site of the Ma- 
sonic Home, which then belonged to her 
father, Daniel Letfel. 

The latter married Margaret Sintz, a 
daughter of Peter Sintz, of Clark County. 
They had four children, of whom Cath- 
erine (Mrs. Heistand) was the youngest, 
and is the only survivor. On the site 
above mentioned Mr. Heistand then con- 
ducted the 0. K. tavern, and is credited 
with having originated that abbreviation 
so generally used. In 1867 Mr. and Mrs. 
Heistand came to the present farm, hav- 
ing lived during 1866 at Sugar Grove. 
He bought this land from the Miller es- 
tate in 1868 and has greatly improved the 
place. He has erected substantial farm 
buildings and has placed the land under 
a fine state of cultivation. He carries on 
general agriculture and sells a large 
quantity of milk by wholesale. 

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand have four chil- 
dreUj two sons and two daughters, both 
of the former being physicians. They are 
as follows : Horace, who is a graduate 



of the Ohio Medical College at Cincin- 
nati, is engaged in practice at Donnels- 
ville; he married Anna Minnick. Clin- 
ton, who is also a graduate of the Ohio 
Medical College, married Luella Forgy, 
and they have two children, Robert and 
Richard. Nora, who married Frank Car- 
ter,' has three children, Floyd H., Chris- 
tian D. and Arthur H., and they reside 
on the home farm. Anna, who married 
F. E. Fundeberg, resides on the Spring- 
field Township farm. 

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand are members 
of the Baptist Church. He has served 
as school director for some eighteen 
years, but otherwise has taken no par- 
ticular interest in official life. 



CLAUDE F. RICE, residing in Green 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, where he 
is engaged in agricultural pursuits, is also 
occupied extensiA'ely in the threshing and 
saw-mill l)usiness and is widely known 
throughout this section of the state. He 
is a native of this county, having been 
born a mile north of his present residence 
May 26, 1874. 

Mr. Rice is a son of William and 
Matilda (Goudy) Rice, and a grandson of 
Edward Rice, who some time after his 
marriage came from the East to Clark 
County. The latter located on the old 
Rice homestead, now owned by Zella B. 
Kissell, and later traded it to his son, 
William. "William Rice was born in the 
East and was three years old when he 
came with his parents to this county. 
He lived for the remainder of his days on 
the old homestead. He and his wife were 
the parents of six children, four of whom 




,\lk AXI) MRS. (,i;()R(JE A. SPENCE 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



885 



are now living, and of these our subject 
was next to the youngest. 

Claude F. Rice was reared on the home 
place and received his educational train- 
ing in the district schools. He lived at 
home until after his marriage, then pur- 
chased his present farm of eighty acres 
of the Stewart heirs. His residence is lo- 
cated lialf a mile distant on a tract of one 
. acre. In addition to general farming, as 
above noted, he operates extensively 
throughout this section of the state with 
a thresher in the season and is operating 
a saw-mill. His outfit represents an ex- 
penditure of $7,000, which exceeds the 
outlay of any two other men in the coun- 
ty, similarly engaged. He enjoys the 
patronage of his home community almost 
exclusively. 

November 4, 1896, Mr. Rice was united 
in marriage with Autice Skilling, a daugh- 
ter of Lewis Skilling, and they have a 
son, Fremont Charles. Politically Mr. 
Rice is a Republican. In religious attach- 
ment he and his wife are members of the 
Baptist Church. He is a member and 
past counselor of the Junior Order United 
American Mechanics, and a member of 
Company Eight, First Independent Regi- 
ment, Junior Order United American Me- 
chanics. He also is identified with the 
Patrons of Husbandry. 



GEORGE A. SPENCE, an extensive 
farmer and stock-raiser, who owns a tract 
of 638 acres in Pike Township, was born 
January 30, 1852, in German Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Mark 
and Mary (Harshbarger) Spence. The 
Spence family was first established in this 
country by William Spence, who was 



born and reared in England and who came 
to Ohio at a very early period, settling in 
Clark County, December 25, 1820. Here 
he spent the remainder of his life and be- 
came possessed of large landed interests, 
acquiring a tract of 638 acres, which is 
now owned by the subject of this sketch 
and his mother. 

Mark Spence was born in Clark County 
and died January 8, 1878, aged fifty-seven 
years. In politics he was a Whig, always 
taking an active interest in the affairs of 
his party, and although not seeking politi- 
cal honors, was elected comity commis- 
sioner just previous to his death. He 
married Mary Harshbarger, a native of 
Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio with her 
parents when ten years of age, and who 
is still living, making her home with her 
son George. 

George A. Spence was just eight years 
old when his parents came to his present 
farm and here he has spent his entire life, 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and 
stock-raising. He received his education 
in the district school, and being the only 
child, much of the work of the farm fell 
to him. He is the largest landowner in 
Pike Township, the entire estate having 
been left to him and his mother. He has 
remodeled the large seventeen-room 
house, which was built by his grandfather, 
and has erected new barns, the old barn, 
ten horses, seven head of cattle and the 
faithful old shepherd dog having been de- 
stroyed by fire April 20, 1890. Mr. Spence 
is extensively engaged in stock-raising, 
especially horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. 
He owns Chamberlin De Limelette, known 
as Jack, a bay stallion, weighing 2,000 
pounds, Reg. No. 1568, foaled May 1, 
1900, and imported from Belgium May 16, 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



1904, by MeLauglilin Brothers, of Colum- 
bus, from whom he was bought by the 
North Hampton Horse Company July, 
1904. Mr. Spence is treasurer and keeper 
manager of the North Hampton Horse 
Company. Besides his farming interests 
he is also financially interested in a hard- 
ware concern of Springfield. 

Mr. Spence was joined in marriage 
February 12, 1880, with Anna J. Frier- 
mood, a daughter of Eeuben and Mary 
Friermood, and of their union have been 
born the following children : Mary Etta, 
who is the wife of Asa Baker, who oper- 
ates a general store at Dialton, and has 
two children — Correne and Willard S. ; 
Delia, who died aged nineteen months; 
Millie Blanche, a teacher in the Dialton 
School ; and Eussell Mark. 

Fraternally Mr. Spence is a member of 
the Knights of Pythias, White Star No. 
292, North Hampton, and of the Junior 
Order United American Mechanics, Don- 
nels Creek No. 121, and is trustee of both 
these lodges. Politically he is a Eepub- 
lican. 



HON. PHINEAS P. MAST, formerly 
president of the Spring-field National 
Bank, was also the prime mover in the or- 
ganization of a number of Springfield's 
leading industries, and became the head 
of the great firm of Mast, Foos & Com- 
pany, manufacturers of the Buckeye 
lawn mowers, force-pumps, wind-engines 
and iron fencing. The present members 
of this company are among the leading 
capitalists of Springfield, namely : E. H. 
Eodgers, president; W. H. Eayner, vice 
president and general manager; C. A. 
Harris, treasurer ; and F. E. Burton, sec- 



retary. Scarcely less important is that 
other great industrial firm known as P 
P. Mast & Company, in which the late 
Phineas P. Mast was also the leading 
spirit, and whose president and treasurer 
is now H. D. Maize, with P. A. Lewis, 
vice president. Its business is the manu- 
facturing of Buckeye grain-drills, seeders 
and sowers, cultivators and cider-mills. 

Mr. Mast was financially interested in 
many more of the city's successful busi- 
ness enterprises, was a prominent and 
useful member of the Springfield Board 
of Trade, and as long as he lived, even 
after he had somewhat withdrawn from 
the arena of active business life, took a 
deep and helpful interest in the city's 
prosperity. Mr. Mast died at his beauti- 
ful home in Spring-field November 20, 
1898. He is survived by two daughters. 
Belle and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the 
wife of Hon. Francis B. Loomis, residing 
on the southeast corner of High Street 
and Western Avenue, who served under 
appointments from President Eoosevelt 
as assistant secretary of state. Belle is 
the wife of George H. Frey, Jr., president 
of the Springfield, Wilmington & Cincin- 
nati Eailroad, and resides at No. 635 
East High Street. 

Mr. Mast was a remarkably successful 
man from a material point of view, but he 
was much more. His intelligence and 
public spirit constantly brought him into 
active co-operation with his fellow-citi- 
zens on matters pertaining to the general 
welfare, and he was honored on various 
occasions by election to public office. For 
two years he served Springfield as its 
mayor. Science claimed many of his 
spare moments, as he was an ardent 
geologist. He was a man of genial pres- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



887 



ence .aucl his attractive social qualities 
won for liim rnanj^ personal friends and 
sincere admirers. 



CHAR1.es W. FISTNER, who oper- 
ates a seventeen-acre garden farm, situ- 
ated three miles southeast of Springfield, 
on the Burnett Road, was born November 
15, 1859, in Clifton, Hamilton County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Michael and Marie 
(Thunhorst) Pistner. 

Michael Fistner and his wife were both 
born in Germany, but were married after 
coming to this country. He was a gar- 
dener by occupation, and died when our 
subject was quite young, after which his 
widowmarried Frederick Butz, whom he 
had employed on the farm for some time. 
Three children were born to Michael 
Fistner and wife: Catherine, who died 
in infancy; Charles W., subject of this 
sketch, and Marie, the latter 's twin sister. 

Charles W. Fistner was four years old 
when his parents moved from Clifton to 
Winton Place. He attended the schools 
of Winton Place and became a gardener 
by occupation, assisting his step-father on 
the farm until the death of the latter in 
1878. The step-father left one child, Fred 
Butz, with whom Mr. Fistner and his sis- 
ter Marie continued to operate the farm 
for the two succeeding years, after which 
they sold out. 

Mr. Pistner was married December 25, 
1881, to Minnie E. Thiede, who came from' 
Germany to this country with her father, 
Frederick Theide, the latter locating in 
Cincinnati. In the spring of 1884 Mr. 
Fistner came to Springfield and in 1890 
purchased his present farm consisting of 
seventeen acres, twelve of which he has 



planted in vegetables. He makes a spe- 
cialty of early vegetables, having a stall 
in the City Market and in the fall puts up 
a great deal of krout. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Pistner have been 
born five children: Walter P., Alma 
Marie, Clara E., Anna M. and Bertha A. 
Fraternally Mr. Fistner is affiliated with 
the Knights of Pythias, the I. 0. 0. P., 
the F. O. E. and Mad River Encampment, 
I. 0. 0. F., of which he is a trustee. 



CHRISTIAN M. SMITH, a representa- 
tive citizen and large farmer of Pike 
Township, where he owns two valuable 
farms, aggregating 222 acres, was born 
in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
October 14, 1837. He is a son of Peter 
and Jane (Maxon)- Smith. 

Peter Smith was born in Virginia and 
was a child one year old when his father. 
Christian Smith, brought his family to 
Pike Township, and settled in the woods 
near the present home farm of his grand- 
son. Christian M. Peter Smith grew to 
manhood in Pike Township and later 
bought a farm of his own, which he 
cleared from its native condition. He 
married Jane Maxon, a daughter of Jesse 
Maxon, who was a pioneer on Mud Run, 
settling there before the Indians had left 
this neighborhood. For many years Peter 
Smith remained on his farm, but later 
retired with his wife, to New Carlisle. He 
died there aged seventy-four years, but 
she survived to be ninety-one years old. 
They had the following children : C. M., 
Elzina and Perlina, twins, Christena, 
Sarah M., Jesse M., Lydia, Charles, Peter 
M., Mark and Ruth. Several of these chil- 
dren died in infancy. 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Christian M. Smith grew to manliood 
on his father's farm and from early boy- 
hood assisted in the work of clearing and 
cultivating it. For some five years he 
• operated a water-power saw-mill, bnt con- 
tinued to live at home until his marriage. 
He bought his first farm from Jacob Ote- 
walt and lived oh it for seven years, when 
he traded for an interest in one of his 
present farms. He lived there from 1878 
until 1906 and moved to his present home 
in 1907. Mr. Smith has always been 
counted with the successful fanners of 
Pike Township. 

On January 9, 1862, Mr. Smith was 
married (first) to Mary Jane Zinn, a 
daughter of Daniel R. and Matilda (Stur- 
geon) Zinn. Mrs. Smith died March 21, 
1883. She was the mother of the follow- 
ing children : Mareellus, residing at Troy, 
Ohio, married Nellie Tannehill and they 
have two children, Raymond and Hartley ; 
Albert Z., residing at New Carlisle, mar- 
ried Laura Fuller and they have three 
children, Algie, Lona and Elva ;. Matilda 
Angeline, residing in Bethel Township, 
married Frank Shellabarger and they 
have four children, Delbert, Horace, 
Adella and Edward; Oren Z., residing at 
Portland, Oregon; Adella May, residing 
in North Dakota, married Charles Fun- 
derburg and they have two children, 
Cletus and Walter ; Arthur Z., residing in 
Pike Township, married Bertha Jordan 
and they have two children, Harold and 
Lloyd ; Clarence Z., who married Iva Rich- 
ardson; and Alia Eveleen, who married 
Casius Schaffner, has two children, Lewis 
C. and Mary Hetty. 

Mr. Smith was married (second), Oc- 
tober 13, 1887, to Mrs. Caroline D. Tener, 
who died without issue, February 25, 



1888. She was the widow of James Tener. 
On February 26, 1890, Mr. Smith was 
married (third) to Wilhelmina Dresher, 
who was born in Clark County and is a 
daughter of Nicholas Dresher by his sec- 
ond marriage, to Margaretha Suphert, 
who died aged fifty-four years. Mr. 
Dresher lived to be sixty-eight years old. 
The children of his first marriage were: 
Godfrey, George, Margaret, Barbara and 
Martin. Those of his second marriage 
were: Catherine, Mary, John, Henry, 
Peter, Caroline, Wilhelmina, Clara, 
Charles and Anna. 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had the fol- 
lowing children: Margaretta Jane, Cyn- 
thia T., Vernon D., Helen C, Gilbert and 
Luther W. Vernon D. died aged nine- 
teen months and Helen C. at the age of six 
years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith are valued mem- 
bers of the German Baptist Brethren 
Church, in which he is a deacon and a 
trustee. 



GUS SUN, president of the Sun Amuse- 
ment Co., and owner of the New Sun 
Theatre Building, Springfield, Ohio, is 
perhaps one of the best known showmen 
in this country. He has been identified 
respectively with the circus and minstrel 
branches of the amusement profession, 
and now stands at the head of one of the 
principal vaudeville circuits in this coun- 
try, known as the Sun & Murray chain. 
He has risen from the ranks of a per- 
former to the eminent position he now 
holds, and is identified with a dozen or 
more theatrical and amusement incorpo- 
rations. 

Gus Sun was born in Toledo, Ohio, Oc- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



tober 7, 1868. From boyhood he was iden- 
tified with the show busines, at an early 
age he, with three brothers, started the 
Avell Imown Sun Brothers' Circus, which 
is still on the road, although Mr. Sun dis- 
posed of his interest in it some years ago. 
While with the circus he acted as manager 
and laid the foundation of the present 
successful circus organization. Also dur- 
ing this time he gained considerable prom- 
inence as a skillful juggler, and in 1889 
joined the forces of the great P. T. Bar- 
num Circus, and his juggling turn was 
one of the featured attractions of the cir- 
cus. 

After disposing of his interest in the 
circus business, Mr. Sun conceived the 
idea of forming a minstrel company, and 
in a few months the celebrated Sun Min- 
strels were touring the country, and inci- 
dentally during their existence played 
every first-class city from Maine to Cali- 
fornia. On October 1st, 1904, Gus Sun, 
as proprietor and manager of the Sun 
Minstrels, came to Springfield, Ohio, and 
started, the first family vaudeville theatre 
in this section of the country. It was on 
October 19, 1904, that the pioneer family 
theatre in the Fisher Building was thrown 
open to the public. At first it was an up- 
hill battle; the public was skeptical, for 
heretofore, popular-jDriced amusements 
had been considered trashy, and it was 
some time before any profits were real- 
ized. In 1905 the little Orpheum Theatre, 
now an assured success, was moved to the 
Barrett Building on Fountain Avenue, 
where many new friends were made, as 
the change was for the better, and several 
improvements were made in the family 
theatre. Gradually the family theatres 
were opened in other cities and Mr. Sun 



went into the vaudeville booking business. 
While the Orpheum was located on Foun- 
tain Avenue, Mr. Sun became associated 
in business with Mr. 0. G. Murray, a prom- 
inent broker in Richmond, Indiana, and 
the firm of Sun & Murray now controls 
ten first-class family vaudeville theatres 
in Ohio and Indiana, and are recognized 
as one of the most flourishing theatrical 
combinations in the country. On July 1st, 
1 907, ground was broken in Springfield 
on the old Wigwam site for the New 
Sun Theatre, which was thrown open to 
the public November 24, 1907, and is 
known throughout the country as the 
home of "Approved" vaudeville. 

Mr. Sun employs between four and five 
hundred acts weekly, in houses he books 
and those of the circuit with which he is 
identified. Mr. Sun has many interest- 
ing mementos of his professional career, 
and some old programs in his possession 
recalling the time when he worked on the 
same vaudeville bill with such well known 
entertainers as Macintyre & Heath, Wal- 
ters & Wessen, Billy Van, and others. 

His three brothers are also in the theat- 
rical and circus business. George and 
Pete Sun own and still control the Sun 
Brothers Circus. On January 16, 1897, 
Mr. Sim was married to Miss Nellie L. 
Alfredo, of Youngstown, and they have 
three children, Louise, Nina and Gus Sun, 
Jr. Mr. Sun is prominently connected 
with fraternal organizations^ among them 
being the Masons, Elks, K. of P. and 
Eagles. As a citizen of Springfield he 
has been identified with various move- 
ments for the good of the community, and 
is always ready to lend a helping hand 
in securing the advancement of Greater 
Springfield. 



890 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



JOHN BUTCHER, a prosperous 
farmer and highly respected citizen of 
Madison Township, near South Charles- 
ton, was born in 1862 near Selma, in 
Green County, Ohio, and is a son of John 
Butcher, Sr., and a grandson of Joseph 
Butcher. The grandfather, Joseph Butch- 
er, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a 
farmer, who located in Greene County, 
Ohio, at an early period. 

John Butcher, Sr., father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was one of a family of 
three children, and was born in 1816 on 
the old home farm in Greene County, 
where, also, he was reared, and was en- 
gaged in farming during his entire life. 
He married, first, a Miss Wade, and later 
for his second wife, a Miss Wise, the lat- 
ter being a native of Clark County and 
daughter of Jesse Wise. Of the second 
union there were born five children, all of 
whom are still living. 

John Butcher, Jr., grew to manhood on 
the old home farm in Greene County. Al- 
though at the present day a well informed 
man on general subjects, his educational 
opportunities in youth were limited to a 
short attendance at the district schools. 
He remained on the home farm until after 
his marriage, at which time he moved to 
Licking County. There he became owner 
of a farm, which he operated for about 
sixteen years very successfully. He then 
sold the farm, and coming to Clark 
County, purchased his present fine prop- 
erty in Madison Township, where he has 
now been a resident for six years. 

Mr. Butcher married Eva D. Trout, a 
daughter of Hiram Trout, of Licking 
County, Ohio. Of this union there have 
been born three children, all of whom are 
attending the South Charleston High 



School, from which the eldest son will 
graduate in the spring of 1908. Polit- 
ically, Mr. Butcher is a Republican and 
is a member and president of the school 
board of Madison Township. 



MACK POSTER, a representative cit- 
izen and prominent farmer of German 
Township, who owns 280 acres of valua- 
ble land lying in Section 22, about eight 
miles north and west of Springfield, was 
born January 26, 1850, in Fayette Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John 
and Eliza (Sampy) Foster. In 1856, 
the parents of Mr. Foster moved from 
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to Fay- 
ette County, Ohio. His father enlisted 
as a soldier in the Union army during the 
Civil War, but was sent home sick in 
1865, and died just one month before the 
company of which he was a member was 
mustered out of the service. The family 
continued to reside in Fayette County 
until 1868, when the mother and children 
together moved to a farm in Madison 
County. 

Mack Foster remained on the farm 
there until 1885, when he moved to Clark 
County and rented a farm in German 
Township. Later he moved to a rented 
fai'm in Pike Township, and from there 
to another, in Harmony Township. In 
February, 1903, he purchased the Coffin 
farm, a valuable property in German 
Township, containing 200 acres, and im- 
mediately moved on to the place. In the 
fall of 1905 he acquired also the Bruner 
farm, consisting of eight acres, adjoin- 
ing his former purchase, and has ever 
since been engaged extensively in farm- 
ing and stock-raising. While the condi- 




E. B. HOPKINS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



893 



tion of both farms at the time of his pur- 
chase was excellent, Mr. Foster saw room 
for improvement, and he has continued to 
improve the property in various ways up 
to the present time. He is a man of prac- 
tical ideas who understands how to make 
general agricultural both pleasant and 
profitable. 

In Madison County, Ohio, Mr. Foster 
was married to Anna Hyer, who was born 
in Ross County, Ohio, where she lived 
until she was fifteen years of age, when 
she accompanied her parents, Samuel and 
Catherine Hyer, to Madison County. In 
1877 they moved to Springfield and em- 
barked in a dairy business. Mr. and Mrs. 
Foster have five children, namely : Bertie, 
who married George Jordan and has one 
child, Ralph; Jennie, who married James 
Wallingsford and has one child, Anna 
Ruth; and Sterling, Charles and Nellie, 
all of whom live at home. Mr. Foster is 
a member of the Junior Order of Ameri- 
can Mechanics. 



JOHN L. BUSHNELL, one of Spring- 
field's leading capitalists and progressive 
business men, was born at Springfield, 
Ohio, February 15, 1872, and is a son of 
the late Asa S. and Ellen L. (Ludlow) 
Bushnell. 

Mr. Bushnell was reared at Springfield 
and was educated at Princeton Univer- 
sity, where he was graduated in 1894. 
Upon his return to his native city he en- 
tered into business here and now stands 
at the head of several large corporations 
and is interested in many others. He is 
president of the Springfield, Troy & Piqua 
Railroad, which was built by his father. 



the late Governor Bushnell, and is also 
president of the Champion Construction 
Company. The officers of these two or- 
ganizations are the same, namely: John 
L. Bushnell, president; Frederick J. 
Green, vice-president and general man- 
ager; and Dr. H. C. Dimond, secretary 
and treasurer. 

Mr. Bushnell married Jessie M. Har- 
wood, who is a daughter of the late T. E. 
Harwood, and they have three children: 
Asa S., who bears his distinguished 
grandfather's name, Edward H. and Su- 
zanne. Mr. Bushnell and family occupy 
one of Spring-field's most beautiful and 
luxurious residences, which is situated at 
No. 1203 East High Street. Mr. Bush- 
nell 's business offices are in the Bushnell 
Building, which is the finest office struct- 
ure in the city of Springfield. In political 
sentiment he is a Republican. He is a 
member of Christ Episcopal Church and 
it was his privilege to i^resent to this 
church a memorial chapel which was given 
by his mother in memory of her late hus- 
band, Asa S. Bushnell. The presentation 
took place April 24, 1907, and was an oc- 
casion long to be remembered, not only 
on account of the great value of the gift 
and the distinguished man of whom it is 
0. memorial, but also for the beautiful 
sentiments expressed by Mr. Bushnell as 
his mother's spokesman. The chapel was 
dedicated by Right Reverend Bishop Vin- 
cent of Cincinnati, bishop of the South- 
ern Diocese of Ohio. 



E. B. HOPKINS, of the wholesale gro- 
cei'y firm of The Steele-Hopkins & Mere- 
dith Co., leaders in their line at Spring- 



894 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



field, has been a resident of tMs city since 
1889. He was born at Foster, Rhode 
Island, September 19, 1847. 

When he was nine years old, the par- 
ents of Mr. Hopkins moved to Yellow 
Springs, Ohio, mainly in order that their 
children might enjoy the educational ad- 
vantages offered by Antioch College, at 
that point. . When but sixteen years old, 
E. B. Hopkins put aside his collegiate 
studies and enlisted for service in the 
Civil War, serving four months in the 
One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Virginia, and 
then entering Company K, One Hundred 
and Eighty-fourth Regiment Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry. The One Hundred and 
Eighty-fourth Regiment went to Nashville 
as a part of the Army of the Cumberland, 
and from there to Bridgeport, Alabama, 
where skirmishing was kept up for about 
nine months. The One Hundred and 
Eighty-fourth was then ordered to Texas, 
but had only reached Memphis when the 
surrender of General Lee put a practical 
termination to the war and Mr. Hopkins 
was mustered out at Nashville, at that 
time holding rank as orderly sergeant. 
After his discharge at Columbus, Mr. 
Hopkins returned to his home at Yellow 
Springs, going from there to Pittsburg, 
where he entered the employ of a large 
wholesale leather firm for four years. 
Following this he was a commercial trav- 
eler for about ten years in the boot and 
shoe line and then took the Ohio agency 
for Kingan & Company, pork packers at 
Indianapolis. In this occupation he con- 
tinued until 1889, when he came to Spring- 
field and in partnership with Mr. Steele 
and Mr. Meredith organized the present 
wholesale grocery business. In addition 



to the interests above mentioned, Mr. 
Hopkins is a director in the Springfield 
Savings Bank. Since becoming a citizen 
he has always taken an active interest in 
good local government, and in the two 
years during which he served as president 
of the city coimcil he was largely instru- 
mental in securing the present sewer sys- 
tem and the new depots. He is a mem- 
ber of the Board of Associated Charities 
and of the Board of Visitors to Charitable 
Institutions, in Clark County. 

November 1st, 1874, Mr. Hopkins was 
married to Angeline E. McCoy, of Cin- 
cinnati, and they have three children, 
namely: Fannie B., who married Dr. J. 
P. Dolina, of Dayton, Ohio ; Edna B., who 
married E. T. Nichols, of New York; and 
Henry H., who is a resident of Los An- 
geles, California. Mr. Hopkins is a mem- 
ber of the Lagonda and of the Country 
Club and is a member and ex-president of 
the Springfield Commercial Club. 



ADAM STONER, a representative citi- 
zen of Moorefield Township, where he 
owns a very valuable farm of 182 acres, 
situated in Section 22, resides on his 
mother's farm, which is located in Section 
21, on. the corner where the Moorefield 
and Middle Urbana roads meet. He was 
born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
January 13, 1856, and is the son of David 
and MoUie (Bookwatter) Stoner. 

David Stoner and wife were both born 
and reared in Lancaster County and all 
their seven children were bom there, 
namely: Henry, now deceased; Martha, 
residing at home ; David, deceased ; Maria, 
widow of Thomas Campbell ; Lucy ; Adam, 
and Amanda. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



895 



In 1865, when Adam Stoner was nine 
years old, his mother, then a widow, came 
to Clark County, Ohio, and settled on the 
farm above mentioned in Moorefield 
Township, where she resided until her 
death in 1895. When he was twenty-one 
years of age, Adam Stoner bought sixty- 
seven acres of his present farm from 
Henry Greiner and subsequently added 
the rest. Here he is successfully engaged 
in general agriculture. He is a well-known 
and respected citizen and formerly served 
as township trustee. 



JOSEPH K. HOWETT, agriculturist 
and stock-raiser, residing on his valuable 
farm of 245 acres, located jointly in Clark 
and Greene Counties, was born in Clark 
Coimty, Ohio, near Osborn, Jime 23, 1847, 
and is a son of Daniel and Eliza (Hast- 
ings) Howett. 

Daniel Howett was of Scotch-Irish de- 
scent. With his wife and two eldest chil- 
dren he came originally from Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, to Greene County, 
Ohio, locating in Bath Township, where 
he followed farming on a rented farm for 
the succeeding three years. At the end 
of this period he removed to near Med- 
way, Clark County, later moving to a 
farm in Mad Eiver Township, near the 
one now owned by his son, Joseph E. 
While living here he met with the acci- 
dent — a kick by a horse — ^which caused his 
death in 1860, when aged forty -nine years. 
He married Eliza Hastings, who was of 
English descent. She lived to be seventy- 
two years of age. To them were born the 
following children: Eachel Ann, who 
died in 1884, married William Maxton; 
Morris P., who died in 1903 ; John A., who 



lives in Dayton, Ohio; Peter, who has a 
home in Bethel Township; Mary Ann, 
who resides with her brother Joseph, who 
is next younger; James Taylor, who re- 
sides in Bethel Township; and Eoberta, 
who married Thomas Snyder, resides in 
Osborn, Ohio. 

Joseph E. Howett has been a resident 
of Clark County since birth, the greater 
part of his boyhood having been spent in 
Mad Eiver Township. When Mr. Howett 
was young the only educational facilities 
were those afforded in the old-fashioned 
district school, which he attended in the 
winter seasons until he was about sixteen 
years old, when in February, 1864, he en- 
listed in the Eighth Eegunent, Ohio Vol- 
unteer Cavalry, imder Captain Winger, 
and served as a manly soldier until the 
close of the Civil War, being mustered 
out in August, 1865. Mr. Howett partici- 
pated in a number of engagements, and 
although only a boy in years, was one of 
the men who helped to open the battle of 
Lynchburg, Virginia. After his return 
from the war he worked on various farms 
by the month for eleven years for Henry 
Coines, of Bath Township, Greene Coun- 
ty. During this time he was married, on 
Christmas Day, to Jennie Molder, a 
daughter of Michael and Lydia Ann 
(Koch) Molder. Her death occurred one 
year later. On Christmas Day, 1878, he 
married Theresa Molder, a sister of his 
first wife, and to this union were born the 
following children: Harry, who gradu- 
ated from Antioch College, is now serving 
in the capacity of superintendent of the 
Bethel Township schools; Grace, residing 
at home, attended Otterbine College and 
was also a piano student at Dayton, 
Ohio ; Ealph, who died aged eleven years ; 



896 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



]jloyd, who lives at home ; and Mark, who 
is attending the Enon High School. 

After his marriage Air. Howett pur- 
chased a tract of sixty-seven acres in 
Graene County, where he lived a short 
time, when he sold this property. In 
1883, in connection with his brother, Mor- 
ris P. Howett, he bought his present farm 
from Eeuben Miller and moved on the 
same the following spring. Mr. Howett 
and brother operated this farm together 
until the death of the latter, since when 
he has had full charge of the place, carry- 
ing on general farming and stock-raising. 

Politically Mr. Howett is a Republican, 
and fraternally is a member of the I. 0. 
0. F., having belonged to this organiza- 
tion since 1874. He is a member of the 
Reformed Church and has served as 
deacon for the past ten years. 



HON. WILLIAM S. THOMAS, presi- 
dent of the Mad River National Bank, at 
Springfield, and president and treasurer 
of The Thomas Manufacturing Company, 
has been identified with important busi- 
ness interests in Clark County during the 
whole period of his active life. Mr. 
Thomas was born in Springfield, Ohio, 
April 22, 1857, and is a son of Hon. John 
H. and Mary (Bonser) Thomas. 

William S. Thomas received his early 
education in both public and private 
schools, and was fourteen years old when 
he entered Wooster University", where he 
was graduated with honors in 1875, being 
at that time and for years afterward the 
youngest graduate of that institution. 
His father, the late John H. Thomas, had 
been engaged in the manufacturing of 
agricultural instruments prior to this 



time, and he subsequently organized, with 
his two sons, William S. and Findlay B., 
The Thomas Manufacturing Company, 
which has long ranked with the leading 
industrial firms of the state, and of which 
William S. Thomas became treasurer in 
1886, and also president in 1901. The 
name of Thomas appearing on agricul- 
tural implements is a guarantee of excel- 
lence the world over, and the products of 
this company include every kind of useful 
agricultural implement, with a few manu- 
factured only by this concern. Mr. 
Thomas has other business interests, be- 
ing a leading financier of this section, and 
he is also a very large property owner, 
both in the city of Springfield and 
throughout Clark County. 

On December 8, 1887, Mr. Thomas was 
married to Fannie Senteny, who was 
born at Louisville, Kentucky. They have 
had three children, namely: John Henry, 
Wallace Sentenj', and Lucretia. The 
eldest son died June 26, 1906. The fam- 
ily home, at No. 345 East High Street, 
Springfield, is one of taste and elegance. 

Mr. Thomas is an earnest Democrat, 
and since 1895 he has been continuously 
a member of the Democratic State Cen- 
tral Committee, and for years has never 
failed to attend all important Democratic 
conventions as a delegate. He has ably 
and unselfishly filled many of the impor- 
tant civic offices and in every way he is 
well qualified for any honor in the gift 
of his party. He was the president of 
and most zealous worker in that well- 
known organization, the Jefferson Club, 
from 1880 until 1890. In the various or- 
ganizations of a benevolent, educational, 
religious and business character pertain- 
ing to Springfield, Mr. Thomas has been 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



897 



more than ready to acknowledge every 
manly obligation, and has been generous 
in the contribution of time, advice and 
money. For many years he served as 
president of the Board of Trustees of the 
First Presbj^terian Church, while the 
Young Men's Christian Association has 
continually been an object of his benefi- 
cence. He is a member of the Springfield 
Commercial Club, and recently has been 
chosen president of the Ohio Shippers' 
Association. 



WILLIAM N. SCARFF, proprietor of 
the "White Oaks" farm and nursery, 
which is jointly located in Bethel Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, and partly 
across the line in Miami County, is an ex- 
tensive landowner and fruit grower. He 
was born in Miami County, Ohio, Decem- 
ber 19, 1863, and is a son of John J. and 
Mary E. (Neff) Scarff. 

The Scarff family has been long estab- 
lished in America, running back to the 
Colonial days. Joshua Scarif, grand- 
father of William N., was born in Mary- 
land, and when a young man moved to 
Rockingham County, Virginia, where he 
subsequently was married to Lydia 
Stoutemeyer. There he followed farming 
along the banks of the Shenandoah Eiver 
until 1830, when he moved, with his wife 
and children, to Ohio, using "three four- 
horse teams in making the journey. After 
four weeks of privation and hardship, 
during which time their food was mainly 
secured from the game then plentiful in 
the forests through which they journeyed, 
they arrived at Dayton, Ohio. During 
that winter they lived in a rented house 
on Wolf Creek, and the following spring 



purchased a farm in Bethel Township, 
Clark County,- where Joshua and Lydia 
Scarff lived the remainder of their days. 
They had the following children: Eman- 
uel, Mary Ann, John J., Sarah, James, 
a minister, who lives in New York State; 
Bernard, who lives at Tippecanoe, Ohio; 
William, who is a resident of New Car- 
lisle, Ohio; Diana, and Elizabeth. The 
survivors are: John J., James, Bernard 
and William. 

John J. Scarif was bom in Rockingham 
Cou.nty, Virginia, January 5, 1825, and 
was five years of age when he was 
brought by his parents to Bethel Town- 
ship, Clark County. He purchased the 
farm on ^hich his son, William N., was 
born, of Abraham Rail, who had obtained 
the patent from the government, a part 
of the land lying in Miami County. Mr. 
Scarff cleared the larger portion of the 
land and erected substantial buildings, 
and here followed farming with uniform 
success throughout his active career. He 
and his estimable wife still reside on the 
old home place, in a community where 
they are surrounded by friends of long 
years standing. John J. Scarff was mar- 
ried May 23, 1848, to Mary Elizabeth 
Neff, who was born in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and was brought to Ohio 
when eight or ten years of age. Five 
children were born to this union: Flor- 
ence; Mark T., of Michigan City, North 
Dakota; William N. ; Grace, wife of Ed- 
ward Reeder; and James T., of New Car- 
lisle, Ohio. John J. Scarff is a man of 
self -acquired education, and in his young- 
er days he served as a teacher for twelve 
school years. He is an ardent Repub- 
lican, politically, and was twice elected 
county commissioner, serving in that 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



capacity at the time the new court-house 
was built. Fraternally, he is a Mason. 

William N. Scarff, born in Miami Coun- 
ty, was practically reared in Clark Coun- 
ty, although he lived on the same farm. 
After completing the district school 
course, he attended the Ohio State Uni- 
versity for two years. In 1887 he em- 
barked in the fruit growing and nursery 
business which his father had previously 
followed with good results, and he has 
met with equal success and now ships ex- 
tensively to all parts of the country. In 
1893 he purchased 300 acres in Miami 
County; in 1905 a farm north of Dayton; 
later another tract of 144 acres in Miami 
County, and in 1900 he and his brother 
came into possession of the home place, 
giving him an acreage of 792 acres, all de- 
voted to growing fruit. 

On September 16, 1890, Mr. ScarfP mar- 
ried Mary Ella Miller, daughter of Dr. 
E. C. and Mary Jane Miller, and they 
have three children : Max Miller, Howard 
Netf, and Lucille. He is a Republican in 
politics and for four years has served 
as a member of the School Board. His 
residence, which is located one mile south 
of New Carlisle, on the Bellefontaine 
road, is a fine modern structure, erected 
in 1903, and presents a very attractive ap- 
pearance with its large stone pillars in 
front. A magnificent lawn surrounds the 
house, adorned with fine trees, shrubs and 
flowers. 



DAVID WILMOT STEWART, scion 
of one of Clark County's oldest and most 
prominent families, was born on his pres- 
ent farm in Green Township, December 
19, 1848. He is a son of Perry and Rhoda 



Ann (Wheeler) Stewart, and grandson of 
John Templeton and Ann (Elder) Stew- 
art. 

Perry Stewart, for many years a 
prominent figure in Clark County affairs, 
was born on the bank of the Little Miami 
in Green Township, June 6, 1818, shortly 
after the county was organized. He re- 
mained in the home of his parents until 
his marriage, then began farming a part 
of the home farm for himself. In July, 
1862, he organized Company A, Ninety- 
fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantrj-, and went to the front as its cap- 
tain. He took part in numerous skir- 
inishes and engagements, and in the battle 
of Chickamauga was struck by a spent 
ball He served until November, 1863, 
when, owing to ill-health, lie was forced 
to resign. Returning home he resumed 
farming and continued it as an occupa- 
tion during the remainder of his active 
career. He identified himself with many 
business enterprises, among them the 
Farmers Mutual Aid and Protective So- 
ciety, an insurance order which he as- 
sisted in organizing, and was a director 
of that company, and he was one of the 
men who organized a ■ company to build 
the turnpike from Springfield to Selma, 
which, excepting the National Pike, was 
the first one built in the county. He cast 
his first vote for William Henry Harri- 
son in 1840, and continued a Whig until 
the organization of the Republican party, 
witli which he was thereafter affiliated. 
He served as township trustee and school 
director a number of years, and as justice 
of the peace, resig-ning the latter office 
at the time he went into the service. After 
his return from the army he was elected 
county commissioner, but after a service 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



899 



of eighteen months resigned to accept the 
nomination of his party for state repre- 
sentative. He was elected to that office 
in 1867, and served his district one term 
in a most conscientious and capable man- 
ner. In 1872 he wa*s sent as a delegate to 
the National Republican Convention at 
Philadelphia and aided in the nomination 
of President Grant for a second term. He 
was a man of great capabilities, pros- 
pered in business, and was of that class 
which gives tone and standing to a com- 
munity. 

Perry Stewart was joined in marriage 
October 15, 1844, with Rhoda Ann 
Wheeler, who was born in G-reen Town- 
ship, December 30, 1824, and was a daugh- 
ter of Ebenezer and Joanna (Miller) 
^Vheeler. The following children were 
born to them: Harriet, wife of James 
Hatfield: Julia Ann, wife of Robert N. 
Elder; David Wilmot; John T.; Mary E., 
widow of S. H. Kerr, lives in Washington, 
D. C. ; Charles F. ; Jane Ellen, wife of 
George Nicholson ; Jessie Isabelle, who 
died at the age of four years ; Perry, ex- 
treasurer of Clark County; and Ebenezer 
Wheeler of Green Township. 

David Wilmot Stewart was reared on 
the home place and attended the district 
school at Pitchin. When fifteen years of 
age he enlisted in 1864, in Company D, 
One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being the 
youngest to enter the service from this 
county. He was in the 100-day service, 
being at the front from May 2nd until 
the 7th of September. He began farming 
for himself at the age of twenty years, 
tilling a part of his father's farm. He 
lived on the old Stewart homestead until 
his marriage, then purchased one hundred 



acres where he is now located and on 
which he erected a good substantial resi- 
dence and buildings. He cleared the 
farm to a large extent and has operated 
it with good results. 

February 12, 1874, Mr. Stewart was 
united in marriage with Amanda Mc- 
Clintick, a native of Springfield Town- 
ship, Clark County, and a daughter of 
John and Roxy (Melvin) McClintick. 
They became parents of six children, as 
follows : Perry McClintick ; Edna, who 
died at the age of ten months; Myrtle; 
Delmer; Ruth; and Harry. Politically, 
Mr. Stewart has been unswei'ving in his 
allegiance to the Republican party, which 
he has represented as delegate to numer- 
ous conventions, but he has never held 
nor sought for public office. He is a mem- 
ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, 
and religiously is an attendant of the 
Christian Church. 



CHARLES RABBITTS. The late 
Charles Rabbitts was a pioneer citizen of 
Springfield who long bore an important 
part in its commercial life, and was identi- 
fied with a large number of its success- 
ful business enterprises. Mr. Rabbitts 
was born September 7, 1820, near the vil- 
lage of Bath, in Wiltshire, England, and 
was twelve years of age when he accom- 
panied his parents to America. 

The father of Mr. Rabbitts settled on a 
farm near Cleveland, Ohio, and the son 
completed his education in the schools of 
that section. In 1843 he went to Newark, 
and was there engaged in a woolen manu- 
facturing business for three years, then 
coming to Springfield, in search of a 
better location. In 1847, in partnership 



900 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



wth ]iif; l)rotlier-in-law, L. H. Olds, lie 
built a woolen mill on Warder Street, 
fitting it up with machinery which, on ac- 
count of the lack of other means of trans- 
portation, had to be hauled by wagon. 
Here Mr. Babbitts embarked in a large 
woolen manufacturing business, making 
a specialty of "Rabbitts jeans and 
yarns," which business he carried on for 
OA'er a quarter of a century, his products 
becoming widely known and in great de- 
mand all through Ohio and neighboring 
states. At various times he was asso- 
ciated with those other well-known manu- 
facturers, Gr. S. and John Foos and 
Marshtield Steele. In 1875 Mr. Eabbitts 
retired from the manufacturing business 
and, in association with William S. 
Thompson and Amaziah Winger, old and 
well-known business men, erected the 
Commercial Building. For a number of 
years Mr. Rabbitts was a large owner and 
operator in real estate and several of the 
most desirable additions to the city were 
platted by him. He was one of the orig- 
inal incorporators, and was much inter- 
ested in the selection and improvement of 
the grounds of Fernclitf Cemetery. He 
was a member of the first board of di- 
rectors of the Second National Bank of 
Springfield and was active in the move- 
ment which resulted in the erection of 
the Lagonda Hotel. He was a citizen who 
took a large measure of pride in his home 
city and was indefatigable in pushing en- 
terprises which he believed would add to 
her prestige. On every side, remain 
monuments to his business capacity and 
his public spirit. 

Mr. Eabbitts was married May 3, 1848, 
to Margaret Eobison, who was born in 
Wavne Gountv, Ohio, and thev became the 



parents of six children, the five survivors 
being: James H., who is postmaster at 
Springfield; W. S., who is cashier of the 
Springfield National Bank; Charles, who 
is a Springfield mercl^ant, and Mary and 
Anna, residing at hojue. The death of 
Mr. Eabbitts occurred at 'the old family 
home in Sleepy Hollow, December 16, 
1900. 

In i^olitieal sentiment, Mr. Eabbitts was 
thoroughly identified with the Eepublican 
party from its organization. He believed 
in its principles and supported its can- 
didates, but he never desired office for 
himself. He was a member of educational 
and charitable boards and was noted for 
his liberality. In religious connection he 
was a member of the Presbyterian Church 
and was very active in building up the 
Second Church of this body at Springfield. 
Few citizens of Springfield more def- 
initely impressed themselves on the city 
as promoters of all its best interests. 



ALVIN E. WILDMAN, a representa- 
tive citizen of Madison Township, who 
owns 235 acres of fine land adjoining the 
farm on which he lives, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, in 1864. 

John Wildman, the great-grandfather 
of the subject of this sketch, was the first 
of the Wildman name to settle in Clark 
County, Ohio, which he did in 1814, bring- 
ing his family with him from Virginia, 
and being one of the pioneer settlers in 
this section. He secured the land which 
now constitutes the farm on which his 
great-grandson, Alvin E. Wildman, lives, 
and this land has never since left the 
family. He was twice married, first to 




N. H. FAIRBANKS 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



903 



Elizabeth Bond, afterwards to Margaret 
Fox. 

Edward Wildman, grandfather of Alvin 
E. Wildman, was born in Clark County. 
He began industrial life in Greene Coun- 
ty, and later came into possession' of the 
home farm, on which in addition to agri- 
culture he carried on stock raising. He 
met an accidental death, being gored by 
one of his own animals. He married Han- 
nah Thorn, who was born in Greene Coun- 
ty, and they had four children, of whom 
a son and a daughter still survive, viz. : 
William and Eachel (HoUingsworth). 

William Wildman, father of Alvin E., 
was born in Greene County, and was 
reared and educated in Clark County, 
where he has made farming and stock- 
raising his life occupation. His wife, 
the mother of the subject of this sketch, 
was in maidenhood Eliza Harrison, a 
daughter of John Fairlamb and Eliza- 
beth Harrison. She was born in Penn- 
sylvania, and came with her parents 
to the vicinity of Springfield, Ohio, about 
1838. The parents of Mr. Wildman 
had six children, four of whom survive, 
namely: Bertha (Hickman); Walter J.; 
Alvin E.; and Eachel (Elder). Wm. 
Wildman is still living making his home 
in Spring-field. The mother died April 
27, 1907. 

Many of the earliest settlers in this 
section belong to the Society of Friends, 
and the great-grandfather, John Wild- 
man, together with Seth Smith, and oth- 
ers, established the first meeting here, re- 
ceiving a grant of land from Amaziah 
Beeson in 1816. The latter died in 1820 
and left property for the benefit of the 
Society. In 1828, owing to certain dif- 
ferences, the Friends in this vicinity sep- 

48 



arated, the Hicksites removing to one lo- 
cation, and the Orthodox purchasing other 
property. For a time the Orthodox meet- 
ings were held in the home of John Wild- 
man, Mr. Wildman 's great-grandfather. 
Anti-Slavery meetings were also held in 
this meeting house, and great-grandfather 
Thorn's home was one of the stations of 
the Underground Eailway. 

Alvin E. Wildman has always resided 
in Madison Township, with the exception 
of the time he spent at school at Eich- 
mond, Indiana. He is engaged in operat- 
ing his father's farm, in connection with 
his own property. He has a beautiful 
home here and very pleasant surround- 
ings. This community is a great educa- 
tional center, and Mr. Wildman was large- 
ly instrumental in bringing about the Cen- 
tralized School District, which has been 
a pattern for other sections. 

Mr. Wildman married Anna White, who 
is a daughter of Edmund and Emily 
White, of Indiana, and they have seven 
children, all now living, namely: Edith 
Emily, Edna Eliza, William Wendell, 
Walter Edmund, Winifred Adda, Philip 
Embree and Austin. Mr. Wildman and 
family belong to the Society of Friends. 
Politically, he is an independent voter. 



N. H. FAIEBANKS, vice-pesident and 
treasurer of the Fairbanks Company, 
president of the American Trust & Sav- 
ings Company, president of the Indianap- 
olis Switch & Frog Company and presi- 
dent of the Fairbanks Building Company, 
occupies a very high position in the busi- 
ness circles of Springfield. He was born 
in Union County, Ohio. 

Graduating in the class of 1884, at the 



904 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Ohio Wesleyan University and from tlie 
Cincinnati Law School, in 1880, Mr. Fair- 
banks was well equipped for professional 
life and for ten years thereafter he prac- 
ticed law at Chicago, Illinois. In 1901 he 
came to Springfield and when the Spring- 
field Foundry Company became the Fair- 
banks Company, he assumed its head and 
he has ever since been prominently iden- 
tified with the vast manufacturing inter- 
ests of this city. In addition to the im- 
portant organizations above mentioned, 
'he is also president of the Mutual Fire 
Insurance Company of Springfield. His 
large interests appear to be easily han- 
dled, this being owing to his almost per- 
fect system of management. 

In 1887 Mr. Fairbanks was married to 
Lucy Cruikshank, a lady born at Dela- 
ware, Ohio, who graduated from the Ohio 
Wesleyan University in 1883. They have 
five children, namely: Nellie, George C, 
Newton H., Marceline and Isabel. Mr. 
and Mrs. Fairbanks belong to the First 
Presbyterian Church. He has member- 
ship with the Lagonda, the Country and 
the Springfield Commercial clubs. 



WILBERT S. JENKINS, township 
clerk and owner of the Brookside Stock 
Farm, consisting of one hundred and one 
acres of fine farm land, located on the 
Springfield and Troy Pike, two miles west 
of North Hampton, in Pike Township, is 
one of the most extensive farmers of this 
section of the county. He not only over- 
sees the work on his own place, but on 
that of his father as well, and of other 
tracts which he rents. He was born in 
Addison, or Christiansburg, in ChampaigTi 
County, Ohio, February 12, 1868, is a son 



of Frederick and Rebecca (Sturgeon) Jen- 
kins, and grandson of Wiley Jenkins. 

Wiley Jenkins was nine years old when 
his parents started from their home in 
North Carolina in wagons, during the year 
] 819, destined for Ohio. They stopped at 
Cincinnati, which was then a small village 
of but few houses and a log fort, then 
came on to the northwest part of German 
Township. There they acquired a tract 
of land, built a log cabin, cleared and im- 
proved what is now known as the Clay 
Bank farm. There Wiley grew to man- 
hood, experiencing many hardships of pio- 
neer life. He often worked from sunrise 
to sunset for a paltry twenty-five cents, 
and remembered the time when a bushel 
of wheat varied in price from twenty-five 
to thirty-five cents. He frequently made 
trips to Cincinnati with produce, and 
after a time drifted into the live stock 
business, buying and raising, feeding and 
selling. After he was forty years old he 
followed the profession of a veterinary 
surgeon, and met with the same success 
that attended his efforts along other lines. 
After his marriage he located in Pike 
Township, and at the time of his death, 
at the age of ninety-two years and ten 
months, was owner of four hundred and 
sixty-five acres of land. He married 
Charlotte Michael, who died aged about 
seventy years. They reared eleven chil- 
dren, all of whom grew to maturity, as 
follows: William; Catherine, who mar- 
ried John Maurice; John; Fredei'ick; 
Ann, who is the widow of John Ream; 
Eliza, deceased, who was the wife .of Da- 
vid Shroyer; George; Elizabeth, who is 
the wife of Samuel H. Deaton; Samuel; 
Charlotte, who is the wife of William 
Gundolph; and Jesse. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



905 



Frederick Jenkins, fatlier of Wilbert 
S., was born in Pike Township, Novem- 
ber 2, 1839, and spent most of his days in 
this township. He has always followed 
agricultural pursuits and has two farms 
in this township, one of twenty acres 
where he lives, and another of eighty acres 
farther west. He also owns property in 
North Hampton. He was united in mar- 
riage with Rebecca Sturgeon, a daughter 
of David and Johanna (Wise) Sturgeon, 
who came here from Pennsylvania at an 
early date. Three children were born of 
this union: Wilbert Sturgeon, Laura 
(Fisher), and Orrin Clifford. Mrs. Jen- 
kins died when Wilbert S. was six years 
of age, and Mr. Jenkins was subsequently 
married to Mrs. Delilah Rinker, widow of 
John Rinker, and a daughter of Sutton 
Maxson. She was reared on the farm now 
owned by Wilbert.Si Jenkins, and lived all 
her life in this township, where she died 
in 1897. She had no children. 

Wilbert S. Jenkins was born in Cham- 
paign County, where his father was then 
located, engaging in the manufacture of 
shingles. Wilbert S. was but one year old 
when the family returned to Pike Town- 
ship, and here he was reared to maturity 
and has since lived. He attended the com- 
mon schools, and later completed a course 
in Nelson's Business College at Spring- 
field, Ohio, and also a normal course at 
Ada, Ohio. Upon leaving school he en- 
gaged in teaching for ten years, then 
turned his attention to farming, stock- 
raising and dealing. In December, 1890, 
he purchased the farm he now owns, the 
Brookside Stock Farm, and resided on it 
for eight years, but now lives at the home 
of his father. He keeps from forty to 
sixty head of cattle through the winter, 



and carries on farming on an extensive 
scale. He oversees all the work, and finds 
this personal attention to details a very 
necessary adjunct to the high degree of 
success at which he aims. 

On December 25, 1890, Mr. Jenkins mar- 
ried Clara Ida Gretz, a daughter of George 
and Mary (Bowers) Getz, the former of 
whom died in 1901. Mrs. Jenkins was 
one of the following children born to her 
parents: Elizabeth A. (Lannert) ; Amelia, 
wife of James Furrow; Jacob; William; 
Mary Etta (Ryman) ; Clara Ida; and 
Lydia, wife of John Ryman. Five chil- 
dren have blessed the union of Mr. and 
Mrs. Jenkins, as follows : Ruth B., Nellie 
B., Warder B., Glendon H., and Edward 
R. Mr. Jenkins is a Democrat in politics 
and has served as clerk of Pike Township 
since April, 1894. He is a member of 
White Star Lodge No. 292, K. P., at 
North Hampton, and has served as master 
of finance and as keeper of the record and 
seals for the past eighteen years. The 
family belong to the Reformed Church, of 
which Mr. Jenkins is a deacon. 



DAVID KING, SR., who was one of 

the progressive and enterprising men 
who carried on business enterprises and 
fostered many of Springfield's early in- 
dustries, was born at Baltimore, Mary- 
land, and after completing his education 
and serving as a clerk in several mer- 
cantile establishments, settled at Tarle- 
ton, Pickaway County, Ohio. There he 
remained until 1841, when he became a 
resident of Spring-field. 

Prior to selecting Spring-field as his 
home, Mr. King had been a successful 
merchant and in the flourishing and grow- 



906 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ing village to which he had come, he had 
every reason to believe prosperity 
aAvaited him. His forecast was a right 
one and he was soon in the enjoyment of a 
profitable business on the southeast corner 
of Main and Limestone Streets, which is 
the present site of the Gotwald Block. 
Mr. King invested in property and erected 
both business and residence buildings. 
His life at Spring-field was one of great 
activity, but he was not permitted to wit- 
ness to any adequate degree the results 
of his public spirit or private effort. 
When the scourge of cholera visited 
Spring-field in 1849, through his humane 
desire to assist the sick, he was himself 
stricken, in Augnist of that year, and did 
not recover from that attack. 

On November 9, 1826, Mr. King was 
married to Almena Caldwell, of Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, who is a daughter of Alex- 
ander and Hannah (Hamlin) Caldwell. On 
the maternal side, Mrs. King came from 
the distinguished Hamlin family of New 
England. Giles Hamlin came to America 
from England as early as 1639. The 
great-grandfather of Mrs. King, Eleaser 
Hamlin, married Lydia Bonney, of scarce- 
ly less distinguished ancestry, and one of 
their sons served as an officer in the Rev- 
olutionary War, later dyipg at Water- 
ford, Maine, leaving to a son his member- 
ship in the Cincinnati Society. Two other 
sons had prominent children, one, Hon. 
Hannibal Hamlin, becoming vice presi- 
dent of the United States, and the other 
being the celebrated Rev. Dr. Cyrus Ham- 
lin, who was the representative of the 
American Missionary Board as president 
of Roberts College, Constantinople, 

After the death of David King, his 
widow erected the present beautiful resi- 



dence on North Fountain Avenue, where 
she resided until her death in 1878. The 
nine children of David King and wife did 
not all reach maturity, but the survivors 
are: Mrs. Mary E. K. Gotwald, widow 
of Luther A. Gotwald; S. Jennie, Robert 
Quigley, Samuel Noble and David, Jr. 
The two daughters reside in the old home- 
stead. 

Robert Quigley King is a prominent 
business citizen of Spring-field, giving the 
most of his attention to handling real 
estate. In 1857 he married Harriet A. 
Danforth, and they had the following chil- 
dren: D. Ward, residing on a farm in 
Missouri; Thomas D., who died in 1889, 
was an active medical practitioner; Al- 
mena, who married H. J. Warrick, resid- 
ing on a farm in California; and R. Lef- 
lier, who carries on agricultural pursuits 
in Hancock County, Ohio. 

Samuel Noble King, residing near 
Bloomington, Illinois, served for three 
years as an officer of the Twenty-sixth 
Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. 
He owns property in Illinois and has been 
interested in raising fine horses. He mar- 
ried Mary Reid, of Ottawa, Illinois. 

David King, Jr., is president of the 
Springfield Paper and Merchandise Com- 
jjany, at Springfield, and he is a veteran 
officer of Lhe Civil War, enlisting twice 
and leaving the service with the rank of 
lieutenant-colonel. He subsequently en- 
tered the wholesale paper business. In 
1864 he married Mary M. Danforth, of 
New Albany, Indiana, and they have two 
children, Noble C. and Mary J. 

David King, Sr., was one of the lead- 
ing members of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Springfield and was a generous 
promoter of its work. His children have 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



907 



all remained attached to the same re- 
ligions organization. The family is one 
that has always been identified with all 
that is best in the business and social 
circles of Spring-field. 



JOHN M. ZELLER, who owns some 
eighty acres of land in Bethel Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, is an old and respect- 
ed resident of that community. He is a 
man who has made his way in the world 
through hard work and perseverance, 
making the success he has attained all the 
more creditable to Mm. He was born in 
York County, Pennsylvania, August 31, 
1828, and is a son of Henry S., and grand- 
son of Jolin Zeller. John Zeller was a 
native of France or Germany, it is not 
certain which, and upon coming to Amer- 
ica located in York County, Pennsylva- 
nia, where he followed his trade as a Sad- 
ler. He subsequently moved to the block- 
house settlement at the head of the Sus- 
quehanna River, where he lived until his 
death. 

His son, Henry S., father of John M.. 
was born in York County, Pennsylvania, 
and was one of a family of three children. 
He had a brother, Charles, and a sister, 
Catherine, the latter of whom was wife of 
John Giesey, a wagonmaker of York 
County. Henry S. Zeller was a sadler 
and painter by trade, which he followed 
in York County, until his marriage, then 
in Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Penn- 
sylvania. While at the latter place he 
served a number of years as justice of 
the peace. He later moved with his wife 
to Northumberland, where he plied his 
trade, then later removed to Lancaster 
County and engaged in school-teaching a 



number of years. They spent the latter 
years of their life in Clark County, Ohio, 
near Medway, having followed their son, 
John, to this county. They were parents 
of eight children, as follows: John Mill- 
er ; Henry, who died in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania ; Theodore, who lives in Mi- 
ami County, Ohio; George, who resides in 
Kansas; Susan, who is the wife of An- 
drew Mouk, of Clark County; Margaret, 
who is the wife of Samuel Brosey of Clark 
County; Benjamin, who is a physician .of 
St. Paris, Ohio; Martha (Jones), ^hpse 
home is in Clark County. >(, 

John M. Zeller was but a child when his 
parents ni;Oved, _t0/ Lancaster County, 
where he was rear.ed and received hiseda- 
cational training in the, district schools. 
When a lad of fifteen years he tQok .up 
the plastering trade, which he .thereafter 
followed for miany; years. When, abowt 
twenty-one I years old, he came to Ohio and 
for a time; ,made , his home with Gottleib 
Brosey, whp Uyed on a farm adjoining 
that i;ipw owned, by Mr.. Zeller, fie started 
at once to wprk at his trade and in a short 
time was,, abl^ to buy an acre of his, pres- 
ent p],ace, , J which was . then , heavily i jtijn- 
bered.i „Tl?i,s he, cleared and in tjlp-e ,copi^ge 
of time er.^cted thereon the ibi^ic}?; ii^i- 
dence in, whiiqh^ he liyes. He npw'.has, thij- 
ty-one- acres. in 4he., home place, in addi- 
tion to which he has two other tracts r in 
Bethel Township. At the outbreak of the 
Civil War, he was a, member of the OMo 
National Guards, under Captain, McKqu- 
ney, and went into camp with his regi- 
nient ,at Camp DepflLison, JJ^ was, , there 
tak^n ^Q , .s,eriqu,g|y „ jll j tli.a]t jljip v,W9,^; , pejQt 
,bg,pk , Jiom^, ,^iQ<;I ^f qr two years, wa s aa,;n- 
i-^a^(^. ,,^eijflev,ey, followed his trade aftier 
t]3,a,t illness, but: .turned ,hi^(|:^^|;^:5i,.tiq]fiff^o 



908 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



farming and tobacco raising He has 
grown and shipped tobacco for the Miami 
Leaf Tobacco Company of Cincinnati, for 
more than forty years, and in 1885 he 
erected a large warehouse. Mr. Zeller 
has retired from active work, his sons 
growing and selling the tobacco at the 
present time. 

John M. Zeller was united in marriage 
with Esther Harnish, a daughter of Rev. 
John and Esther (Bowman) Harnish. 
Her father came from Pennsylvania, 
where he followed farming. He was one 
of the pioneer Mennonite preachers of 
Clark County, Ohio, whither he moved 
with his family in wagons, in 1840, Mrs. 
Zeller being six years old at that time. 
He became owner of large landed inter- 
ests here. He and his wife were parents 
of the following children: Henry; Mary, 
deceased, wife of Jacob Neff; Esther; 
John, who was a Mennonite minister; 
Anna, wife of Levi Kauffman; Amos, of 
Dayton; and Emma, wife of Cyrus Hel- 
man of this county. Eight children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Zeller, as follows: 
Alonzo, who married Mollie Brosey; 
Henry; Frank; John; William, a black- 
smith at Osbom, who married Rose 
Harnish; Christopher, a graduate of the 
Ohio Dental College at Cincinnati, who 
is engaged in practice at Yellow Springs, 
Ohio; Cyrus, who married Fannie How- 
ett; and Lorenzo, who died at the age 
of sis years. Politically, Mr. Zeller 
was a member of the Whig party until 
the organization of the Republican party. 
He voted for Abraham Lincoln, and later 
united with the Greenback party, being 
the only one in the township. He is a 
man who takes an active interest in all 
that pertains to the welfare of his home 



community and county, and is always 
found supporting those measures and en- 
tei'prises tending to benefit the people. 



JOSEPH A. BECKER, who for more 
than forty years has been engaged in the 
butcher business in Springfield, Ohio, oc- 
cupies stall No. 48 in the Spring-field Mar- 
ket. He has a valuable tract of seven and 
a half acres situated about three and a 
half miles west of Springfield on the Na- 
tional Pike, in Springfield Township, and 
resides in a fine, large brick house. He has 
been very successful in a business way, 
and is held in the highest esteem by a 
large circle of acquaintances and friends 
with whom he has had business and social 
relations for many years. 

Mr. Becker was born in Dauphin Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, August 7, 1847, and is 
a son of John and Elizabeth (Zimmer- 
man) Becker. He was one year old when 
his parents moved west to Clark County, 
Ohio, in wagons, settling first in Moore- 
field Township and subsequently in Eagle 
City, German Township, where he was 
reared. When a young man he began 
learning the butcher's trade with Mr. 
Reeder, who lived dose to the Masonic 
Home, and continued in his employ for 
four years. He then bought a lot on the 
north side of Sugar Creek Hill and start- 
ed a market in the old brick market-house 
in Springfield. He later carried on his 
business in what was known as the Wig- 
wam, and upon the completion of the new 
Springfield Market moved there, occupy- 
ing stall No. 48. 

Mr. Becker was joined in marriage with 
Barbara Lohnes, and they had six chil- 
dren, four of whom are now living, name- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



909 



ly: Bertha, wife of George Fish, who 
has a son— Joseph Irvin; Irvin; Joseph; 
and Catherine, the last mentioned being 
the wife of Frank Ross. Wilham, an- 
other son, died in infancy, and Laura died 
at the age of four and a half years. Mr. 
Becker is a stalwart Republican in poli- 
tics, and has served a number of years as 
assessor of the west precinct of Spring- 
field Township. Fraternally he is a mem- 
ber of the Knights of Pythias. 



HON. WALTER L. WEAVER, a 
prominent attorney at Springfield, who 
served as a member of the Fifty-fifth and 
Fifty-sixth sessions .of the National Con- 
gress, has long been a leading citizen of 
Clark County. He was born in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, April 1, 1851, and 
is a son of Rev. John and Amanda 
(Hurin) Weaver. The father of Mr. 
Weaver was a well-known minister of the 
Presbyterian Church. His mother was a 
daughter of Silas Hurin, a pioneer set- 
tler of this state and one of the founders 
of Ijebanon, Ohio. 

Walter L. AVeaver was educated in the 
public schools of Montgomery County, 
and at Monroe Academy, and was grad- 
uated in 1870 from Wittenberg College at 
Spring-field. He then entered upon the 
study of law under Hon. J. Warren 
Keifer and as he was dependent upon his 
our resources, he did newspaper work dur- 
ing his period of law reading. In the 
spring of 1872 he was admitted to the bar, 
and in 1874 he was elected prosecuting at- 
torney of Clark County. To this re- 
sponsible office he was re-elected in 1880, 
1882 and 1885. In 1896 he was elected on 
the Republican ticket a member of the 



Fifty-fifth Congress and approval of his 
public course was shown by his re-elec- 
tion to the Fifty-sixth Congress. In July, 
1902, he was appointed by President 
Roosevelt, associate justice of the Choc- 
taw and Chickasaw Citizenship Court, 
and his appointment was confirmed on the 
same day. 

Since retiring from public life, Judge 
Weaver has continued in the active prac- 
tice of law at Springfield, which city has 
been his chosen home for forty-three 
years. His business offices are situated 
in the Bushnell Building, Rooms 43-44-45. 

Judge Weaver was married on May 24, 
1881, to Mary Hardy, who is a daughter 
of Thomas Hardy, of Lebanon, Ohio, and 
the family consists of himself, wife, a son 
and a daughter. Judge and Mrs. Weaver 
are members of the Second Presbyterian 
Church of Springfield. He belongs to the 
Masonic order, being a member of Clark 
Lodge No. 101, at Spring-field. 



GEORGE D. BUNYAN, who is en- 
gaged in general farming on a well-im- 
proved farm of.,one hundred and eighty 
acres in Mad River Township, was born 
February 14, 184.3, in Mad River Town- 
ship, Clar-k County, Ohio, and is a son 
of William Bunyan and a grandson of 
James Bunyan. 

James Bunyan came from Scotland to 
this country with his father when a boy. 
The family located on a farm in New York 
State, where he was reared, and later he 
operated a saw and woolen mill. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Hume, also a native of 
Scotland, and they reared a family of 
eight children: Alice, who married N. 
Garrison; William; Jane, who married 



910 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Martin Cosier; George; David; and Mar- 
garet, all now deceased. In 1837 James 
Bunyan and family removed to Ohio, 
traveling by wagon and canal. His son 
William had previously been to Ohio and 
purchased the present Bunyan farm in 
Mad Eiver Township, from Mr. Loof- 
borrow, the land having been entered 
from the Grovernment by a Mr. Sroufe. 
William Bunyan and his father stopped 
for a short time in Lancaster, Ohio, be- 
fore settling on the farm, where James 
later died. 

William Bunyan married Martha A. Ot- 
stott, a native of Pennsylvania, who came 
to Springfield, Ohio, with her parents, 
Daniel and Hannah Otstott. After re- 
siding for several years in the old log 
house which was on the farm, William 
Bunyan in 1843 built the large brick house 
in which George D. now resides. His 
wife died in the fall of 1877, and in the 
following year William Bunyan and other 
members of the family removed to Dela- 
ware, Ohio, where he died March 5, 1900, 
at the advanced age of eighty-three years. 
Sis children were born to William Bun- 
yan and wife, namely : George Dushane ; 
Leonidas H., who is a resident of Indi- 
ana ; Frances Emma ; Ellen A., who died 
in 1901; Edward T., who resides in Con- 
necticut ; and William H., who died quite 
young. 

George D. Bunyan was born in a frame 
house near his present home. He was 
reared on the farm and attended the dis- 
trict schools and later the college at Dela- 
ware, Ohio, for two and a half years. In 
1867 he went to Yellow Springs, Greene 
County, Ohio, where he opened a general 
store,' which he operated successfully un- 
til 1877, when he sold to Charles Shaw. 



He then returned to the home farm, where 
he has since been engaged in general 
farming. Mr. Bunyan was first married, 
in October, 1866, to Susan Terry, -r^ho 
came to Yellow Springs from Dayton, 
Ohio. She died in 1869. In 1878 he mar- 
ried Florence Tulleys, a daughter of 
Erasmus and Julia A. Tulleys. 

Politically, Mr. Bunyan is an adherent 
of the Prohibition party, and is religious- 
ly associated with the Methodist Episco- 
l)al Church. 



ALVA B. HURD, one of Harmony 
Township's representative citizens, where 
he operates a valuable farm of one hun- 
dred and eleven acres, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, in 1863, and is a son of 
Simeon and Rhoda (Goodfellow) Hurd. 
The grandparents of our subject, Simeon 
and Nabby Hurd, were bom in New York, 
but both died at Warren, Pennsylvania. 
Simeon Hurd, father of Alva B., was born 
in New York and became a resident of 
Clark County in 1857, when twenty-seven 
years of age. He married Rhoda Good- 
fellow, of Clark County, and they had 
three children, namely: Rumina A., born 
in 1858, who resides with her brother, 
Alva B. ; Kate C, born in 1860, who also 
resides with her brother; and Alva B. 
The mother of these children was born 
in 1830 and died in 1867. 

Alva B. Ilurd attended the country 
schools through boyhood and ever since 
has been concerned with the affairs of the 
home farm, which his father bought in 
1864 from Philip Smith. He is a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 




MR. AND MRS. BIRCH R. TAYLOR 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



913 



Brighton and holds official positions in it. 
The family is one well-known and highly 
esteemed in Harmony Township. 



BIRCH R. TAYLOR, a general farmer 
and respected citizen of Mad River Town- 
ship, owns one hundred acres of fine farm- 
ing laud near Enon. He was born on his 
father's farm in Clark County, Ohio, Feb- 
ruary 20, 1869, and is one of a family of 
five children born to his parents who were 
Llewellyn and Delilah (Barfield) Taylor. 
He was reared on the home farm and 
obtained his education in the public 
schools. Shortly after his marriage he 
moved to his present farm, which his 
father had bought in 1879 from David 
Bailey, and which was known as the old 
Cox farm. Mr. Taylor purchased the 
property from his father and has greatly 
improved it by erecting excellent build- 
ings and placing the land under a fine 
state of cultivation. 

On August 25, 1891, Mr. Taylor was 
married to Maggie Cahill, who was born 
in Highland County, Ohio, and who is a 
daughter of George and Alice (Hart) 
Cahill. Mr. and Mrs. Cahill moved from 
Highland County to Springfield, Ohio, in 
1886, where they lived for seven years. 
They then went to Muncie, Indiana, where 
they remained for ten years, when they 
settled at Enon, in Clark County, Ohio. 
They had five children, namely, Verda, 
Maggie, Albert, Clarence and Harry. Mr. 
and Mrs. Taylor have three children — 
Bessie, Alice and Greorge. In politics 
Mr. Taylor is a Republican. He belongs 
to the order of Knights of Pythias, at 
Enon. 



JOHN S. BROWN, who conducts the 
largest loan, real estate and insurance 
business at South Charleston, with office 
adjoining the Bank of South Charleston, 
has long been one of the leading men of 
affairs in this citj^. He was born March, 
1867, in Cleveland, Ohio, and is a son of 
Samuel G. and Jennie (Ferris) Brown. 

Samuel Brown was born in Scotland 
and was a son of Thomas Brown, also a 
native of that country, and was one of a 
family of four children born to his par- 
ents. Upon coming to this country, Sam- 
uel Brown located at Cleveland, Ohio, 
where he was united in marriage with 
Jennie Ferris, a daughter of George 
Ferris, also a native of Scotland. To 
this union were born six children, two of 
whom are still living: Jennie E. Bowers 
of Steelton, Pennsylvania; and John S. 
Samuel Brown served three years and 
nine months in the army during the Civil 
War, and was severely wounded four 
times, his death, which occurred in 1885, 
j.*esulting from a wound received during 
the long period of military service. He 
was one of the charter members of 
]\litchell Post, Grand Army of the Repub- 
lic, of Springfield. After his return from 
the warj he engaged as a type-setter and 
printer for a number of years. He is 
survived by his widow who is a resident 
of Springfield, Ohio. 

John S. Brown was reared in Cleve- 
land, Ohio, and received his education in 
the elementary schools of that city, and 
the High School of Yellow Springs, and 
later worked as a printer for a few years. 
He then engaged in the manufacture of 
sweat-pads, -with C. H. Wentz of South 
Charleston for a short time, after which 
he was employed for five years by A. 



914 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mclntire in conducting a bakery. He next 
was associated with the Bank of South 
Charleston for a period of four years, 
when he again embarked in the bakery 
business, establishing the bakery now 
owned by George Flowers, and continued 
in that for five years. Since then he has 
been most successfully engaged in, the 
real estate, insurance and loan business, 
handling all kinds of city and country 
property. 

Mr. Bro^vn was joined in marriage with 
Mary M. Carr, a daughter of Samuel 
Carr, and to them have been born three 
children, but two of whom are living : G-er- 
trude, and John S. 

Politically, Mr. Brown is a Republican 
and has served ten years as Central Com- 
mitteeman and five terms as township 
clerk. He was a member of the Board of 
Election for some time and was for ten 
years clerk of the township School Board. 
He is fraternally a member of the I. 0. 
0. F., and Fielding Lodge, F. & A. M.. 
^of the former being financial secretary 
for thirteen years and for two terms 
deputy district Grand Master. His re- 
ligious connection is with the Methodist 
Church, of which he was treasurer for a 
period of ten years. 



HAEPvY A. TOULMIN, B. L., who has 
been identified with the interests of 
Spring-field for the past twenty- two years, 
is known all over the State of Ohio as an 
able patent law lawyer. Mr. Toulmin 
was born November 26, 1858, at Toulmin- 
ville, Alabama, where his family was of 
such importance that its name is perpet- 
uated in a thriving place. His parents 
were Morton and Frances H. Toulmin. 



Harry A. Toulmin was primarily edu- 
cated in the private schools of the city of 
]\Iobile, Alabama, and he completed his 
literary course at New Orleans and at 
Washington, D. C. He pursued his law 
studies in the National University at 
Washington, where he was graduated 
with high honors, in June, 1882. In 1883 
he was admitted to the Maryland State 
bar, and in 1884 to practice in the 
Supreme Court of the District of Colum- 
bia. 

Mr. Toulmin 's specialty is patent law 
and he first became interested in this line 
through serving, during his course of 
study, as a clerk in a patent law office, 
and shoi'tly after his admission to the bar 
he decided to make this branch of law his 
special line of practice. In September, 
1885, at the solicitation of several Spring- 
field manufacturers, who recognized in 
him an attorney capable of defending 
their patented interests, Mr. Toulmin 
opened an office in this city, although he 
did not locate here permanently until in 
February, 1887. Mr. Toulmin has been 
admitted to practice in all the Federal 
Courts in Ohio, and in those of many 
other states, and in 1893 he was admitted 
to practice in the Supreme Court of the 
United States. His success has been re- 
markable and his legal victories have 
brought fame and fortune both to him- 
self and his clients. 

Mr. Toulmin has shown deep interest 
in Spring-field's development, has given 
much encouragement to its educational 
movements, and has assisted in the pro- 
motion of many of its charities and phil- 
anthropic enterprises. From 1895 until 
1897, during the mayoralty of Hon. P. P. 
Mast, he was an advisory member and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



915 



A'ice president of the Springfield Board 
of Public Affairs. It was during this 
period that the city received the gift of 
Snyder Park. Among Mr. Toulmin's 
many services performed at this time 
which contributed to the development and 
improvement of this property, was the 
composition of the beautiful and appro- 
priate inscription on the memorial stone 
which decorates the park. 

In the spring of 1887, Mr. Toulmin was 
married to Rosamund Evans, who is a 
daughter of Dr. Warick and Mary Mason 
(Washington) Evans, residents of Wash- 
ington, D. C. They have had two sons: 
Warick Morton and Harry Aubrey, Jr., 
the former of whom is deceased. The 
family belong to Christ Episcopal Church, 
Mr. Toulmin being a member of its vestry. 
The beautiful family home is at No. 359 
North Fountain avenue, Springfield. 



JOHN W. HUMBAEGER, a well 
known farmer and stock-raiser of Mad 
River Township, and owner of 210 acres 
of highly improved farm land in Clark 
County, was born December 6, 1851, in 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Will- 
iam and Mary (Kenny) Humbarger. 

Jacob Humbarger, the great-great- 
grandfather of John W., a native and life- 
long resident of Germany, was a gunsmith 
by trade and was the inventor of the first 
pistol which fired one shot. All of his male 
descendants down to the gTandfather of 
John W. Humbarger became gunsmiths. 
His son Benjamin, great-grandfather, 
followed the trade for many years in Ger- 
many and in later years came to America, 
where he continued work as a gunsmith. 

William Humbarger, father of John W., 



was bom in Perry County, Ohio, and was 
a son of Peter Humbarger, a native of 
Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio at an 
early period when the country was new 
and undeveloped. William was reared on 
his father's farm in Perry County. He 
subsequently came to Clark County, where 
he learned the cooper's trade with his 
second cousin, Adam Humbarger, and 
worked in a cooper shop for James Grun- 
dle, then situated near John W's present 
farm. He lived at Mr. Grundle's home, 
having a bunk in the garret, which was 
so openly built that the snow often blew 
in, covering his bed. He later bought a 
farm of fifty-one acres, from William 
Black, and after the war devoted his en- 
tire time to agricultural pursuits, having 
followed his trade until that time. The 
first year he farmed he cultivated thirty 
acres of corn with one horse, in new and 
undeveloped ground. He then took the 
corn to David Cross, two miles away, for 
which he was to receive twenty-five cents 
per bushel, but as Mr. Cross failed in 
business, he never received his money, and 
Thus suffered quite a loss. He married 
Mary Kenny, who was born in Virginia 
and came to Ohio with her parents when 
young. William Humbarger and wife 
were the parents of five children : Anna, 
who married David Hilt; Elizabeth, who 
married W. Sultzbaugh; Amanda, who 
married William Deitrick, deceased ; John 
W. ; Charles, who married Alice Swadner. 
Mrs. Humbarger died on the farm in 
1852 aged fifty-three years. William died 
in Yellow Springs, Ohio, at the home of 
his daughter, Mrs. David Hilt, in 1904, 
at the advanced age of eighty-six ^^'ears. 

John W. Hmnbarger was born on his 
father's farm in Mad River Township, 



916 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and when about nine years old Ms parents 
removed to German TownsMp, where 
they lived for seven years. He then 
worked out on various farms for a period 
of five years, during which time he saved 
$500. Mr. Humbarger's success in life 
is entirely due to his own efforts, having 
started out with nothing but a two-acre 
tract of land and a will to work. After 
his marriage he went to live on his little 
farm and later purchased the entire home 
farm. He subsequently sold this land to 
Samuel McClure, for which he received 
$1,800, which was the first payment made 
on his present home. He bought his farm, 
consisting of eighty acres of timberland, 
from R. Miller, and lived for nine years 
in the old cabin which was then on the 
place. The cabin is now used by Mr. Hum- 
barger as a stable, having been replaced 
by the present home which his son-in-law, 
Raymond Shellabarger, and family oc- 
cupy. Mr. Humbarger has made many 
other important changes, and has added 
all the other buildings which are on the 
land. He is extensively engaged in stock- 
raising, having at the present time 140 
hogs, and thirty -five head of cattle, all of 
which he has raised during the past three 
years. He has held four big public sales. 

On March 6, 1876, he married Miss 
Anna Sultzbaugh, a daughter of Joseph 
and Catherine Sultzbaugh. Mr. and Mrs. 
Humbarger have had two children, name- 
ly: Pearl, who died aged four years; 
and Lydia, who married Raymond Shella- 
barger, a son of Ephraim Shellabarger. 
They have one child, Rilla Evelyn. 

Mr. and Mrs. Humbarger were for nine- 
teen years members of the First Presby- 
• teria'n Church of Springfield, but are now 
connected with the Christian Church of 



Enon, of which he is a trustee. Mrs. 
Humbarger is a remarkable Bible student, 
having won a ten-dollar Bible for memo- 
rizing the book of Matthew, and at the 
same time was awarded a five-dollar 
Bible for repeating two-thirds of the con- 
tents of each book in the Bible. This 
prize was offered by Mr. Ross Mitchell 
of Spring-field. The committee which ex- 
amined her was as follows : Mrs. George 
Huntington, Mrs. Samuel J. McClure and 
Mrs. Robert Latimore. Politically Mr. 
Humbarger is an adherent of the Prohibi- 
tion party. Mr. Humbarger is now liv- 
ing retired on the farm recently pur- 
chased from the Sheridan estate. 



ADAM GERMAN, who comes of a 
prominent old family of Springfield 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a fine 
farm of ninety-two and a half acres, the 
old German home place, just off the Na- 
tional Pike about four miles from the 
city of Springfield. He was born on his 
present farm September 14, 1868, and is a 
son of Peter and Margaret (Germ) Ger- 
man. His father died in 1890, while Mrs. 
German siirvived till 1895. They were pio- 
neer residents here and were most highly 
respected by a large circle of friends 
throughout this community. A son, John 
German, may be found mentioned else- 
where in this work. 

Adam German was reared on the home 
farm and obtained his educational train- 
ing in the public schools of his home com- 
munity. He has always followed general 
farming and stock-raising, and has one of 
the best appointed and equipped places in 
the township. He farms according to the 
most modern and approved methods, and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



917 



success has attended his efforts on every 
hand. Mr. G-erman was united in the 
holy bonds of matrimony with Miss 
Catherine Greiser, who was also born and 
reared in Clark County, Ohio, and who 
is a daughter of George Greiser. Three 
children were born to bless their liome, 
namely: Effie, Lena, and Edna. Mrs. 
German died April 13, 1908, after an 
operation for appendicitis. Mr. Ger- 
man takes an earnest interest in local 
politics and all that affects the welfare of 
his home community, and is at present a 
member of Springfield Township school 
board. Fraternally he belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias. 



JOSEPH TiAPER PROCTEE, who re- 
sides upon a fine farm of ninety-two 
acres, situated one and one-half miles west 
of Dialton, Clark County, Ohio, comes of a 
prominent old family of this vicinity, the 
old home place being located across the 
line in Champaign County. He was born 
in Jackson Township, Champaign County, 
Ohio, November 9, 1837, and is a son of 
William and Mary (Maxwell) Procter, 
and a grandson of William Procter. The 
last named was a lifelong resident of 
Yorkshire, England, where he followed 
farming; he had a brother, General Proc- 
ter, who was beheaded for his activity in 
furthering the American cause in Rev- 
olutionary days. 

William Procter, father of Joseph 
Raper Procter, was bom in Yorkshire, 
England, November 5, 1795, and there 
grew to manhood on his father's farm. 
He was married February 13, 1816, to 
Ellen Whitaker and later in the same year 
came to America, in a sailing vessel. The 



voj'age consumed four months, the 
vagaries of the wind cari-ying them to 
points north, where winter clothing be- 
came necessary and ■ so far south they 
again donned their summer garbs. On 
arriving in New York, William Procter 
contracted with a man to escort them to 
Cincinnati, Ohio. As he would be gone 
from home for a long period, this man 
set about preparing wheat for bread for 
his family during his absence. William 
thus learned, in assisting him, to "wind 
wheat," a pioneer process of separating 
wheat from chaff, by tossing it in the air 
from a sheet. Mr. Procter's , wife and 
children rode in a wagon drawn by one 
horse, while he and the escort walked ovey 
the rough roads. While on the way, an axle 
of their wagon broke, but they cut down 
a sapling and put it in instead and con- 
tinued their journey to Cincinnati, where 
they arrived seven weeks later after 
many hardships and trying experiences. 
After residing in that city for two years, 
William Procter walked to the land of- 
fice at Lima, Ohio, and entered one hun- 
dred and sixty-three acres of land in 
Jackson Township, Champaign County, 
Ohio, on the last section of land to be set- 
tled in that township. He erected a log 
cabin in which he lived for two years, 
then rented it to James Benson, and re- 
turned to Cincinnati, where he engaged in 
whip-sawing, a strange occupation for a 
man unused to the woods. However, he 
was a man of energy, patience, and en- 
terprise and attained success, working at 
this industry for ten years, and during 
his residence there could have made num- 
erous investments, which in the light of 
subsequent events, would have made him 
independently wealthy. At that time, ten 



918 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



acres, lying in the heart of Cincinnati, 
could have been purchased for a paltry 
$200. Returning to Champaign County, 
he spent the remainder of his days there, 
dying aged eighty -five years. By his first 
wife he had four children, two of whom 
grew up, James and John, both of whom 
lived in the West and died aged eighty- 
five years. 

William Procter was married a second 
time, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Mrs. Mary 
(Maxwell) Truer, who had one daughter, 
Harriet, by her first marriage who died 
at eighteen years. Mrs. Procter's grand- 
mother, Maggie (Foulton) Maxwell, was 
a sister of Robert Foulton, inventor of 
the first steam-boat. Her grandfather 
Maxwell Avas killed by Indians, his wife 
escaping by hiding in a hollow log, but 
her two sisters, although scalped, man- 
aged to crawl to a boat and thus save 
their lives. William and Mary (Maxwell) 
Procter w^ere parents of nine children : 
Nancy Jane, deceased ; Martha Elizabeth, 
deceased; William, deceased; David W. ; 
Joseph; Charles, who was killed in trying 
to escape from Andersonville Prison, dur- 
ing the Civil War, after having dug his 
way out; Mary Ellen, deceased; Ann M., 
of Indiana ; and Elias G., of Michigan, 
who was also in the Civil War. Mrs. 
Procter was born in Carrol County, Ken- 
tucky, and died in 1888, aged eighty-five 
years. 

Joseph Procter was born in the old log 
cabin erected by his father and helped 
clear up the home place. His father paid 
eight and one-third cents per day for his 
schooling and he attended the old log 
scho'plhouse of that district, which was 
the first in that vicinity to have a fire- 
place. In his youth Mr. Procter ex- 



perienced the hardships incident to pio- 
neer days, and during his lifetime has 
witnessed wonderful changes in life on 
the farm., in the conveniences and com- 
forts of living, the improved facilities for 
putting out and harvesting crops, and the 
value of products. Well does he remem- 
ber his father hauling oats to Urbana for 
six cents per bushel; selling chickens for 
eight cents each, and maple sugar at two 
and a half and three cents per pound. A 
medium sized coon skin was worth twen- 
ty-five cents in those days. The family 
wove and spun their own clothing. Twice 
a year a ministei" came on horseback from 
Cincinnati and held meetings in the woods 
or in a cabin, always being sure of a con- 
gregation. Mr. Procter has always fol- 
lowed general farming and also for seven 
years taught music, and being a careful 
manager and an industrious worker, has 
met with success. He lived in Champaig-n 
County until 1874, when he bought his 
present farm of Henrj'- Verity. It is lo- 
cated on the county line. 

On January 14, 1863, Mr. Procter mar- 
ried Ellen Tomlin, who was born in Pike 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a 
daughter of John and Mary (Carter) 
Tomlin, who were married in England. 
Upon coming to this country they loc£?ted 
in the woods in Pike Township, Clark 
Coimty, and cleared up a farm. Mrs. 
Procter is one of six children born to 
her parents : William T., Mary Ann, 
John, Sarah, Ellen M., and Joseph. She 
and John are the sole survivors of the 
family. Mr. Procter and his wife have 
one child, a daughter, Olive G., who is 
wife of Samuel Ray and they live with 
her parents. Politically Mr. Procter is 
a Republican. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



919 



Seventy-seven years ago a company 
was formed, the object being to dig down 
eighty feet on Mr. Procter's farm for salt, 
but owing to the enormous quantity of 
water they encountered the project was 
abandoned. 



LAWRENCE L. CIRCLE, a well 
known resident of German Township, who 
is engaged in general farming and stock- 
raising on a farm of seventy acres, was 
born August 4, 1878, in Lawrenceville, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Will- 
iam and Luticia (Rust) Circle. 

William L. Circle, also a native of 
Lawrenceville, was a son of Emanuel 
Circle, a farmer, who came from York 
County, Pennsylvania, at a very early 
period and was one of the pioneers of 
Clark County. He laid out the town of 
Lawrenceville and acquired a large tract 
of land, owning four hundred acres in 
German Township. He was a wagon 
maker by trade and conducted a shop in 
Lawrenceville for seventeen years before 
locating on his farm, which he purchased 
in 1883 and upon which he erected a fine 
frame house. He married Luticia Rust 
and to them were born the following chil- 
dren: Minnie, wife of Charles Lutz of 
Marion, Indiana; Worthy A., a resident 
of Springfield, who has been employed in 
the postoffice of that city for nine years ; 
Lawrence L., the siibject of this sketch; 
Naomi, is the wife of William Chaney. 
Mr. Circle passed out of this life Septem- 
ber 7, 1901, and is survived by his widow, 
who makes her home with her son Law- 
rence. 

Lawrence L. Circle spent his early 
childhood days in Lawrenceville and when 



seven years old his parents moved to the 
farm of one hundred and forty-three acres 
in German Township, of which he now 
owns seventy acres, having resided here 
since 1885. He assumed the management 
of the farm upon attaining his majority 
and has since been engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising, making a 
specialty of Durock hogs. Mr. Circle was 
united in marriage March 17, 1902, with 
Frieda Critchfield, a daughter of Charles 
Critchfield, and they have three children 
— Lewis LeRoy; and Elma and Thelma, 
twins. 



C. A. SCHUSTER, president and 
treasurer of the Peet & Schuster Com- 
pany is one of Springfield's progressive 
business men and active citizens, having 
been prominently identified with various 
organizations having in view the promo- 
tion of the best interests of the city, of 
which he has been a resident for thirty- 
five years. 

Mr. Schuster was born in 1848 near the 
city of Butfalo, N. Y., and was there 
reared, acquiring his education in a coun- 
try school. When sixteen yeai's old he 
began to learn the trade of sheet metal 
worker, with which line of industry he has 
been identified continuously ever since. 
After serving as an apprentice in Buf- 
falo he came to Ohio, locating at Fremont. 
He subsequently went to Goshen and Elk- 
hart, Ind., and still later to Chicago. He 
left the latter city one month prior to the 
great fire of October, 1871, and came to 
Springfield, Ohio, entering the employ of 
Peet & Raymond. Six months later this 
firm was dissolved and the firm of T. B. 
Peet & Co. was organized. The company 



920 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Tvas composed of T. B. Peet, C. A. Shuster 
and Lon Kriger. They continued with un- 
interrtiijted success for a number of years, 
when, on account of the ill health of the 
senior member, it became necessary for 
Ml". Shuster to assume charge, the other 
member dropping out. In 1894, after the 
death of Mr. Peet, Mr. Shuster, in asso- 
ciation with others, organized and incor- 
porated the Peet & Shuster Company, 
with a paid-up capital of $10,000. He was 
elected president and treasurer of the 
company, in which capacity he now serves, 
and has capably directed its affairs. They 
make a specialty of sheet metal work and 
have met with a gratifying degree of 
success. 

In 1876 Mr. C. A. Schuster was united in 
marriage with Miss Mary Kershner, a 
daughter of John Kershner. She died in 
1888, leaving three children: Rosamond, 
Bertha and Robert. Mr. Schuster con- 
tracted a second marriage, in 1901, with 
Miss Julia Miller, who died in 1901, leav- 
ing, besides her husband, two children to 
mourn her loss, namely, Mary and Ruth. 

Mr. Schuster takes an active interest in 
local politics and for five years served in 
the City Council, for one year of that time 
being its president. Mr. Schuster is a 
Free Mason of high rank, having attained 
to the thirty-second degree. He has served 
as presiding officer, both of the Council 
and of the Chapter, and is also an officer 
of the Grand Chapter of the state. He is 
a member of the Masonic Club, also of 
the Springfield Commercial Club, and was 
the first president of the Builders' Ex- 
change. He was a charter member of the 
first military company organized in the 
county under the present system of Na- 
tional Guard. It will thus be seen that 



Mr. Schuster is a man of various activ- 
ities, in all of which he displays his char- 
acteristic energy and capacity. 



DARWIN PEIRCE, a veteran of the 
Civil War and a respected citizen of Mad- 
ison Township, Clark County, Ohio, is the 
owner of some four hundred and thirty 
acres of land, of which two hundred and 
sixty acres comprise the home farm. He 
was born on this place July 5, 1841, and 
is a son of Edwin and Frances (Williams) 
Peirce. 

Jonathan Peirce, grandfather of Dar- 
win Peirce, was a resident of Chester 
County, Pennsylvania, until 1825, in 
which year he moved with his family to 
Warren County, Ohio. One year later he 
came to Clark County and rented what is 
now the H. E. Bateman farm, then known 
as the Jonathan Cheney farm. He man- 
ufactured a hay rake, known as the old 
Peirce rake, from the sale of which he 
made his first purchase of land here. He 
bought four hundred and fifty-five acres, 
now known as the John Rankin farm, and 
subsequently bought the Bown farm, on 
which he was living at the time of his 
death. He acquired some two thousand 
acres in all, being one of the largest in- 
dividual landowners in this section of the 
county. He married- Hannah Darlington, 
who was bcrn in Chester County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and died on the old Jonathan 
Cheney place in Madison Township. Jona- 
than Peirce was a Quaker in religion, and 
in politics a Whig and great abolitionist. 
He was connected with the underground 
railway and helped many a poor slave to 
his freedom. 

Edwin Peirce, the father, was bom la 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



921 



Chester County, Pennsylvania, about 1810, 
and attended school there, and later at 
Springfield, Ohio, the house in which he 
boarded at that time being still standing. 
He engaged in farming during his active 
career, which was cut short by an accident 
which made him a cripple, and his death 
followed in a few years. He was married 
in 1840 to Frances Williams, a daughter 
of William Williams, who came from 
Westmoreland County, Maryland, her 
mother coming from Ireland with her 
parents when three years of age. Three 
children were born to bless their home, 
namely : Darwin ; Hannah Mary, who for 
fifteen years was superintendent of Christ 
Hospital at Cincinnati, and is now en- 
gaged in charitable work in the slums of 
that city ; and Laura (Harold) , who is now 
a I'esident of South J^harleston. 

Darwin Peirce was I'eared on the home 
farm, but as he was five years of age when 
his father died, and the only son, his 
schooling was of necessity very limited. 
He is nevertheless a man of more than 
average education, but largely self-ac- 
quired. He made and developed the home 
farm himself. At the time of the Civil 
War he was living with his mother and 
two sisters in the log house on the farm, a 
time when his best energies should have 
been given to the development of the place 
in order that his further success be as- 
sured, but, casting aside all his personal 
ambitious, he followed the course of pa- 
triotism and loyalty to his country in a 
time of need, although it subjected his 
family to many hardships. He enlisted 
August 15, 1862, in Company C, One Hun- 
dred and Tenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, under Colonel Keifer, and 
served until the war closed. He saw much 

49 



hard fighting, was in numerous important 
engagements, and was several times 
wounded. When the war closed he re- 
tui'ned home and with renewed energy un- 
dertook the work on the farm, and with 
what success may be determined by the 
high station he occupies among the men of 
his township. 

Mr. Peirce was married to Mary E. 
Mathewson, a daughter of Mathew and 
Margaret (Evans) Mathewson. Her 
father was born in England and came to 
the United States in 1834, locating on 
what is known as the Thomas Mathewson 
farm. He was married in 1841 to Mar- 
garet Evans, a native of Wales. Mr. and 
Mrs. Peirce have two sons : John, who is 
an electrician in Omaha, Nebraska; and 
Walter Thompson, who is an instructor 
in the Ohio State University at Columbus. 
Mr. Peirce is a Republican in politics, 
and for thirty-one years served efficiently 
as a school director. He was for twenty 
years a member of the Soldiers Relief 
Committee, and for eleven years was a 
member of the Clark County Agricultural 
Board. He is a member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic, and belongs to the 
order of Odd Fellows. Religiously, he 
was brought up in the Quaker faith. 



GEORGE L. ZIEGLER, general farmer 
and dairyman, residing on his valuable 
farm of sixty-three acres which is situated 
in Moorefield Township, was born in Ger- 
many, May 14, 1843. His parents were 
George and Anna (Layboldt) Ziegler. 

The parents of Mr. Ziegler came to 
America in 1849 and settled in Pennsyl- 
vania, where the father followed a butch- 
ering business. George L. Ziegler was 



922 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



reared and educated in that state. In 
1862 he came to Springfield, Ohio, where 
he found work in a brewery and later in 
the Lagonda shops, but remained only one 
w'eek in each place, finding more agreeable 
employment in the water wheel shops, 
where he eontiuned to work for four 
years. He then turned his attention to 
farming and worked on a farm in Logan 
County, Ohio, for six years preceding his 
marriage and for six years following it, 
when he bought a small farm in Grreen 
Township, south of Springfield, which he 
operated for ten years. During the next 
two years Mr. Ziegler worked all over 
Clark County assisting in the construc- 
tion of turnpike roads and street car lines, 
living during one year at Clifton and one 
year at Spring-field. In the sxjring of 1893 
he moved to the present farm. He keeps 
about thirty cows and sells his milk to the 
Pure Milk Company. Since taking pos- 
session, Mr. Ziegler has made many im- 
provements on his property which has 
greatly increased its value. 

In 1876, Mr. Ziegler was married in 
Logan County, to Alice J. Hamilton, who 
is a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Ful- 
ton) Hamilton. Mrs. Ziegler was born 
and reared in the old home in Logan 
County, where her venerable mother has 
lived since the day following her mar- 
riage. Mr. and Mrs. Ziegler have had 
seven children, all of whom survive with 
the exception of Helen, the youngest, who 
died aged two years. The others are: 
now, who married Charles Holmeyer, and 
they have five children — George, Carl, 
Wilbur, Arthur and Frederick, their home 
being in Springfield; Estella, who is at 
home ; Harley, a mail carrier, who resides 
at Lyons, Colorado; and Walter, Jessie 



and Joseph, who live at home. Mr. Zieg- 
ler is a member of the Grange. He is a 
man who has worked hard all his life and 
has honestly acquired what he possesses. 
He is a first-class citizen but takes no very 
active interest in politics. 



CHARLES FREMONT STEWART, a 
well known- and prosperous farmer of 
Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- 
sides on a farm of 135 acres located about 
seven miles south of the City of Spring- 
field. He was born on the old family 
homestead in this township, AugTist 2, 
1856, and was named in honor of Fremont, 
the first Republican nominee for presi- 
dent. He is a son of Perry and Rhoda 
Ann (Wheeler) Stewart, further refer- 
ence to whom may be found elsewhere in 
this volume. 

Charles Fremont Stewart was reared on 
the home place and acquired an educa- 
tional training in the district school at 
Pitchin, supplemented by one year in a 
business college at Springfield and a term 
at Lebanon, Ohio. At the age of twenty 
years he began farming a part of the home 
place on shares, and in 1884 purchased 
135 acres adjoining the Stewart home- 
stead. This he has improved greatly, 
clearing the remaining timber from the 
place, erecting a large barn, and convert- 
ing the one-story brick house into a mod- 
ern structure of two stories. A man of 
imtiring energy he has made continuous 
progress in his work and is today classed 
among the substantial men of the com- 
munity. He is a Republican in polities 
and cast his first vote for President Gar- 
field in 1880. In 1884 he was elected town- 
ship trustee, serving until 1889, and from 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



925 



the latter date until 1908 he served as 
township clerk, discharging his duties in a 
most capable and satisfactory manner. He 
served from 1892 to 1898 as a member of 
the county election board, and in 1907 he 
was appointed Deputy Supervisor of Elec- 
tion of Clark County. He has frequently 
represented his district as delegate to 
county and state conventions. 

On March 11, 1880, Mr. Stewart was 
united in the holy bonds of matrimony 
with Miss Clara Garlough, who was born 
in Green Township and is a daughter of 
James T. and Sarah (Hause) Garlough, 
her father being now deceased. The issue 
of this union is as follows : Josie A., born 
June 16, 1881, who married March 11, 
1902, Stephen Kitchen; Fred Garlough, 
born June 2, 1884, who married Rachel 
Estle; Howard H., born June 15, 1888; 
Samuel N., born October 9, 1893 ; and Ste- 
phen W., born July 20, 1896. Frater- 
nally, ' our subject is a member of Clifton 
Lodge No. 669, K. P., in which he has 
filled all the chairs. He and his family 
belong to the Presbyterian church at 
Clifton. 



HON. WILLIAM R. BURNETT, one 

of Springfield's prominent and represent- 
ative citizens, who ably served the munic- 
ipality four years as mayor, and through 
re-election is the present incumbent of 
that office, has also held many other offices 
of responsibility. He was born August 17, 
1846, in Clark County, Ohio, and is a son 
of John and Mary (Jones) Burnett. 

The Burnett family was founded in 
Clark County by Richard Burnett, the 
grandfather, whose life was spent in 
agricultural pursuits. Of his children. 



John Burnett, father of William R., was 
born in the home in Clark County, in 1824. 
For a number of years he followed the 
trade of millwright. He married Mary 
Jones, who was born in 1826, in Randolph 
County, Virginia. For almost a quarter 
of a century she lived in the same home, 
on the corner of Plum and High Streets, 
Springfield, only removing to the resi- 
dence of her son, William R., a few 
months prior to her death, which occurred 
May 29, 1907, when she was eighty-two 
years old. She was laid by the side of her 
husband in Ferncliif cemetery. 

William R. Burnett attended school un- 
til he was fourteen years of age then went 
to work in the shops of Whitely, Fassler 
& Kelly, where he remained until he was 
seventeen years old, becoming a skilled 
machinist. His youth alone had pre- 
vented his already becoming a soldier, 
and in 1863 he succeeded in enlisting in 
Company A, Fourth Battalion, Ohio In- 
dependent Cavalry, and he remained a 
member of that organization until he re- 
ceived an honorable discharge in 1865. 
Upon the close of his military service, he 
re-entered the machine shops of his old 
fii'm and continued there for twenty-three 
years. At a later period he embarked in 
a grocery business with which he re- 
mained connected for ten years. 

For many years Mr. Burnett has been 
a leading member of the Democratic 
party in Clark County, serving in many 
capacities, and has been honored by his 
fellow citizens with offices of trust and re- 
sponsibility. For four years Mr. Burnett 
served as a faithful member of the 
Springfield School Board, later he ably 
represented the First Ward in the City 
Council, and in 1889, he was elected 



926 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



mayor of Springfield. His administra- 
tion was so generally recog-nized as valu- 
able to the city's best interests, tliat in 
1891 he was re-elected and served out his 
second term with the same efficiency. In 
1908 he was again re-elected and is now 
serving his third term. He was the first 
mayor to enjoy the fine offices in the new 
mmiicipal building that had been corn- 
completed during his first administration. 
Subsequently he was appointed president 
of the Board of Public Safety, by his suc- 
cessor, and he continued to serve in this 
important office. 

In October, 1865, Mr. Burnett was mar- 
ried to Mary C. Monahan, who is a 
daughter of John Monahan, of Spring- 
field, and they have two sons, Theodore 
A. and Levi Herr. Theodore A. Burnett 
is a graduate of the American Veterinary 
College, New York, and is now govern- 
ment Veterinary Inspector located in Day- 
ton, Ohio. Levi Herr Burnett is an able 
lawyer of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, who is 
an assistant attorney for the United 
States Steel Trust. 

Mr. Burnett belongs to Clark Lodge, 
No. 101, F. & A. M. ; Red Star Lodge, No. 
205, Knights of Pythias and Company 44 
of the Uniform Rank; Springfield Lodge, 
No. 33, Odd Fellows; the Elks; Mitchell 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and 
to the LTnion Veterans' Union. 



FRANK CLICK, general farmer and 
wholesale dairyman, residing on a tract 
of one hundred acres in Bethel Town- 
ship, Clark County, was born October 29, 
1857, at Beckelhiil, Clark County, Ohio, 
and is a son of Emanuel and Martha Jane 
(Alben) Click. 



Emanuel Click was born in Virginia 
and came to Ohio when a boy of twelve 
years with his father John Click, who lo- 
cated in Springfield and opened a black- 
smith and wagon shop and resided there 
until his death. Emanuel Click was the 
oldest of a family of seven children — two 
boys and five girls. He was married in 
Springfield to Martha Jane Alben, who 
was born in Mad River Township, after 
which he moved to a farm in Mad River 
Township, where he and his wife passed 
the remainder of their lives. Six chil- 
dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Click 
Samuel; Frank, subject of this sketch 
Louisa, who died aged eighteen years 
Mary, wife of Mr. Fryant ; William ; and 
Lydia, who married Frank Evans. 

Frank Click spent his boyhood on a 
farm in Mad River Township, assisting 
in the work on the place until his mar- 
riage, after which he rented farms for a 
number of years, residing first on the 
John Arthur farm for three years. He 
then operated- the Robert Durey farm for 
two years, after which he moved to the 
Snyder farm in Spring-field Township, re- 
maining there for thirteen years, during 
which time he bought forty-five acres 
from the Snyder estate. This he sold in 
1901 and bought his present farm, then 
consisting of one hundred and thirty 
acres, from Harry Detrick. He subse- 
quently sold thirty acres of this land and 
has spent a great deal of time and money 
since in improving the farm, which com- 
pares favorably with any in this section. 

Mr. Click was married in Mad River 
Township to Elizabeth Green, who was 
reared at Enon, and to this union have 
been born six children — Harry C, book- 
keeper at the Owens Tool Works of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



927 



Springfield, Ohio ; Orva, who is employed 
by the Pure Milk Company of Spring- 
field; Stella, Eaymond E., Frank, and 
William. Politically, Mr. Click is an In- 
dependent voter. 



DAVID E. SHELLABAEGEE, who 
has been a life-long resident of Clark 
County, Ohio, was born October 13, 1826, 
on his father's farm in Mad Eiver Town- 
ship, and is a son of Ephraim and Ee- 
becca (Winget) Shellabarger. 

Ephraim Shellabarger, who is a native 
of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 
was a child of two years when his parents, 
Martin and Ann (Snyder) Shellabarger, 
removed to Cumberland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he was reared to manhood. 
His father was a farmer and also ran a 
mill and distillery, his six sons working 
the firm, while he attended to his other 
industries. During the winters, Eph- 
raim and his brothers cut timber, which 
was sent down the Susquehanna Eiver, 
in the spring, on rafts, to a saw-mill. In 
1814, Ephraim and his four brothers, 
Jacob, John, Samuel and Martin, came to 
Clark County, Ohio, in wagons, and 
formed a settlement in the timber lands 
of Mad Eiver Township. The following 
year, Ephraim married Eebecca Win- 
get, a daughter of Eeuben Winget, who 
was one of the first settlers of Clark 
County, having come from near Cincin- 
nati in 1806. Ephraim Shellabarger and 
his wife passed the remainder of their 
lives in this county, his death occurring 
in 1842 at the age of fifty-eight, his wife 
survi\'ing him until 1872, passing away at 
the home of her sou, David E. They were 
the parents of six children ; Eeuben ; Mar- 



garet, who married John B. Beard; Mar- 
tin; Elizabeth, who married T. P. Johns- 
ton; David Ephraim; and Anna, who 
married Abe D. Miller. All of the above 
family, with the exception of David E., 
are deceased. 

David E. Shellabarger was born in a 
weather-boarded log house on his 
father's farm, and there passed his boy- 
hood days. He went to the old log school- 
house with its slab benches, and studied 
reading, spelling, writing and -arithmetic. 
He remained at home until after his 
father's death, after which he worked as 
a tanner for one year, then returned home 
and learned the cooper trade with his 
brother Martin. He continued with him 
until his marriage, when he opened a 
cooper shop of his own on his present 
farm. For fifteen years he worked at his 
trade during the winter months, farming 
in the summers, since when his time has 
been devoted entirely to his farm of one 
hundred and seventy acres, of which fifty 
were inherited. When Mr. Shellabarger 
first came to his farm he resided in an 
old log house which was on the place until 
he built his present comfortable home. 
His two sons, David W., and Edgar M., 
now run the farm, renting the land from 
him. 

Mr. Shellabarger was married October 
14, 1847, to Eosanna Johnston, a daugh- 
ter of James Johnston. She died in 
1884. Mr. and Mrs. Shellabarger became 
the parents of seven children: James E., 
who died young; Cassilus E., who died 
young; David W., who married Katty 
Durst and has seven children, Delia, 
Eosina, Mary, Martha, Ethel, Catherine 
and John; Anson L., who married Mary 
Hedge, resides in Spring-field, Ohio, and 



928 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



has two children. Eva and D. Paul ; Edgar 
M., who married Florence Knott and has 
tAvo children, Clarence and David E.; 
Clayton D., who married Beele Albin, and 
is the father of two children, Amy, and 
Lydia. 

Mr. Shellabarger is 'a man of large pro- 
portions hut enjoys exceptional good 
health, and although quite advanced in 
years, is still able to do a hard day's 
work. Fraternally he is connected with 
the Knights of Pythias. 



JOHN SHAEP, a prominent farmer of 
Harmony Township, in which is situated 
his valuable farm of 187 acres, was born 
in Clark County, Ohio, in 1858, and is a 
son of John and Mary (Dysart) Sharp. 

John Sharp was born in 1808, in Vir- 
ginia, and came to Clark County in early 
manhood, where he married Mary Dysart, 
who still survives. She was bom in 1823, 
in Pennsylvania. They had four children, 
namely: John, subject of this sketch; 
Mosuria, bom in 1859, who married Fre- 
mont "Wilson, they residing in Harmony 
Township and having six children — Mary, 
Lavina, Clara, Eoss, Wealthy and Alme- 
da; Thomas, bom in 1861, who married 
Fay Smith and died in 1907 ; and Henry, 
born in 1863, who died aged three years. 
The elder John Sharp was a farmer all 
his life and did a large amount of teaming 
over the National Turnpike Eoad long be- 
fore any railroads were constracted 
through this region. 

John Sharp, the younger, has spent the 
greater part of his life in Harmony Town- 
ship. For two years he lived in Madison 
County and rented several farms after he 
reached manhood, living for eight years 



on one in the vicinity of Plattsburg, which 
he had purchased. From there he came 
to his present farm which he bought in 
1905, from the heirs of the Brooks estate. 
It is fine, fertile and well-situated land, 
and Mr. Sharj^ has it under excellent culti- 
vation. 

In 1889 Mr. Sharp was married to Lau- 
ra Weaver, who is a daughter of Abraham 
and Mary Weaver, and they have had four 
children, namely : Mary and Mabel, twins, 
born February 24, 1891 ; Henrj% born Au- 
gust 10, 1894; and John W., bom Decem- 
ber 29, 1896. Mr. Sharp has taken an 
active interest in Odd Fellowship, having 
been united with Vienna Lodge No. 345, 
for a number of years, and having passed 
all the chairs in this organization. 



CHAELES S. KAY, whose identifica- 
tion with the busines interests of Spring- 
field covers an extended period, was born 
November 4, 1853, at Miamisburg, Mont- 
gomery Countj% Ohio, and is a son of Dr. 
Isaac and Clara M. (Deckert) Kay. 

Dr. Isaac Kay is the oldest resident 
physician in Springfield. He was born 
December 8, 1828, near Chambersburg, 
Pennsylvania, where he lived until his 
parents brought their children to Ohio, in 
1836. Dr. Kay was graduated from Star- 
ling Medical College, at Columbus, in the 
spring of 1849, after which he practiced 
medicine for four years at Lewisburg, 
Ohio, and then came to Springfield, estab- 
lishing himself in his profession here in 
May, 1853. In all that concerns medical 
progress in Clark County, Dr. Kay has 
taken a deep interest and his name is hon- 
ored in medical organizations all over the 
land. For years he has contributed scien- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



929 



tific papers to medical journals and has 
spoken before medical conventions. He 
is a citizen in whom Springfield takes a 
just pride. On November 27, 1852, be mar- 
ried Clara M. Deckert, and tbey bad two 
sons, Cbarles S. and Clarence H. 

For about a decade in early manbood, 
Cbarles S. Kay was an editorial writer on 
tbe leading newspapers of Spring-field and 
Cincinnati, and bas always devoted more 
or less time to literary pursuits, tbus find- 
ing relief from tbe engrossing cares of an 
active business life. In 1883 be entered tbe 
Superior Drill Company, wbicb enterprise 
was incorporated in November of tbat 
year, and was its treasurer for twenty 
years. After a career of conspicuous suc- 
cess tbis extensive plant went into tbe 
American Seeding Machine Company in 
1903, and Mr. Kay retired from active re- 
lationship, but retained his financial in- 
terest in tbe company. He was one of tbe 
incorporators and is now a director of tbe 
Citizens National Bank. Mr. Kay's other 
business interests are: The Springfield 
Metallic Casket Company, and The Peo- 
ple's Light, Heat and Power Company. 
He bas always manifested great public 
spirit, and has been active in securing for 
Springfield various utilities of a public 
nature, and has in many ways contributed 
to the general welfare. He has never 
aspired to political prominence, but was 
for nine years a valued director of the 
Springfield public library. He is a mem- 
ber of the Commercial Club, of wbicb he 
was once president, Lagonda Club, and 
Clark Lodge, F. & A. M., Springfield 
Chapter, E. A. M., and of Palestine Com- 
mandery, K. T. His church connection 
has long been with the First Baptist 
Church of Spring-field. 



In 1893 Mr. Kay married Belle C. 
Gunn, a daughter of Capt. John T. Gunn, 
of Lexington, Kentucky. They have four 
children : Clarence M., Edith W., Clari- 
bel and Eobert. 



SAMUEL ZIMMEEMAN, a prominent 
citizen of Spring-field Township, owns a 
beautiful farm and the comfortable old 
Zimmerman home, which is situated in 
Section 7, about four miles southeast of 
the corporation limits of Springfield. 
When the estate of 315 acres was divided 
among the Zimmerman heirs, Samuel re- 
ceived 132 acres. He was born July 9, 
1861, while his parents were living on the 
Jackson farm above Lagonda. Tbey were 
George and Eliza (Mech) Zimmerman. 

George Zimmerman was born in Dau- 
phin County, Pennsylvania, and came with 
his family to Ohio, in 1859, settling on 
what was known as the old Jackson farm, 
north of Lagonda, which be rented for 
three years. In the spring of 1862 he 
bought the farm in Spring-field Township, 
and in 1874-5 he erected the handsome 
brick residence and also built all the other 
substantial structures on tbe place. Here 
be engaged in farming and stock-raising 
and became a man of large means and a 
leading citizen of this section. He took an 
interest in public affairs and as one of the 
reliable men of bis township, was elected 
on several occasions to the office of trus- 
tee. His death took place in July, 1899, 
surviving all three of his wives, the first 
of whom was Barbara Stoner, whom he 
married in Pennsylvania, where she died, 
leaving three children, namely: Henry 
N., residing in Kansas; Augustus J., re- 
siding in Kansas ; and Mary, who married 



930 



HISTOKY OF CLARK COUNTY 



David Tonkinson, died in Kansas. One 
child died in infancy. Samuel Zimmer- 
man is the youngest of the six children 
born to his parents, the others being: 
Milton, residing in Kansas ; Simon A., re- 
siding on a part of the homestead farm in 
Clark County; Araminta, who married 
John H. Moore; Alice, who married 
James Ramsey, residing in Kansas. 

Samuel Zimmerman was one year old 
when his parents came to the present 
farm. He obtained his education in the 
country schools and has devoted himself 
to farming and stock-raising. He has met 
with very decided success. He has never 
married, his sister, Mrs. Moore, making 
his home comfortable for him. He takes 
no active interest in politics, but neverthe- 
less entertains decided opinions on public 
affairs but not to the extent of letting 
these interfere with his business. He is 
a member of the Junior Order of Amer- 
ican Mechanics at Pitchin. 



JOSEPH PEARSON, a retired farmer 
and old soldier, who lives on his improved 
farm of ninety-seven and two-thirds 
acres, near Catawba, in Pleasant Town- 
ship, was born February 12, 1827, at Lon- 
don, England, and is a son of William and 
Elizabeth (Lockhart) Pearson. 

William Pearson, father of Joseph, 
Avas also born in Tjondon and there learned 
the trades of cabinetmaker and wagon- 
maker. He there married Elizabeth Lock- 
art and they had the following children: 
Joseph; Henry, who was a member of the 
Seventeenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers, 
during the Civil War and was killed at 
Vicksbui'g; Maria, widow of Owen Davis, 
who has reached her seventy-ninth year, 



is still able to do tine needlework; John, 
who served in the Civil War as a member 
of an Ohio regiment, died from wounds 
received in battle; George, who was a 
member of the Ninety-fourth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, resided at 
Catawba; Martha, who is the widow of 
William Shanks, who served in the Civil 
War, a member of the Fortieth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Mary E., who 
is the wife of John Young, residing in 
Hardin County, Ohio; Millie Ann, who is 
the wife of Edward Gardner; Thomas, 
who served in the Civil War as a member 
of the Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry; and Samuel, now residing in 
Kansas, who ser^^ed with his brother 
Joseph in the forty -fourth Ohio Volunteer 
Infantrj-. This record shows that every 
son of the family testified to his loyalty 
to the Union by serving in her defense, 
several of them to the extent of yielding 
up their lives. 

In 1832 William Pearson came to Amer- 
ica, accompanied by his wife and his two 
children, and they settled for a short time 
on the farm of his mother, who was then 
Widow Elizabeth Inman, residing in 
Harmony Township, Clark County, where 
she had three hundred and twenty acres. 
Her first husband, William Pearson, had 
died in England and she married again 
and with her husband came as a pioneer 
to Clark County. While her son, William 
Pearson, was looking around for land on 
which to locate, he was offered the pres- 
ent site of the Arcade Building at Spring- 
field, for four dollars an acre. It was 
then nothing but a swamp and Mr. Pear- 
son judged that Catawba, on account of its 
better natural situation and of its numer- 
ous sulphur springs, its fine dry timbered 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE Cxf IZENS. 



931 



soil and its two cross-roads showed in- 
dication of being more likely to develop 
than did its neighboring town. Hence 
he settled at Catawba, on a farm of three 
acres, and followed his trade, making 
many wagons and constructing coffins for 
the country roundabout. He died from 
the effects of an accident, falling from 
his horse, when in his forty-seventh year. 
He was a man of great strength, and hav- 
ing taken boxing lessons in England he 
was also one of skill, and was made cap- 
tain of a light-horse brigade. In friend- 
ly contests, he overcame the local wrest- 
ling champions. His widow subsequently 
married Edward Shanks. 

Joseph Pearson was five years of age 
when his parents came to America and 
was too young to recall the long voyage 
of thirty-eight days which the sailing ves- 
sel required. It was a new vessel and 
after it sailed for America, William Pear- 
son was employed, as a cabinetmaker, 
to finish the cabin which required five 
weeks more to finish after reaching Amer- 
ica. He spent all his time at the work 
during his journey. Joseph Pearson was 
reared at Catawba and recalls that the In- 
dians and the wolves made him about 
equally fearful through his boyhood. He 
had but meager school advantages. He 
worked around on the neighboring farms 
occasionally but spent a large part of his 
time in his father's shop, where he be- 
came familiar with tools, and probably 
also learned a great deal listening to the 
conversation between his father and his 
customers. From one of these, a local 
physician, he learned that he could qualify 
as a clerk on a river boat running between 
Cincinnati and New Orleans, and after 
securing the position he filled it for four 



years. After he returned to Catawba, he 
operated a cooper shop, and was thus en- 
gaged when the Civil War broke out. 
Mr. Pearson had been in the South and 
he understood conditions and public feel- 
ing much better than did many of his 
neighbors and he was one of the first to 
start to recruit a company around his old 
home. With the men he secured he joined 
Company F, Forty-fourth Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry and subsequent- 
ly was sent back to again recruit. On this 
occasion he secured twenty-one men, one 
of these being his brother Samuel, and 
another his brother-in-law, Levi Porter, 
both of whom had been too young to go 
at first. Joseph Pearson served all 
through the long years of the war, taking 
an active part and always being found 
at the post of duty. He participated in 
many of the most important battles of 
the war but lays stress on that at Win- 
chester, September 19, 1863, when 19,000 
of his brave comrades fell. 

On several occasions, Mr. Pearson was 
offered commissions, but was never will- 
ing to take more responsibility than that 
entailed by serving as a sergeant. His 
first term of service was as a sergeant 
and when he re-enlisted at Knoxville, Ten- 
nessee, he served as commissary sergeant 
and always performed the duties pertain- 
ing to these offices in such a manner as to 
win approbation. One of the closest 
friends of Mr. Pearson was the brave Ma- 
jor Evans, the famous Zouave officer. Mr. 
Pearson was never seriously wounded, 
although, as stated above, several of his 
brothers were more unfortunate. The 
mother was a woman of strong character 
and during the war she was a member of 
one of the commissions which worked so 



932 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



■unceasingly to secure and send supplies 
to the soldiers. On one occasion, when 
called upon to address the meeting she 
said in reverent mood: "I thank God 
that I have six sons defending the Stars 
and Stripes." This noble sentiment was 
published in the newspapers and when 
they were read in camp each soldier gave 
a cheer for the mother who, under the 
circumstances, could so bravely avow her 
patriotism. There undoubtedly were six 
soldiers who were very proud of that 
sacrificing mother. 

While at home on a furlough, in 1864, 
Mr. Pearson was married to Ann Porter, 
who survived until after the war, leaving 
two children — Elta, who married Frank 
Hendricks, and Anna, who main-ied Hugh 
Cartmell. His first marriage had been to 
Nancy G-olden, who died shortly after- 
Avard. They had one child — Martin 
Luther who died aged eight months. His 
second wife, was Mary S. Palmer, who 
is survived by five of her six children, 
namely: Joseph W., a farmer in Hardin 
County, Ohio; Frauds B., who is prin- 
cipal of East High School, at Columbus, 
and a graduate of Wooster College; Jen- 
nie, who married Joseph Keescker and 
resides in Columbus ; Frank, who resides 
in Champaign Coimty, Ohio ; and A. Lin- 
coln, who resides in Kansas. In 1869, Mr. 
Pearson was married to Sarah Porter, 
who is a daughter of Benjamin and Eliz- 
beth Porter, and they have one child, Levi, 
who lives at Anthony, Kansas. 

Mr. Pearson has retired from active 
work on the farm. He is a stanch Repub- 
lican and has been a leading man in his 
party in this section for a number of 
years. He was a member of the Repub- 
lican Central Committee for sixteen years 



and for the same length of time was dep- 
uty sheriff. He has held many township 
offices and he was a very useful member 
of the committee appointed by the county 
to provide burial for deceased soldiers 
and to assist their families. He is a 
valued member of the local Grand Army 
post, belongs to the Odd Fellows and the 
Mad River Encampment. For sixty 
years he has been a member of the 
Methodist Protestant Church. 



WILLIAM GUNDOLF, a prosperous 
farmer residing on a farm of ninety-one 
acres in Pike Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, has been a resident here since his 
boyhood days and is generally known 
through the county. He was born in 
Rockingham County, Virginia, April 12, 
1859, and is a son of John and Charlotte 
(Baker) Gundolf. 

John Gundolf, father of William, was 
born in Germany where he was reared to 
maturity and there engaged in farming. 
He came with his wife and two children to 
America, settling first in Rockingham 
County, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Val- 
ley, and some years later moved to Au- 
gusta Coimty, Virginia. When he came 
with his family to Ohio, he rented a farm 
in Pike Township for a time, then pur- 
chased a small place near the home of his 
son, William, where he farmed and 
burned charcoal until his death in 1885, 
at the age of sixty-six years. He was sur- 
vived by his widow who died in 1897, aged 
sixty years. They were parents of the 
following children, the two oldest of 
whom were born in Germany and the re- 
mainder in Rockingham County, Virginia : 
Henrietta, wife of William H. Bear of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



933 



Pike Township; Catherine, wife of A. G. 
Mumuma of Springfield; Ann, deceased, 
wife of James Hutchison; "William; 
Frederick, residing in German Township ; 
and Lewis, residing in Pike Township. 
Politically he was a Democrat. 

William Gnndolf attended the common 
schools in Virginia and also after his par- 
ents ' removal to Pike Township, in 1873. 
He assisted his father in clearing his small 
farm and followed farming there during 
his yoimger days, and has continued in 
the same line, making a specialty of rais- 
ing hogs and sheep of high grade. The 
farm on which he now lives was owned 
by his wife's father, she inheiiting a part 
of it, and the remainder of which he pur- 
chased of Fred Jenkins. He is a very suc- 
cessful business man. 

On December 24, 1878, Mr. Gundolf was 
joined in marriage with Charlotte Jen- 
kins, a daughter of Wiley Jenkins, one 
of Pike Township's most prominent pio- 
neers. The latter was born in North Car- 
olina, December 13, 1810, and was ten 
years of age when brought to Pike Town- 
ship by his parents. He was more than 
ordinarily successful, owning some 466 
acres of land, and was widely known over 
the county. He died in September, 1903. 
Mr. and Mrs. Gundolf have three children, 
namely: Clarence, born September 26, 
1879, married Olive Leonard, by whom he 
has a son, Paul, and lives near Thackery, 
Ohio; Wiley, born April 27, 1881, mar- 
ried Maud Baugh, a daughter of Jacob 
Baugh, and lives in Champaign County; 
and Blanche, born June 20, 1889, lives at 
home. Mr. Gundolf is a Democrat in pol- 
itics, has served as school director and for 
nine years was township trustee. For ten 
years he was on the board of the Clark 



County Agricultural Society, and during 
that time was superintendent of the sheep 
department. 



HON. OBAN F. HYPES, a leading and 
influential citizen of Springfield, who has 
been successful in business and prominent 
in public life, was born at Xenia, Ohio, De- 
cember 18, 1862, and is a son of Samuel 
H. and Hannah (Van Brocklin) Hypes. 

Mr. Hypes' great-grandfather, who 
came to America from Germany, took part 
in the Revolutionary War. He estab- 
lished his home near the Natural Bridge, 
in Virginia, and there his son, Henry 
Hypes, was born, who was the founder of 
the family in Ohio, settling at Xenia early 
in the Nineteenth century. Samuel H. 
Hypes, father of Oran F., was born in 
1826, in Greene County, Ohio. He mar- 
ried Hannah Van Brocklin, of Holland an- 
cestry, who was born at Oneida, N. Y. 
The family home has remained at Xenia 
for many years. 

Oran F. Hypes attended the schools of 
his native city and was graduated from 
the Xenia High School in the class of 
1879. He then became connected with the 
mercantile interests of Xenia, where he 
]'esided until 1882, when he came to 
Springfield, opening his first store here 
on Main Street. Later he removed to his 
present location. No. 43 South Limestone 
Street, where he owns one of the leading 
business establishments of the city, deal- 
ing in hats and men's furnishings. He 
was not long in demonstrating to the pub- 
lic that he was worthy of their patronage. 
His business methods have long since es- 
tablished him as a merchant and citizen 



934 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



well known for liis integrity, and the 
"Hypes Store" is classed as one that has 
helped to build up Springfield commer- 
cially, 

Mr. H3T3es made his choice of political 
companionship in early manhood and has 
long been a leading factor in the Eepub- 
lican party in this section. In 1901 he was 
elected a member of the Seventy-Fifth 
General Assembly of Ohio and attended 
in the regular and extraordinary sessions 
of 1902, during the former serving as sec- 
retary of the committee on taxation; as 
chairman of the committee on public 
buildings and lands, and as a member of 
the committee on insurance. In the ex- 
traordinary session which was called to 
create a new code of laws for municipal 
government, Mr. Hypes was named by 
tlie speaker to serve on the special com- 
mittee to report a bill to tlie House. After 
serving witn ability through two sessions 
in the Ohio House of Eepresentatives, 
Mr. Hypes was twice unanimously nomi- 
nated for two successive terms in the 
Ohio State Senate, where he is now serv- 
ing to the public satisfaction. 

In 1889 Mr. Hypes was married to Jes- 
sie B. Johnson, who is a daughter of 
Richard and Dorothy Johnson, of Spring- 
field, and they have two children, Doro- 
thy and Douglas. With his family he be- 
longs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Mr. Hypes is a Knight Templar Mason, 
being past commander of Palestine Com- 
mandery, No. 33. He has been identified 
with many of the charitable and benevo- 
lent organizations of the city and has al- 
ways shown a deep interest in the Young- 
Men's Christian Association, being one 
of the directors of this body at Spring- 
field. He is a charter member of the 



Spring-field Commercial Club, and he has 
served on the directing board of the 
Springfield Board of Trade. 



THEODORE SWARTZBAIJGH, a well 
known and influential farmer of German 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, resides on 
a valuable farm of 100 acres located about 
eight miles northwest of Spring-field, on 
the Lawrenceville and Dialton Pike. He 
was born in that township August 6, 1851, 
and is a son of Samuel and Margaret 
(Klinefelter) Swartzbaugh. 

Our subject was reared in German 
Township and received a limited educa- 
tion in the common scliools. He early 
took to agricultural pursuits and has 
made this his life work. He labored in- 
dustriously and by good management and 
frugal living was able at an early age to 
become a property owner himself. In the 
early eighties he came to his present farm 
of 100 acres in German Township, and 
nearly all the improvements, including 
the large house and barn, have been made 
by him. He follows general farming, 
raising some stock, and has met with suc- 
cess. 

Mr. Swartzbaugh was in 1873 united in 
marriage with Alice Dibert, who was born 
in German Township, and is a daughter 
of David and Louisa (Shurr) Dibert. 
The following children were born to bless 
their union : Walter, who married Grace 
Hensbarger, has two children, Gladys and 
Lena; Samuel D., who married Nellie 
Morning-star, has a daughter, Helen Gert- 
rude; Vernon married Emma Baker and 
has two children, Daisy and Russell; Al- 
len lives at home with his parents ; Sarah 
is the wife of Claude Patton; Esther is 




MR. AND MRS. THEODORE SWARTZBAUGH 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



937 



residing at home ; and Clarney died at the 
early age of three years and nine months. 
Mr. Swartzbangh is a man of high stand- 
ing in his community and has many life- 
long friends, who hold him in high esteem 
as friend, neighbor and pnblic-spirited 
citizen. 



ANDEEW NICHELSON, a retired 
farmer, residing at South Charleston, has 
been a life-long resident of this county 
and owns a fine farm situated in Harmony 
Township and across the line in Madison 
County. He was born on the old home 
place in Harmony Township in 1835, and 
is a son of Andrew, Sr., and Rachel (Ham- 
mond) Nichelson. 

Andrew Nichelson, Sr., was born in 
Pennsylvania in 1803 and was three 
years of age when his parents came west 
to Ohio, locating in Harmony Township, 
on the Samuel Goodfellow farm, now 
owned by C. A. Snyder. Here Andrew 
grew to maturity, living the hardy pioneer 
life incident to that period. He was a 
man of extraordinary ability, and he and 
his faithful wife became the largest land- 
owners in the county. His wife, Rachel 
Hammond, was a native of New York 
state and a daughter of Calvin Hammond. 
They had eleven children, of whom five 
are still living, three sons and two daugh- 
ters. Mr. Nichelson died at the age of 
seventy-seven years. 

Andrew Nichelson, Jr., was reared on 
the home place and attended the old log 
schoolhouse of his home district. He 
farmed successfully and lived in Har- 
mony Township until 1902, when he re- 
tired from active business and moved to 
South Charleston, where he has one of the 



finest homes in the village. On November 
20, 1866, he was united in marriage with 
Sina Smith, who was born in Union Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a daughter of William 
Smith, who at one time was a resident of 
Clark County. The following children 
were born to bless this union : Augusta, 
Mrs. Charles C. Smith, of South Charles- 
ton; Charles, who farms the home place; 
and Nancy R., who lives at home with her 
parents. Politically Mr. Nichelson is a 
Republican. He is a member of the 
Christian Church. 

Charles C. Smith, son-in-law of Mr. 
Nichelson, is a retired farmer, residing 
in South Charleston, but owns a farm 
northwest of this village in Madison 
Township. He was born in that township 
June 13, 1855, a son of George and 
Eleanor (Chenoweth) Smith. His ma- 
ternal grandfather, Thomas Chenoweth, 
came from Virginia to Clark County, 
Ohio, at a very early date. George Smith 
was born in this county September 4, 
1812, and his death occurred in 1892. Mr. 
Smith has always followed farming. 

Charles Nichelson, son of Andrew 
Nichelson, was born on the home place 
in Harmony Township in 1873, and in his 
early days attended the district schools 
there. He subsequently attended Witten- 
berg College three years and Ohio State 
University one year. Upon leaving col- 
lege he returned home and turned his at- 
tention to farming, making a specialty of 
buying and shipping stock. He is a man 
of recognized business ability. In 1900 
Mr. Nichelson was appointed administra ■ 
tor and receiver of the John Nichelson 
estate, which he settled satisfactorily to 
all concerned, and upon the death of his 
uncle, John Smith, it was found he was 



938 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



named in the will as executor of that es- 
tate. It consisted of 1,400 acres of land 
and was encumbered, but Mr. Nicbelson 
set about his task with a will, cleared the 
indebtedness and then settled it with the 
utmost efficiency. After his discharge as 
executor he took up the management of 
his father's farm, which he continues at 
the present time. Politically he is a 
stanch Republican. 



ROBERT F. STAFFORD, a prominent 
citizen of New Carlisle, Clark County, 
Ohio, is the owner of a fine farm of 112 
acres in Pike Township, located two miles 
north of the village. He was born' in this 
county November 22, 1841, is a son, of 
George and Susan (McKinney) Stafford, 
and grandson of George and Catherine 
(Fair) Stafford. 

George Stafford, Sr., was a native of 
Ireland, and after coming to this country 
was mariied and located in Virginia, 
about the year 1790. He lived there about 
twenty years, in 1811 moving with his 
family to Clark County, Ohio, locating 
about three miles north of New Carlisle. 
He and his wife had eleven children: 
George, James, John, Ralph, Joseph, 
Findley, Elizabeth, Margaret, Ruth, Cath- 
erine and Susan. 

George Stafford, Jr., was born in Vir- 
ginia July 1, 1804, and was seven years 
old when his parents moved to Pike 
Township. Here he grew to maturity and 
engaged in farming throughout life. He 
died March 5, 1880. He married Susan 
McKinney in 1832, who was born Decem- 
ber 6, 1807, and died April 22, 1856, and 
they had three children : Abarilla, Samuel 
McKinney and Robert F. Abarilla, born 



February 6, 1833, married David Johns- 
ton November 22, 1865, who died March 
19, 1880. They had two children: Mary 
S., who is the wife of H. C. Coombs, and 
Julia E., who is the wife of M. G. Stafford. 
Samuel McKinney Stafford, bom August 
6, 1837, was married in 1874 to Elizabeth 
Service, who died April 28, 1905. 

Robert F. Stafford was educated in 
the district schools and Linden Hill 
Academy at New Carlisle, after which he 
turned his attention to farming, and also 
taught school during his younger days. 
He was first married in 1872 to Mary F. 
Black, and they had three children, as fol- 
lows: Wallace, boim in 1873, died in 
1876 ; Cora A., born July 6, 1877, married 
Rooney Jones, of Vienna; and Carlton 
J., born December 6, 1878, died November 
13, 1879. Mrs. Stafford was born in 1848 
and died September 29, 1880. 

Mr. Stafford formed a second martial 
union with Miss Jeanette C. Johnson, 
who was born in Clark County, Ohio, 
September 21, 1852, and is a daughter of 
Rev. E. Roger and Julia A. (Colton) 
Johnson. Her father was born June 4, 
1814, at Plainfield, Connecticut, and died 
in New Carlisle September 7, 1862. Her 
mother was born at Exeter, New Hamp- 
shire, July 25, 1818, and died January 15, 
1907. They wore married September 2, 
1842, and had five daughters : Laura L., 
born July 30, 1843, died January 31, 1854; 
Frances, born July 17, 1848, married Asa 
N. Mitchell, and they have had five chil- 
dren: Clifford, Burton J., one that died 
in infancy, Florence B. and Howard L. ; 
Emily W., born May 1, 1850, is the wife 
of Oliver M. Turner and has one child, 
Edith H. ; Jeannette ; and May A., born 
September 7, 1858, married William S. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



939 



Vail and has a son, Chester C. Rev. 
Johnson was a man of scholarly attain- 
ments, receiving his education in Bowdoin 
College, Maine, Lane Seminary and Ann 
Arbor, Michigan. His pastorate in the 
Presbyterian Church at New Carlisle be- 
gan in 1841 and lasted until 1862. He 
had the respect and esteem of all and had 
a wide acquaintance throughout this sec- 
tion of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford 
have one daughter, Nellie Johnson, who 
was born August 9, 1886, and is an in- 
structor in the schools at Medway, Ohio. 
They are devout members of the Presby- 
terian Church, at New Carlisle, in which 
he is an elder. 



J. W. PARMENTER,, president of the 
J. W. Parmenter Company, and also of 
the Ohio flarment Company, is one of 
Springfield's leading men of business and 
has been a resident here for some twenty 
years. He was born in 1859, in Wood 
County, Ohio. 

After completing his education in the 
local schools near his home Mr. Parmen- 
ter first became a clerk in a general store 
at Bowling Green, the county seat, and 
then went into a clothing business on his 
own responsibility. From Bowling 
Green he came to Cincinnati, in which city 
he was with the John Shilito Company 
until he came to Springfield. For about 
seven years following his location here 
he traveled for a suspender manufactur- 
ing house and then went into the business 
for himself, which he carried on for 
twelve years, developing it from a small 
concern until it grew to dimensions that 
required commodious quarters and the 
protection of incorporation. In 1904 Mr. 



Parmenter incorporated the J. W. Par- 
menter Company for the manufacture of 
men's suspenders and belts, and also the 
Ohio Garment Company, for the manu- 
facture of all kinds of men's cotton gar- 
ments. Mr. Parmenter requires 150 reg- 
ular employes and has eighteen men on 
the road who cover all the territory from 
Boston, Massachusetts, to Denever, Colo- 
rado. The responsibilities of these two 
enterprises are heavy, but Mr. Parmenter 
has others interests, including oil. 

In 1884 Mr. Parmenter was married to 
Delia M. Moore, who is a daughter of Dr. 
George W. Moore, of Springfield, and 
they have one child, Georgia, who is a 
student at Millbrook College, New York. 
Mr. Parmenter and family attend the 
Episcopal Church. He is a member of 
the Young Men's Christian Association, 
the Commercial, the Country and the La- 
gonda Club. 



HARLEY CRAIG, residing on his well 
improved farm of 110 acres, which is sit- 
uated in Section 1, Springfield Town- 
.ship, was born on what is locally known 
as the Mary Jane Layboum farm, in 
Spring-field Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, November 2, 1865. He is a son of 
William and Eliza (Hawkins) Craig. 
When he was two years old he lost his 
mother by death. His father then moved 
to the present farm, and was married 
(secondly) to Nancy McKinney. Of his 
first marriage twin sons were born, Har- 
ley and Harry, the latter of whom died in 
March, 1904, leaving a widow and three 
children. Of his second marriage Will- 
iam Craig had three children, namely: 
Owen, who is engaged in the drug busi- 



940 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ness at Springfield ; Fannie, wlio married 
Fred Severs ; and William, who lives with 
Ms widowed mootlier on the part of the 
William Craig farm which she owns, in 
the extreme southeastern part of Spring- 
field Township. 

The late William Craig was born in the 
home in which his son Harley lives, and 
almost the whole of his life was spent 
here or at Spring-field, where his last 
years were passed. His father was Eob- 
ert Craig and his grandfather was a sol- 
dier in the Eevolutionary War. William 
Craig was a leading citizen of his com- 
munity for many years, serving in town- 
ship offices on several occasions. He 
owned 160 acres of land. 

Harley and Harry Craig grew up to- 
gether on the home farm and attended 
the local schools. They owned eighty 
acres of land in partnership, and when 
Harry died Harley traded his share of 
that land for what he owns of the old 
home farm. He carries on a general line 
of agriculture. On Christmas Eve, 1889, 
Harley Craig was married to Louie 
Momingstar, who is a daughter of Chris- 
topher and Mary Morningstar. She was 
reared in Springfield Township, but her 
father now resides in Harmony Township. 
Mr. and Mrs. Craig have five children, 
namely: Daisy, Eutb, Allen and Edith 
and Edna, twins. 



NOETON VICTOE BOBO, who oper- 
ates the W. S. Snyder farm of 196 acres, 
which is located near the eastern line of 
Pike Township, comes of a family long 
established in Ohio, and his ancestors 
came to America from England at a very 
early day. He was born in Hardy County, 



West Virginia, in 1857, and is a son of 
Joseph and Lucinda (Eeed) Bobo, both 
natives of West Virginia. 

Joseph Bobo was born and reared in 
Hardy County, West Virginia, where he 
engaged for some time in farming. He 
married Lucinda Eeed, who died before 
the family came to Ohio, leaving four 
sons : Thomas, deceased, Norton Victor, 
Benjamin, deceased, and Joseph, residing 
in Delaware County, Ohio. About 1865 
the father brought his four sons to Ohio 
and settled at Columbus, where, during 
that same year, he was accidentally killed 
on the railroad. 

Norton Victor Bobo was about eight 
years old when he was brought from West 
Virginia to Ohio, and after the death of 
his father he went to live with his uncle, 
Jerry Bobo, who then resided on a farm 
near Xenia, from which he moved, one 
year later, to the John Allen farm, now 
known as the Kelly farm, a tract of 1,200 
acres located near Yellow Springs, Ohio. 
After living there several years Jerry 
Bobo moved to the John Allen farm, near 
Xenia, and later engaged in turnpike con- 
tracting. Norton V. Bobo worked for his 
uncle in that business until about eigh- 
teen years old. He went then to North 
Hampton, and was employed there for a 
short time on a farm, after which he ob- 
tained work in Mr. Myers' wheel factory, 
at Dialton, where he remained for seven 
years. After his marriage he worked at 
the carpenter and plastering trades at 
North Hampton until he secured the 
contract to carry mail from Dialton to 
Springfield, when he located in the former 
place and was mail carrier for eight 
years. He then rented his present farm 
from W. S. Snyder, where he has since 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



941 



been successfully carrying on farming in 
a general way, and also raising cattle and 
hogs. Mr. Bobo owns two town lots in 
North Hampton, which he purchased 
from the Zinn heirs, and on this prop- 
erty he has erected a large ten-i1oom 
frame house. He is financially interested 
in the North Hampton Horse Company. 

On December 5, 1878, Mr. Bobo was 
married to Anna Lehmon, a daughter of 
Christian Lehmon, and to them have been 
born six children, as follows: Elsie J.; 
Wilham, Harry, Emma D., Mary E., and 
Glendon. Harry married Nellie Hart- 
man, and they have one child, Charles 
Willard. In politics Mr. Bobo is a Demo- 
crat and has served two years on the 
School Board. He is a member of White 
Star Lodge, No. 292, Knights of Pythias, 
of North Hampton, in which he has passed 
all the chairs. 



JOSEPH SULTZBACH and wife, 
owners of 395 acres of fine farming land, 
176 acres of which are located in Bethel 
Township, and the rest in Pike Township, 
was born in York County, Pennsylvania, 
December 11, 1836, and is a son of Jo- 
seph and Catherine (Longnecker) Sultz- 
bach. 

The great-grandfather of Joseph Sultz- 
bach came to his country from Germany 
and resided here until his death, at the 
age of 108 years. He had three children : 
Henry, the next to the oldest, - and the 
grandfather of Joseph Sultzbach, was 
born in York County, Pennsylvania, 
where he engaged in general farming in 
connection with operating a tannery at 
Yorktown, and one at Marietta, Pennsyl- 

50 



vania. Notwithstanding the fact that his 
older brother inherited his father's es- 
tate, Henry Sultzbach died aged eighty- 
five years, a man of means. Mr. Sultz- 
bach was married to Mary Mumaugh, 
who died aged eighty-five years and five 
months. They reared a family of seven 
children: John; Henry; Jacob; Joseph, 
Frederick; Mary, and Elizabeth, the lat- 
ter of whom died aged ninety-two years. 
Mary and Joseph were the only members 
of the family to locate in Ohio, coming 
here in the spring of 1854, first locating 
at Eagle City, Clark County, and then 
moving, in 1855, to the Sultzbach farm, 
which is located on the Urbana Pike, two 
and one-half miles north of Springfield. 
The Sultzbach family were among the 
first settlers of York County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and Joseph Sultzbach still has in 
his possession some Continental currency 
which was a part of the old Sultzbach 
fortune. 

Joseph. Sultzbach (1), father of Jo- 
seph (2) was a general farmer. He re- 
mained in Clark County until his death, 
April 30, 1886, aged seventy-four years. 
He was married in Pennsylvania to Cath- 
erine Longnecker, who died December 19, 
1892, at the age of eighty-one years. To 
them were born : Elizabeth ; Henry, who 
is a resident of Kansas ; Joseph ; Amanda, 
who married S. Markwood and lives in 
Washington; Franklin, who resides at 
Springfield; Webster, who died in 1905; 
Catherine, who married M. McClain; Hy- 
man, who is a resident of Colorado ; Anna, 
who married John Humbarger, of Mad 
River Township ; Alvin, deceased ; Byron, 
deceased; George, who lives in Clark 
County; and Howard, also of Clark 
County. With the exception of Howard 



942 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



all of the children were born in Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Joseph Sultzbach, Jr., came to Ohio in 
1854, since which time he has been en- 
gaged in general farming and cattle-rais- 
ing. The land now owned by him was 
originally a swampy wilderness and re- 
quired a great amount of labor to bring it 
to its present excellent state of cultiva- 
tion. Mr. Sultzbach resides on his farm 
of 176 acres, his son, Elmer, having 
charge of his other land. The conunodi- 
ous and substantial buildings on the 
farms have all been erected by Mr. Sultz- 
bach and compare favorably with any in 
this section. 

January 22, 1863, Mr. Sultzbach was 
united in marriage with Margaret Deit- 
rick, a daughter of John and Mary 
(Sence) Deitrick, and to them were born 
two children: Elmer B., who married 
Elizabeth Rowlands, has one child, Roy; 
and Cora, who married Henry Mauck, re- 
sides in Medway, and has one child, El- 
mer. Mr. Sultzbach is a member of the 
German Baptist Church. Politically he is 
a Republican. 



DR. JOHN LUDLOW, for many years 
president of the Springfield Bank, and 
proprietor of the pioneer drug store in 
this city, was long numbered with the 
substantial and representative men of 
Clark County. He was born in this 
county December 9, 1810, his father, 
Cooper Ludlow, having settled here when 
he came to the State as a pioneer from 
New Jersey. 

Dr. Ludlow was educated at Cincinnati 



to be a pharmacist, and prior to 1851 he 
had become sole proprietor of the only 
drug store at Springfield, with which he 
was connected for a number of years. He 
was one of the early promoters of the 
Springfield Bank, and from its board of 
directors was chosen its president on the 
death of Judge Oliver Clark. He was 
deeply interested in the progress and 
growth of Springfield and was noted for 
his public spirit. He was one of the 
founders of Ferncliff Cemetery, where his 
dust now rests. 

On August 31, 1835, Dr. Ludlow was 
married to Elmina Getman, who came 
from an old family of Herkimer County, 
New York. Of this union there were three 
children, namely : Ellen, who is the widow 
of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; Fred- 
erick G., who died January 18, 1906, and 
who was for many years a resident of 
Los Angeles, California; and Charles, 
for many years a prominent druggist and 
business man of Spring-field, who is re- 
cently deceased. 

For more than forty years Dr. Ludlow 
was a valued and active member of Christ 
Episcopal Church, at Springfield, of 
which he was one of the founders, and 
served as senior warden for many years. 
He was also a liberal supporter of its 
various charities. He was a man of ex- 
emplary life and sterling character who 
had at heart the cause of true religion and 
the spread of Christian truth, and for 
fourteen j^ears he sei'ved as treasurer of 
the Clark County Bible Society. He may 
surely be counted among those who might 
expect to hear the Divine eulogium, "Well 
done, good and faithful sei^vant; enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord." 




JOHN T. RICKS 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



945 



JOHN T. EICKS, president and treas- 
urer of The Eeama Silver Plating Com- 
pany, at Springfield, has proven himself, 
during his residence here of thirty-three 
years, to be a citizen of public spirit and 
personal integrity. He was born at West 
Liberty, Logan County, Ohio, in 1853, and 
remained there through a portion of his 
period of education. 

Mr. Eicks was twenty-two years old 
when he came to Springfield, in 1875, and 
entered into the service of the old C, S. 
& C. Eailroad and Pennsylvania & Pan- 
handle Eailroad, and he continued in rail- 
road work for eight years. Following 
this he was connected with the Springfield 
Malleable Iron Company and other like 
industries, for about twenty years. On 
January 22, 1907, The Eeama Silver Plat- 
ing Company was organized and incor- 
porated, and of this Mr. Eicks became 
president and treasurer, giving his main 
attention to this business, atlhough he is 
also identified with other concerns. He 
has taken an active interest in politics, 
and during 1896-7 he was councilman-at- 
large and a very valuable member of that 
body. 

In 1883 Mr. Eicks was married to Sarah 
A. Hall, who is a daughter of James W. 
Hall. They have one daughter, Sarah 
Elizabeth. Mr. Eicks is a member of the 
Second Presbyterian Church and has 
served on its board of trustees. Fra- 
ternally he is a Knight Templar Mason, 
and he belongs to the Springfield Com- 
mercial Club. 



CHAELES ADDISON YOUNG, who 
has a fine farm of 265 acres in Mad Eiver 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, is travel- 



ing representative of the Peters Cart- 
ridge Company of Cincinnati, and is 
famed throughout the United States and 
Canada as a champion gun shot. In 1893, 
in competition with the world's greatest 
marksmen at Detroit, Michigan, he won 
the championship of the United States 
and Canada at artificial targets, breaking 
99 of a possible 100 birds. In 1904 he 
won the live bird championship of the 
United States and Canada, killing 124 out 
of a possible 125 pigeons. In addition he 
has won numerous medals and cups in 
competition in different parts of the 
country. 

Mr. Young was born in Frederick 
County, Maryland, September 10, 1866, 
and is a son of William A. and Sophia E. 
(Strawsburg) Young, the former a native 
of Frederick County, Maryland, and the 
latter of Washington County, Maryland. 
In 1866 William A. Young, with his wife 
and only child, our subject, came to Ohio, 
first stopping at Vandalia a short time 
and thence going to Mad Eiver Township, 
Clark County, where they rented of Susan 
Funderburg a part of the farm Charles 
A. Young now lives upon. He had farmed 
up to this time, but subsequently engaged 
in the agricultural implement business at 
Spring-field, going back and forth between 
his farm and store each day. He was 
quite successful and continued thus occu- 
pied until his death, in 1899, at the age of 
fifty-two years. Mrs. Young, after the de- 
mise of her husband, carried on the busi- 
ness in partnership with her son, under 
the name and style of Yoimg & Young, 
and still resides on the old home place. 

Charles A. Young was six months of 
age when brought by his parents to Clark 
County. He was reared on the home farm. 



946 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and after completing the prescribed course 
of study in the district school, was a stu- 
dent for some time at Nelson's Business 
College, Springfield. He then became 
identified with his father in the agricul- 
tural implement business as Young & Son, 
and later with his mother as Young & 
Young, continuing in the business for 
thirteen years. In his boyhood he took 
great delight in shooting, being naturally 
a good marksman. His enthusiasm and 
persistence developed him into an expert, 
and his success at the traps attracted the 
attention of the manufacturers. He ac- 
cepted a position as demonstrator with 
the Baker Arms Company, of Batavia, 
New York, remaining with them three 
years. He was then with the Robin Hood 
Powder Company, of Swanton, Vermont, 
two years, and since 1904 has been con- 
nected with the Peters Arms Company, of 
Cincinnati, Ohio. He has given exhibi- 
tions of shooting in every town of any im- 
portance in the United States, and in the 
larger towns and cities of Canada, work- 
ing in the South during the winter 
months, and in the North during the sum- 
mer. Of the 265 acres owned by Mr. 
Young, his first purchase was the David 
Funderburg place of 100 acres, of which 
the old home place forms a part, and on 
which is located "Enon Mound." The 
remainder of his farm is made up of the 
R. L. Miller, Eliza Haines and John 
Harshman places, which he purchased at 
different times. He built his present com- 
modious residence, which is on the north 
side of the Dayton Pike, seven miles west 
of Springfield, and many other substan- 
tial improvements. 

In March, 1888, Mr. Young married Ida 
May "Winget, a daughter of Daniel and 



Minerva (Albin) Winget, both natives of 
Clark County, Ohio. Squire Winget lives 
at Enon and has served as Justice of the 
Peace for many years. Four children 
were born of this union: Chella Fern, 
Thurl, Reba, and RoUa. Fraternally Mr. 
Young is a member of Lodge No. 51, B. 
P. 0. E. ; Tribe No. 711, Knights of Abel, 
at New Haven, Connecticut; and also of 
an order for marksmen known as ' ' Indian 
Lodge," its membership being limited to 
seventy in the United States. 



EDWIN M, BAIRD, one of the well 
known and highly respected retired farm- 
ers of South Charleston, was born in Feb- 
ruary, 1864, in Harmony Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel E. 
and Mary (Bonner) Baird, and a grand- 
son of William D. Baird. 

Wilham D. Baird, a native of Ken- 
tucky, was born in 1803, and in 1807 was 
brought to Clark County, Ohio, by his par- 
ents, who settled on Beaver Creek, in 
Harmony Township. Here he spent his 
entire life engaged in farming, and be- 
came possessed of large landed interests. 
He married Sarah Hodge of Harmony 
Township, whose parents accompanied 
the Baird family from Kentucky in 1807, 
but located on Sinking Creek, in Pleasant 
Township. William D. Baird and wife 
reared a family of seven children, all of 
whom are now deceased. 

Samuel E., the second eldest and father 
of Edwin, was born in 1832, in Harmony 
Township, wh'ere he spent his entire life. 
He was united in marriage with Mary 
Bonner, a daughter of Matthew and Ann 
(Roberts) Bonner, the former of whom 
was bom in 1799 and came to Clark 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



947 



County in 1830. He was a large land- 
owner and a surveyor of considerable 
prominence. Three children were born 
to Samuel and Mary Baird: Edwin M., 
Prank, and Mary. 

Edwin M. Baird was reared on his fath- 
er 's farm, receiving his education at Lon- 
don and Yellow Springs, Ohio, after which 
he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and 
with the exception of fourteen years spent 
in London, Madison County, has always 
been a resident of Clark County. Besides 
owning valuable farm land in this county, 
he owns also his fine residence property 
in South Charleston, where he is now liv- 
ing in retirement. He was married in 
1891 to Annette Emery, a daughter of 
Benjamin Emery, and has one child, 
Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Baird attend the 
Presbyterian Church of South Charles- 
ton. He is fraternally affiliated with the 
Masons and Elks. Politically he is a Ee- 
publican. 



CHAELES LUDLOW, whose recent 
passing away deprives Springfield of one 
of her early residents and most reputa- 
ble business men, was a native son, born 
in Springfield February 3, 1842, son of 
Dr. John and Elmina (Gretman) Ludlow. 
He was a grandson, on the paternal side, 
of Cooper Ludlow, who came to Ohio as a 
pioneer from the State of New Jersey. 

Dr. John Ludlow, the father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, learned in Cincinnati 
the trade of druggist, which he followed 
in Springfield for many years, prior to 
1851 being proprietor of the first and only 
drug store here. He was one of the pro- 
moters and for some time president of the 
Springfield Bank, and was one of the 



founders of the Ferncliff Cemetery, and 
in many ways helped to advance the ma- 
terial prosperity of the city. By his wife, 
Elmina, who came from an old family of 
Herkimer County, New York, he was the 
father of three children : Ellen, who is the 
widow of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; 
Frederick G., who died January 18, 1906, 
after having been for a number of years 
a resident of Los Angeles, California; and 
Charles, whose name appears at the head 
of this article. 

Charles Ludlow, the date of whose na- 
tivity has been already given, was reared 
and educated in the city of Spring-field, 
Ohio. Under his father's supervision he 
learned the drug business, and on the 
death of Dr. Ludlow, succeeded to the lat- 
ter 's interests. This pioneer drug store, 
with which Mr. Ludlow was connected for 
over fifty years, was situated on East 
Main Street, near Limestone Street. Here 
Mr. Ludlow conducted a prosperous drug 
business from 1865 to 1896, and during 
much of this time was also associated in 
business enterprises with his brother-in- 
law, the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell, of 
Ohio. A few years ago he practically re- 
tired from all active business enterprises, 
except that he remained interested with 
his son, Frederick B., in a pine-apple 
plantation in Florida. Shortly previous 
to embarking in this enterprise he was en- 
gaged for some time in a wholesale oil 
business, which he gave up on account of 
ill health. In 1905 Mr. Ludlow received 
a warning of his approaching end in a 
stroke of paralysis, which was afterwards 
followed by a nervous breakdown which 
resulted finally in his death. 

Mr. Ludlow was a Civil War veteran, 
and he also belonged to the Society known 



948 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



as the Sons of the Eevolution, ancestors 
of his having taken part in the war that 
delivered this country from British rule. 
He was also a member of the Ohio Phar- 
macy Society. Though he never took any 
active part in politics, he was a stanch 
Republican and a warm supporter of 
every movement calculated to advance the 
moral or material interests of Spring-field. 
The Ferncliff Cemetery Association, his 
father's connection with which has been 
already noticed, always received his cor- 
dial support. Like his father, also he was 
a member and vestryman of Christ Epis- 
copal Church, to which all the members 
of the family belong. 

Mr. Ludlow married Ella R. Spencer, 
who is a daughter of Richard S. Spencer, 
formerly a prominent citizen of Spring- 
field. Of this union there are three chil- 
dren: Frederick B., now a resident of 
Caxambas, Florida, where, as already in- 
timated, he is engaged in pine-apple cul- 
ture ; Eleanor S., who married J. B. Pau- 
ley, of Chicago; and Charles R., who is 
associated with the First National Bank, 
and who married Nellie HoUenbeck. 



CONRAD KAPPENBERGER, a gen- 
eral farmer and representative citizen of 
Grerman Township, residing on his fine 
farm of 149 acres, which is situated on the 
Troy Turnpike Road, about six miles 
northwest of Springfield, was born Sep- 
tember 18, 1848, in Germany. His par- 
ents were Philip and Elizabeth (Fetter) 
Kappenberger. 

Mr. Kappenberger was sixteen years of 
age when he came to America, making the 
voyage alone and proving his courage 
thereby, for it was not an easy matter to 



take up life among strangers, with a new 
language to learn and new conditions and 
customs to get accustomed to. Mr. Kap- 
penberger came to Springfield Township 
and learned the blacksmith's trade, at 
Sugar Grove Hill. He worked at it for 
two years and then began farm work, and 
later went to work in the Hoakem stone 
quarry, where he was employed for six- 
teen years. In 1888 he bought sixty 
acres of his present farm and moved on to 
it, and subsequently purchased fifty- 
eight acres more, still later adding thirty 
additional acres. This land is kept in fine 
condition and Mr. Kappenberger is one 
of the most successful farmers and stock- 
raisers of the township. 

When twenty-three years of age Mr. 
Kappenberger was married to Barbara 
Shaffer, who died after the birth of two 
children, namely: Kate, who married 
Michael Rader; and George. Mr. Kap- 
penberger was married (secondly) to 
Anna Grube, and they have six children, 
namely : Ida, who married Edward Fred- 
erick, and has two children — Ralph and 
Savilla; Elizabeth, who married Willis 
Stickle; Effie, who married George Gwin, 
and has one child, Floyd; and Philip, 
John and Maggie. Mr. Kappenberger and 
family belong to St. John's Lutheran 
Church. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow. 



WILLIAM TROXELL, in former 
years a well knoAvn and prosperous farm- 
er, of Harmony Township, Clark County, 
was born in Augusta County, Virginia, 
December 16, 1816, son of George and 
Elizabeth (Miller) Troxell. His paternal 
grandfather was Peter Troxell, of Penn- 
sylvania, who was of German descent and 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



949 



who married Rachel Chambers, a native 
of Chambersbnrg, Maryland. Peter and 
his wife were the parents of ten children, 
of whom George, the father of the sub- 
ject, was the second in order of birth. 
Peter Trosell was a Revolutionary sol- 
dier. He removed to Augusta County, 
Virginia, soon after his marriage, and 
there he and his wife spent the rest of 
their days. 

George Trosell was born in Augusta 
County, in the Old Dominion, and was 
there reared to maturity. He married 
Elizabeth Miller, of that county, whose 
father, Adam Miller, was a native of Ger- 
many, who had settled in Virginia. George 
fought against the British in the War of 
1812. He and his wife were the parents 
of seven children : Daniel, Andrew, John, 
William, Hettie, Eli and Elizabeth. 

William Troxell, the date of whose 
birth has been already given, was reared 
on the farm and trained to agricultural 
pursuits. His boyhood, however, was 
spent among strangers, and he received 
at dilTerent times for his services all the 
way from $1.50 to $8.00 per month. His 
opportunities for obtaining an education 
were very limited, especially in his earlier 
years. When twenty years old he accom- 
panied his brother Daniel to Ohio and re- 
sided for about a year in Pike Township, 
Clark County, In 1837 he removed to 
Harmony Township, where he worked on 
a farm. Here he had a chance to attend 
school, which he did for about four years. 
In 1846 he went to Illinois, where he 
bought 160 acres of land, then returning 
to Ohio. 

In February, 1847, he married Mrs. 
Margaret Brooks, who was born in On- 
tario County, New York, June 6, 1800, 



and who was a daughter of Nathan Ham- 
mond, a pioneer of Clark County, Ohio. 
Mr. Troxell had worked as a farm hand 
on his wife's farm, and after his marriage 
he settled permanently on the property, 
of which he subsequently became the own- 
er by buying out the heirs. His wife died 
July 26, 1873, and on July 28, 1874, he • 
contracted a second marriage, with Dora 
V. Shryack, a daughter of John and Ma- 
tilda Shryack, of Clark County. She was 
born in Harmony Township, January 18, 
1849, and has here resided all her life. 
Her father, John Shryack, was born in 
Urbana, Ohio, in 1816, and in after life 
became a resident of Clark County, where 
he died in 1896. His wife, Matilda, was 
born in 1822 and is still living. They 
were the parents of ten children, namely: 
Elder J., Jane, Charles, John, Dora V., 
George, William, Alfaretta, Robert and 
Ruric N. Charles and John died in in- 
fancy. George died in Africa in 1895, he 
being engaged in mining in that part of 
the world. The others are still living. 

After his second marriage Mr. Troxell 
continued to carry on the farm, and was 
very successful, both in that respect and 
in acquiring agricultural property. When 
he came to Clark County his sole capital 
Avas $25.00, but he succeeded in accumu- 
lating 550 acres of land, besides paying 
over $15,000 as security debts. He and 
his step-son, Andrew Brooks, did an ex- 
tensive business as stock dealers and 
shippers, being thus engaged for about 
tAvelve years. He was a man of strictly 
temperate habits and was universally re- 
spected. He was a Republican in politics 
and served as township trustee for ten 
years, and as school director for a num- 
ber of years, filling both offices with abil- 



950 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



ity. He was also road supervisor for 
twelve years and constructed the road on 
whicli his farm is situated. He was a con- 
sistent member of the Christian Church, 
as are the surviving members of his fam- 
ily, and when he died the community lost 
a good man and a useful, public-spirited 
citizen. 

By his second wife, Dora, who survives 
him and who is now residing on the farm, 
Mr. Trosell had six children, whose rec- 
ord, in brief, is as follows : Pearl C, 
born in 1875, married Bruce Cruickshank, 
and is now residing in New Mexico. She 
has had one child, Glanville T., who was 
born September 8, 1904, and died Feb- 
ruary 18, 1908. George W., born Septem- 
ber 29, 1877, died in 1894. Jessie M., 
born April 28, 1880, married Charles 
Mitseh, and resides in Harmony Town- 
ship. She has two children, Dora and 
Charles B. Virginia J., born in 1882, is 
the wife of Clarence Laybourn, and is a 
resident of Clark County. Her two chil- 
dren are named, respectively, Troxell and 
Elizabeth. William P., born March 18, 
1 886, resides at home with his mother and 
assists in the management of the farm. 
Paul E., born October 8, 1887, also resides 
at home, and is occupied with the work of 
the farm. Mr. Troxell died May 14, 188^ 
Mrs. Troxell has two of her children still 
with her, and all but one residing within 
easy distance. The farm on which she 
liA^es consists of 320 acres, and there are 
besides 140 acres owned by her children, 
and 140 acres that were purchased from 
the widow Bennett, all in Harmony 
Township, The property is in a high 
state of cultivation and Mrs. Troxell is 
numbered among the prosperous resi- 
dents of the Township, as she is also one 



of the best known and most popular. Her 
popularity is shared by her children, who 
are all worthy members of the respective 
communities in which they reside. 



JOHN S. PROSSEE, whose fine farm 
of over 128 acres is situated La Section 13, 
Moorefield Township, was born in Mon- 
mouthshire, England, February 18, 1868, 
and is a son of George and Esther 
(Evans) Prosser. The parents of Mr. 
Prosser came to America in 1880 and set- 
tled at Springfield, where the father was 
engaged for a short time in a brick busi- 
ness in partnership with a Mr. White, but 
later went into market gardening in 
Springfield Township. He was born in 
Monmouthshire, England, November 11, 
1840, and died in Ohio, October 6, 1887. 
His four children were: John, Stephen, 
George, Thomas, Hall and William. 

John S. Prosser was twelve years old 
when his parents came to Clark County. 
Here, after completing his education, he 
engaged in dairying, and later in general 
farming, together with dairying and rais- 
ing Duroc Jersey hogs. February 28, 
1894, Mr. Prosser married Edith Hol- 
comb, daughter of a prominent and old 
time Clark County settler. They have 
three sons, namely: George Holcomb, 
John Evans and Arthur Jennings. After 
marriage Mr. and Mrs. Prosser settled on 
the W. S. Thompson farm on North Lime- 
stone Street, where they lived for eighteen 
months, moving thence to the Peter Sintz 
farm on the National Road, and three 
years later to the present farm, which Mr. 
Prosser had bought in 1898. He keeps 
about thirty cows and sells his milk by 
wholesale. Mr. Prosser is a Republican 





RESIDENCE AND BARN OF FRANK HADDIX, MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



953 



politically. He is an active, respected cit- 
izen and is numbered with the representa- 
tive men of this section. 



FRANK HADDIX, owner of 133 acres 
of fine land situated in Mad River Town- 
shop, one mile east of Osborn, was born 
on his present farm January 20, 1863, and 
is a son of George and Harriet (Casead) 
Haddix. 

John Haddix, the grandfather of our 
subject, was born in Virginia and came to 
Ohio with his parents at the age of 
twelve years. They entered the present 
Haddix estate from the government and 
here John spent his active life, retiring in 
his old age to Osborn, where he died aged 
ninety-four years. He was married to 
Sarah Cox, whose father, John Cox, was 
an early settler of this section, and who 
originally came from Virginia. John and 
Sarah Haddix had seven children, among 
them George, the father of our subject, 
who was the youngest member of the 
family. 

George Haddix was born on the farm 
now owned by his son Frank and resided 
here all his life, with the exception of 
seven years spent in Indiana, where his 
father had a farm. On this farm he op- 
erated a saw and grist-mill and also bred 
cattle. He was married to Harriet Cas- 
ead, who was born in Fairfield, Ohio, and 
upon leaving Indiana returned to Clark 
County, Ohio, where the rest of their lives 
were spent. Mr. Haddix died in 1892, 
aged sixty-four years. He is survived by 
his wife, who resides near her son Frank. 
They had nine children, as follows: 
Belle, who married F. Thayers, now de- 
ceased; Martin; John, who died young; 



Lillian, who married Joseph Nadin; 
Emma, now deceased, who married Ed- 
ward Williamson, also deceased ; Charles ; 
Frank, subject of this sketch; Jennie, 
who died young; and George, also de- 
ceased. 

Frank Haddix received his education in 
the district schools and has always made 
farming his occupation. He worked on 
his grandfather's farm imtil his marriage 
and after his father's death bought out 
the other heirs. He named the place 
"Hillside Stock Farm," and all the sub- 
stantial buildings have been erected by 
him. He keeps the farm well stocked and 
during the winter feeds from twenty-five 
to forty head of cattle. 

Mr. Haddix was married in February, 
1885, to Lamella Gephart, who was born 
in Montgomery County, Ohio, a daughter 
of Michael and Rachel (Wadoner) Gep- 
hart. Seven children have been born of 
this union, namely: Josephine, William, 
Guy, Clifford, Robert, Harvey and Thel- 
ma. Politicallj^ Mr. Haddix is a Repub- 
lican. 



GEORGE SHELLABARGER, whose 
144 acres of fine, fertile land in German 
Township is divided into a tract of 100 
acres lying on the division road separat- 
ing German and Pike Townships and an- 
other tract of forty-four acres one mile 
north of the residence farm, is one of the 
well known and substantial men of this 
section. He was born October 27, 1853, 
in Spring-field Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth 
(Littlejohn) Shellabarger. 

Isaac Shellabarger was born in Penn- 
sylvania and was twelve years old when 



954 



mSTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



he accompanied his father, John Shella- 
barger, to Bethel Township, Clark Coun- 
ty, where he was reared. In early man- 
hood he married Elizabeth Littlejohn, who 
was born in Virginia and was brought to 
Clark County in girlhood. They had 
three children, namely: George; Mary, 
who married Ezra Heck; and Amanda, 
who died aged four years. 

George Shellabarger was a school boy 
when his parents moved to a farm near 
Osborn, Montgomery County, Ohio, where 
they lived for eight years, and he was 
thirteen years old when they came to the 
present farm, which has been his home 
ever since. The father built the house 
and farm buildings, but Mr. Shellabarger 
has made all the excellent improvements 
and has reason to take pride in his fine 
home. He is a practical, up-to-date farm- 
er and successfully raises grain and ex- 
cellent stock. The property has been his 
since the death of his father, in 1903, the 
latter being aged eighty-one years. The 
mother died in March, 1867. 

Mr. Shellabarger married Ella Baker, 
who is the daughter of Joseph Baker, and 
they have two children, Mildred and 
Noah. Mr. Shellabarger takes a good cit- 
izen's interest in public affairs relating 
to his neighborhood, but his main interest 
has always been centered in his home and 
family. 



JOHN WILLIAM COLLIER, a well 
known agriculturist of Mad Eiver Town- 
ship, residing on a farm of 149 acres, situ- 
ated in the southeastern part of Section 
17, was born on his present farm October 
24, 1854, and is a son of John and Matilda 
(Husted) Collier. 



Thomas Collier, his grandfather, came 
to this country from Ireland when six- 
teen years of age with two brothers, who 
were ship carpenters by trade. Shortly 
after arriving here he was discarded by 
his brothers because of religious differ- 
ences, and was subsequently imprisoned 
in New Jersey for debt. After coming 
to Ohio he earned money which enabled 
him to return to New Jersey and pay his 
debts. Thomas first located in Mad River 
Township, Clark County, and twice each 
year walked to Cincinnati to attend Mass, 
but later he became a Presbyterian and 
assisted in building the Mud Run Pres- 
byterian Church, which has since been 
torn down. Thomas Collier was the fath- 
er of seven children: Richard, Thomas, 
William, John, father of our subject, 
James, Charlotte, wife of Jacob Martin, 
and Fannie, who married John Hagan, 
all of whom are now deceased. 

John Collier, father of John William, 
was born in Mad River Township, on 
what was then the old Robert Love farm, 
now known as the John Drake place. He 
was reared on this farm and became a 
blacksmith by trade. His father had 
willed the farm to his brother Richard, 
who was to have each son taught a trade. 
He continued on the farm three years, 
from his eighteenth to his twenty-first 
year, after which he learned the black- 
smith's trade, at which he worked all his 
life, conducting a shop of his own. At the 
time of his marriage he owned nothing, 
and was married in a borrowed shirt. He 
subsequently became the owner of two 
fine farm.s, one of 345 acres in Illinois 
and one of 114 acres in Mad River Town- 
ship. At one time his shop burned down 
leaving him with nothing but a "pair of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, 



955 



willing hands." He then had the pat- 
ronage of such men as Stephen Willson, 
Jacob Athey, Lem Van Meter, etc., all of 
whom were historic characters of Clark 
County. They came to his assistance, 
each giving him ten dollars, which was to 
be returned when he found himself in bet- 
ter circumstances. They were all paid 
with interest, and in 1852 he purchased 
from his father-in-law, Joseph Husted, 
some farming land, which now forms part 
of the present farm of the subject of this 
sketch. lie then returned to Mud Run, 
bought the old Drake farm and operated 
a saw-mill and blacksmith shop until his 
death in 1884, when he was aged seventy- 
four years. He married Matilda Husted, 
who was born in a log house on John Col- 
lier's present farm and who died in 1887. 
John and Matilda Collier became the par- 
ents of fourteen children, nine of whom 
died when young. Those living are: 
Hanna Ann (Mrs. E. Plohre), Joseph C, 
Andrew J., Charlotte Frances and John 
William. 

J. William Collier was born on his pres- 
ent farm, where the greater part of his life 
has been spent. He conducted it for his 
father until 1873, when he went west for 
one year, returning home in 1875, after 
which he engaged in farming, his sister 
acting as housekeeper for him. Mr. Col- 
lier also spent some years at blacksmith- 
ing and after the death of his mother 
bought his farm from the heirs. 

Mr. Collier was married in August, 
1876, to Rebecca May, a daughter of Ben- 
jamin and Elizabeth Maj'', and of this 
union have been born seven children — 
one child for each day of the week, and 
each born on that day. They were as fol- 
lows: Matilda Josephine; John Folger, 



who died in 1906; Gilbert; May, wife of 
Jacob Hilt, who has one child, Karl; 
Nina, wife of H. Holsapple; Hazel; and 
Harry. 

Mr. Collier has been a member of the 
school board for the past thirty years and 
is fraternally associated with the Knights 
of Pythias, the P. of H., and the I. 0. 0. J^\ 



JOHN W. PARSONS, superintendent 
of the Ohio Masonic Home, of Spring- 
field, and a native and life-long resident 
of Springfield, was born in 1838, a son of 
Israel and Ann C. (Cos) Parsons. 

Israel Parsons was born in 1799 in 
Frederick County, Maryland, and in 1830 
emigrated to Springfield, where he was 
engaged in general contracting during his 
active career, and died in 1883. 

John W. Parsons was reared in Spring- 
field, and his educational training was re- 
ceived in the public schools of this city. 
Early in life he learned telegraphy, at 
which he worked for a period of twenty- 
nine years, being for eighteen years man- 
ager of the Western Union Telegraph 
Company, of Springfield, Ohio. He 
served two years as telegraph operator in 
the United States Military Telegraph 
Corps in the Army of the Potomac, and 
has in his possession many original tele- 
grams of General George B. McClellan 
and other military officers of high rank. 

In 1876 Mr. Parsons was elected treas- 
urer of Clark County, and two years later 
he was again elected to the same position. 
He has served all together four terms in 
this office, as he was elected to it again in 
1884, serving two consecutive terms, the 
last of which expired in 1888. During 
1891-2 he served as a member of the board 



956 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of public affairs and was one of the most 
active and prominent members of tbat 
body. Three years later, in 1895, he was 
elected superintendent of the Ohio Ma- 
sonic Home, in which capacity he is still 
serving very efficiently. Mr. Parsons is a 
man of public spirit and enterprise and 
has always taken an interest in all mat- 
ters pertaining to the advancement of the 
county. Politically he is a Republican 
and has served as chairman of the Re- 
publican central committee. 

Mr. Parsons was united in marriage in 
1867 to Miss Lida Enoch and they have 
two children: Jessie M. and Orrin L., 
who lives in Indian Territory. Fra- 
ternally Mr. Parsons is a Mason, having 
attained the thirty- third degree, which he 
took in 1887 in Providence, R. I. He is a 
member of St. Paul Methodist Episcopal 
Church, of Springfield. 



JOHN HENRY KOBELANZ, residing 
on a well improved farm of 160 acres, sit- 
uated in Springfield Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, was born March 15, 1839, in 
Springfield, Ohio, and is a son of Fred- 
erick and Margaret (Duhme) Kobelanz. 

Frederick Kobelanz was a native of 
Hanover, Germany, and his father, who 
was born in Poland, was an officer in the 
German Army. Frederick Kobelanz was 
married in Germany, and in 1834 he and 
his wife came to America. They located 
at Buffalo, New York, for a time, after 
which they came to Spring-field. Fred- 
erick then went down the Ohio River and 
obtained employment on a steam-boat for 
a while and after he returned to Spring- 
field he was engaged in the lime and stone 
business on North Market Street. Mr. 



Kobelanz subsequently moved to the farm 
on which his son, John Henry, now re- 
sides, and he built the brick house, which 
is stil] on the place. Here he died, aged 
eighty-two years. His wife died in 
August, 1864. 

John H. Kobelanz was a small boy 
when his parents moved to his present 
farm and here he was reared, and he at- 
tended the country schools. He was mar- 
ried to Anna Maria Snyder, a daughter of 
Abraham Snyder, of York County, Penn- 
sylvania. Mrs. Kobelanz came to Clark 
County in 1861. Five children have been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Kobelanz: Elva 
May, who married Peter A. Dillahunt; 
Charles Edwin, who died aged two and 
one-half years ; Harry, who lives at home ; 
Daisy, who also lives at home ; and Mary, 
who married H. G. Miller. Politically 
Mr. Kobelanz is a Democrat and at one 
time was a candidate on that ticket for 
county commissioner in a Republican 
stronghold, but was defeated. In Novem- 
ber, 1907, he was elected township 
trustee on the Democratic ticket. 



CHARLES R. MILLER, a well known 
general fanner of Mad River Township, 
whose property contains 1441/4 acres, was 
born on his present farm May 9, 1851, 
son of Charles Dickerson and Belle M. 
(McClelland) Miller. 

Moses Miller, great-grandfather of 
Charles R., came, with his family, from 
New Jersey at a very early period and 
settled in the timberlands of Mad River 
Township, near our subject's present 
farm. He lived here for the remainder of 
his life, passing away a few years after 
his arrival in this locality. Dayton Miller, 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



957 



his eldest son, and grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was a young man when 
he came to the wilds of Clark County with 
his parents. He cleared the farm now 
owned by Charles E. Miller, built the 
residence and planted the trees, which are 
still standing in front of the house. He 
was married in Miami County to Eliza 
Morrison, a native of New Jersey, and 
after his marriage came to live on the 
property that now forms our subject's 
present farm, residing for a time in a 
hewn log house, which then stood on the 
land. He died here in 1860 at an ad- 
vanced age, and his widow survived him 
until 1874. They were the parents of five 
children, namely: W. D. Miller, who was 
a manufacturer of plows at Enon ; Henri- 
etta, who is now deceased; Charles Dick- 
erson, father of Charles E. Miller ; Maria, 
who married H. Tannehill, and, with her 
husband, is now deceased; and Eobert, 
who died at the age of five years. 

Charles Dickerson Miller was born and 
reared in the old log house on the farm 
where his son, Charles, now resides. He 
followed the occupation of threshing for 
twenty years. He married Belle McClel- 
land, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, 
and they reared a family of four children, 
one of whom died in infancy. Of the oth- 
ers, Mary E. married J. E. Wooden and 
resides in Iowa; Agusta, married H. Ja- 
cobs, of Clark County, Ohio; Charles is 
the direct subject of this sketch; and 
Frank B. is a resident of Springfield, 
Ohio. Mr. Miller died in 1868 and his 
wife in 1904. 

Charles E. Miller was reared on his 
present farm, remaining at home until 
thirty-six years of age. He then spent 
nine years in Darke County, Ohio, where 



he bought a quarter section of land. Sub- 
sequently returning home, he purchased 
his farm from the Miller estate in 1897, 
and has been engaged in general farming, 
also raising many hogs. Mr. Miller was 
united in marriage February 29, 1885, to 
Tillie E. Hamaker, a daughter of John 
Hamaker. Of this union there are two 
children: Lucy Florence, and Mary E. 
Politically Mr. Miller is an independent 
voter, but was elected township trustee 
in 1905 on the Eepublican ticket. 



SAMUEL SNYDEE, a prosperous 
farmer of Springfield Township, residing 
on a farm of 108 acres situated about two 
miles northwest of Springfield, on the St. 
Paris Pike, was born February 18, 1837, 
in York County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
son of Henry and Mary (Frey) Snyder. 

Mr. Snyder's parents were prosperous 
farmers of York County, Pennsylvania, 
where they both died, the mother passing 
away when our subject was quite young. 
The father died at the advanced age of 
eighty-seven years. 

Samuel Snyder spent his boyhood days 
on his father's farm in York County, and 
on October 13, 1859, was married there 
to Lydia Grinter, a daughter of John Gin- 
ter, who died when she was very young. 
In 1864 Mr. Snyder, his wife and one 
child, came to Clark County, Ohio, where 
he rented for twenty-seven years the old 
Maria Snyder farm, in Spring-field Town- 
ship, and engaged in general farming. In 
1894 he bought and moved to his present 
farm of 108 acres, where he has since 
been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and 
although now past 71 years of age, still 
operates his own farm. 



958 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mr. and Mrs. Snyder reared a family of 
six children, of whom the eldest child was 
horn in Pennsylvania. They are: Alice, 
Henry, Ida, Samuel, Lydia, and Ward. 
Alice, who married John H. Sanders, of 
Lawrenceville, has four children, namely: 
Lydia, wife of Harry Helfrish; Samuel 
D., Walter, and William Dewey. Henry 
married Cora Lorton and has two chil- 
dren, Robert and Mildred; they reside in 
Springfield. Ida, wife of Christ C. 
Grauer, lives with the subject of this 
sketch; Samuel and Lydia are twins. Sam- 
uel married Pearl Hook, and has four 
children. Oris, Paul, Harold, and an in- 
fant son; Lydia, who married Rev. Wil- 
liam Rilling, pastor of the Millersburg 
Lutheran Church, has a family of four 
children, Reginald, Pauline, John, and an 
infant son. Ward Snyder is a resident of 
Toronto, Canada. He is connected with 
the National Cash Register Company, of 
Dayton, Ohio. Mrs. Snyder died Septem- 
ber 22, 1899. 



ABRAHAM MARTIN, a much es- 
teemed resident of Bethel Township, re- 
siding on a farm of fifty-six and three- 
quarters acres, was born October 23, 1827, 
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and 
is a son of David and Esther (Martin) 
Martin. 

David Martin was born and reared in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In his 
earlier years he engaged in farming, 
after which he conducted an inn until a 
railroad line was built through that sec- 
tion of Lancaster County, when, finding 
this interferred with his business, in 1840, 
packed his belongings into a two-horse 
wagon and brought his family to Ohio. 



They came on the newly-built Dayton 
Turnpike through Springfield to Dayton, 
where they had relatives, and thence to 
Enon. Mr. Martin remembers that there 
his mother sent him into a store to buy 
eggs, and he received just 100 eggs for 
twenty-five cents. The little store where 
the purchase was made is still in exis- 
tence. They then proceeded to Tippeca- 
noe City, Miami County, then to Medway, 
Bethel Township, and finally purchased 
land in Donnelsville. Mr. Martin con- 
ducted a hotel at Medway for some time, 
but later followed gardening. His death 
occurred in 1864, when eighty years of 
age. He was survived by his widow until 
1866, when in her eighty -first year. There 
were ten children born to David and Es- 
ther Martin, namely : Fanny, who married 
Frank Hawthorn, both deceased; Hattie, 
who married Dr. Miller, both deceased, 
her death occurring in California when 
in her ninety-first year; Ann, who mar- 
ried John Steele, both deceased; Chris- 
tian, deceased; David, deceased; Magda- 
lena, who died in youth ; Mary, who mar- 
ried George Alban, both deceased ; Henry, 
who is a resident of Dayton, Ohio ; Eliza, 
who married James Allen, both deceased ; 
and Abraham. 

Abraham Martin was a lad of thirteen 
years when his parents removed from 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Clark 
County, Ohio, Springfield being at that 
time a very small village. He received 
his education in the district schools of 
the pioneer type, with the slab benches, 
and he assisted his father in clearing the 
land and chopped many cords of wood for 
others at twenty-five cents per cord. He 
learned the carpenter's trade, which he 
followed until about fifty years old, and 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



during Ms younger days also taught 
school during the winter months. 

Mr. Martin was married October 12, 
1848, just eleven days previous to attain- 
ing his majority, to Sarah Ann Allen, a 
daughter of Joseph and Mary Allen, both 
of whom came to this county at an early 
age, the former from New Jersey in 1804, 
at the age of four years, and the latter 
from Kentucky when young. Mr. and 
Mrs. Martin have had five children, name- 
ly: Minerva, widow of Lewis Schatfner, 
who died in 1887, has two children, Ber- 
tha, who married W. Ebersole, and has 
four children, and Cassius L., who mar- 
ried Alice Smith, has two children; David, 
who died aged 35 years, married Fanny 
Ziegler, also deceased, and had four chil- 
dren, Thurza, Sadie, Abraham, and Eos- 
coe; Mary (Mrs. W. Hicks) has three 
children, Abraham 0., Gertrude, and 
Euth; J. Cassius married Eosette Miller, 
and has seven children, Harry, Viola, de- 
ceased, Irene, Ethel, Delia, Abraham, 
Edna; Nora, deceased wife of Willis 
Morningstar, is survived by four chil- 
dren. Otto, Fern, Frank, and Nellie. Mr. 
Martin is the great-grandfather of four- 
teen and the grandfather of twenty chil- 
dren. 

In the year before his marriage Mr. 
Martin had purchased one acre of land 
upon which he erected a small house, and 
since then has always owned his own 
home. In 1862 he purchased forty acres 
of his present farm from Frederick Gor- 
don, later adding sixteen and three-quar- 
ters acres. In May, 1864, he entered the 
army, enlisting in Company E, One Hun- 
dred and Fifty-third Eegiment, Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and served until Septem- 
ber, 1864. Upon his return to Clark 



961 

County he engaged in carpenter work for 
several years, building bank barns as a 
specialty, his sons in the meantime oper- 
ating the farm for him. Mr. Martin sub- 
sequently conducted the farm himself for 
a time, but acquired the larger part of 
his ample foi'tune by loaning money. For 
some time he has rented his land, taking 
care to have reliable tenants. 

Mr. Martin is one of the oldest men in 
the township, and although past eighty 
years of age, is still remarkably hale for 
a man of his years, and has but once since 
his marriage required the services of a 
physician for himself. Politically he is a 
Eepubliean, and has served his township 
in various offices. He is a member of the 
Mitchell Post, G. A. E., and has been a 
member of the Masonic order since 1857. 



. BENJAMIN F. MELLINGEE, a much 
esteemed citizen of Mad Eiver Township, 
who is engaged in general farming on a 
tract of seventy-eight acres, was born 
July 17, 1851, in Mad Eiver Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of John 
E. and Mary Elizabeth (Pfoutz) Mellin- 
ger. 

Jolm E. Mellinger was bom in Lancas- 
ter County, Pennsylvania, and was the 
eldest of a large family of children, of 
whom those now living are as follows: 
John, father of our subject; Jacob, 
Henry, a resident of St. Louis, Mo.; Da- 
vid; Mrs. Beard; and Elizabeth, who is 
unmarried and lives in Pennsylvania. 
The father, Benjamin Mellinger, followed 
farming in Pennsylvania all his life, also 
operating a small distillery and mill for 
some years. 
John E. Mellinger was reared on his 



962 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



father's farm in Lancaster County, and 
assisted in the work of the mill, distil- 
lery and farm. He was married in Ha- 
gerstown, Maryland, to Mary Elizabeth 
Pf outz, a native of that village. In about 
1851, when forty years of age, he and wife 
came to Ohio and settled on a farm in 
Clark County. They subsequently bought 
the farm, which the subject of this sketch 
now owns, from the- Martin heirs, and 
there his wife died shortly after, leaving 
two children: Benjamin F., and Ann 
Elizabeth, the latter of whom is unmar- 
ried and lives at Yellow Springs, Ohio. 
Mr. Mellinger subsequently married 
Sarah A. Lewis, who died twenty years 
later, in 1870. There were no children 
born of the second union. Mr. Mellinger 
died in June, 1901, at the advanced age 
of ninety-one years. 

Benjamin F. Mellinger has spent the 
greater part of his life in Mad River 
Township, where he has always been en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits. His early 
life was spent on the home fann, assist- 
ing in '.{.s work, and he attended the Rock 
Point district school for three months 
during the winter. He was married Janu- 
ary 10, 1878, to Emma L. Johnson, who 
was born at Yellow Springs, Green Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a daughter of Asahel and 
Mary A. (Gilmore) Johnson. Her father 
came to Ohio from Kentucky, and here 
married Sarah E. Elwell, who died leav- 
ing no children, and he later married Mary 
A. Gilmore. Mr. Johnson's occupation in 
early life was that of a wagon-maker, but 
he subsequently conducted a general store 
at Yellow Springs, during which time he 
was appointed ticket and freight agent 
of the Little Miami division of the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad, conducting that part of 



his business in the store. The last few 
years of his life were spent on a farm, 
where he died at the age of seventy-two. 
He was the father of three children: 
Emma, wife of our subject; Frank W., 
who hves on the home place in Green 
County, Ohio; and Charles S., who con- 
ducts an undertaking establishment at 
Xenia, Ohio, and is coroner of Green 
County. 

After Mr. Mellinger 's marriage he 
spent four and a half years on his father- 
in-law's farm in Greene Coimty, and on 
April 1, 1881, returned to the old home 
farm in Mad River Township and pur- 
chased his sister's interest in the farm. 
Here he has since been successfully en- 
gaged in general farming, and is recog- 
nized as one of the township's substan- 
tial and representative citizens. The 
large brick house which he and his family 
occupy was erected in 1869 by his father, 
who had the brick burned on the place. 
Mr. and Mrs. Mellinger have one child, 
Charles J., who was born July 16, 1881. He 
passed the Boxwell examinations at the 
age of thirteen years, attended the Spring- 
tield High School for two years, as a grad- 
uate of Wilts Commercial College of Day- 
ton, Ohio, and also attended the Ohio 
State University a short time. Politically 
Mr. Mellinger is a Republican. 



REUBEN SCIFERS, one of Moorefield 
Township's representative men, residing 
on his excellent farm of fifty-six acres 
which lies on the Springfield-Urbana 
turnpike, one mile north of the corpora- 
tion limits of Springfield, was bom in 
Shenandoah County, Virginia, February 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



14, 1833. His parents were Jacob and 
Nancy (Eomick) Scifers. 

The Scifers family originated in Ger- 
many. It was established in Loudon 
County, Virginia, by the grandfather of 
Eeuben Scifers. Grandfather Scifers, 
wishing to escape military service, ran 
away from home and gained a vessel 
which brought him to the American colo- 
nies during the Eevolutionary War, in 
which he served for six years. Jacob 
Scifers, father of Eeuben, was born in 
Loudon County, Virginia, in 1787. He 
served in the War of 1812. He married 
Nancy Eomick, who was born in Shenan- 
doah County, Virginia, where her father 
owned a large plantation. They had eight 
children born in that county, Eeuben be- 
ing the youngest, and seven more were 
added to the family after settlement was 
made in Mad Eiver Township, Champaign 
County, Ohio. One of his sons, James H., 
served four years in the Civil War. 

Eeuben Scifers was less than one year 
old when his parents left the old Virginia 
home, in September, 1833, and crossed the 
mountains in wagons to Champaign 
County, Ohio, where they settled on a 
rented farm. The father had previously 
bought a farm, but had never moved there 
and later sold it. He was a man of ster- 
ling character and reared his large fam- 
ily to respected maturity. In 1844 he con- 
tributed, with his neighbors, to assist in 
the building of Wittenberg College, his 
contribution taking the form of a load of 
lumber, and it was his son, Eeuben, then 
a boy of eleven years, who delivered this 
first load as a beginning of that notable 
edifice. 

In 1854, when he had reached his twen- 
ty-first year, Eeuben Scifers left home 



963 



and went to Urbana to learn the plaster- 
er s trade, at which he worked until 1856 
and then came to Springfield, where he 
worked as a journeyman plasterer until 
I860 when he went into plastering con- 
tractmg, for several years being associ- 
ated with David Stevens. From 1872 until 
1880 Mr. Scifers continued in business 
alone, doing a great deal of the plaster 
work on Springfield buildings. It was 
done with the slow, careful methods which 
make for permanence, rather than with 
the cheapening hurry of the present day, 
which too often entirely destroys the sub- 
stantial character of a building. In the 
spring of 1868, Mr. Scifers bought his 
present farm, to which he moved in the 
following fall and resided on it until 1876, 
when he spent two years at Springfield' 
in order to give his children city school 
advantages. In 1878 he returned to the 
farm and resumed agricultural pursuits. 
On January 30, 1859, Mr. Scifers was 
married to Mary Hulinger, who is a 
daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth 
(Maggart) Hulinger. Mrs. Scifers was 
born and reared in Mad Eiver Township, 
Champaign County, where her parents 
had married, although her father was 
born in Pennsylvania and her mother in 
Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Scifers have two 
children : Alice Ada and Ulysses G. Alice 
Ada Scifers married Charles 0. May, who 
is a contracting plasterer at Springfield. 
They have four children, namely: Ford 
A., who married Boss Poysell; Margaret; 
John E.; and Blair, the latter of whom 
was accidentally drowned on Decoration 
Day, in 1904, when within one week of 
being twelve years of age. This was a 
sad blow to every member of the family 



964 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



and aroused the sympatliy of the whole 
community. Ulysses G. Scifers resides at 
Springfield. He married Mary Clouse, 
and they have one son, Robert B. 

Mr. Scifers is a Republican, and he was 
elected township trustee and faithfully 
served through his term of three years. 
For the space of eighteen years he was a 
member of the Board of Agriculture. 
"With his family he belongs and gives lib- 
eral support to the Fourth Lutheran 
Church at Springfield. 



HARRY S. KISSELL, one of Spring- 
field's leading business man, president 
and treasurer of The Kissell Real Estate 
Company, and identified with other 
Springfield interests, was born in this 
city September 24, 1875, and is a son of 
the late C. B. Kissell a native of Mary- 
land who came to Clark County in child- 
hood. 

Harry S. Kissell was educated in the 
Springfield schools and at Wittenberg 
College graduating from the latter well- 
known institution in the class of 1896. 
After his graduation he entered his fath- 
er's real estate office, the latter having 
been engaged in this line of business for 
some twenty years. A partnership was 
formed under the style of C. B. Kissell & 
Son, which continued until the death of 
C. B. Kissell, which took place in 1903. 
Harry S. Kissell was the organizer of 
The Kissell Real Estate Company, which 
was incorporated in 1906, with a capital 
stock of $10,000. This firm deals entirely 
in Clark County and Spring-field prop- 
erty, ' doing some platting and buildings 
and their honest, straight-forward meth- 
ods have built up for them an extensive 



business. Mr. Kissell is a director and 
was one of the incorporators of The 
American Trust & Savings Company, and 
he is identified with other successful en- 
terprises, being vice president of The 
Fairbanks Building Company, and also of 
the Springfield Commercial Club. 

In 1901 Mr. Kissell was married to Miss 
Olive Troupe, who is a daughter of Theo- 
dore Troupe, one of Springfield's leading 
citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Kissell have one 
son, Roger Troupe Kissell. 

Fraternally he is a 32nd degree Mason 
and is an officer in the Grand Lodge, F. 
& A. M., of Ohio, and is a past master of 
Anthony Lodge, No. 455, F. & A. M. He 
is a member of the Second Presbyterian 
Church and is president of its board of 
trustees. His social connections are with 
the Lagonda and Country clubs. 



GEORGE H. FREY, JR., a prominent 
business citizen of Springfield, who is 
closely identified with the city's railroad 
interests, was born at Springfield, Ohio, 
August 27, 1856, and is a son of George 
H. and Jane Q. (Ward) Frey. 

For many years the father of Mr. Frey 
was prominent in the business life of 
Springfield, in which city he now lives re- 
tired. The mother of Mr. Frey was a 
member of one of the old established fam- 
ilies of this section. She died in 1881. Of 
the twelve children which made up the 
family, five still survive, George H. being 
the third in order of birth. 

George H. Frey, Jr., acquired his liter- 
ary education in the schools of Springfield, 
at Wittenberg College and at Wooster 
University. He prepared for the legal pro- 
fession, but later went into business, in 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



965 



1879, succeeding to his father's quarry in- 
terests. For some years he was engaged 
in a banking business at Omaha, Ne- 
braska, where he continued until 1885. 
He then returned to Springfield and for 
the following two years served as treas- 
urer of the Mast-Foos Manufacturing 
Company. He then went again to the 
West and for three years carried on a 
stone business in Kansas, but in 1890 he 
came back to Spring-field and has since 
been identified with railroad and other im- 
portant business enterprises 

Mr. Frey married Belle Mast, a daugh- 
ter of the late P. P. Mast, and he and his 
wile are the parents of three sons. Mr. 
Frey is a Republican in politics. 



ARTHUR Z. SMITH, one of the enter- 
prising and successful farmers of Pike 
Township, who ably operates his father's 
farm of 200 acres, which is situated thir- 
teen miles northwest of Spring-field, was 
born July 15, 1873, on the farm in Pike 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, which is 
now the property of William Sturgeon. 
His parents were Christian and Mary 
Jane (Zinn) Smith. 

This Smith family came to Ohio from 
Virginia and it was the great-grandfather 
of Arthur Z. Smith who brought the fam- 
ily first to Pike Township. The parents 
of Arthur Z. Smith were born in Clark 
County, where the father lives retired, 
having long been one of Pike Township's 
most substantial citizens. The mother of 
Mr. Smith was a daughter of Daniel R. 
and Matilda (Sturgeon) Zinn, and she 
died March 21, 1883. There were eight 
children bom to Christian Smith and his 
first wife, as follows: Marcellus Z., Al- 



bert Z., Matilda A., Orren Z., Delia May, 
Arthur Z., Clarence Z. and Alice E., the 
last named being the wife of Cassius 
Schaffner. The second marriage of 
Christian Smith was to Carolina D. Tener, 
who died in the following year, and his 
third marriage was to Wilhelmina Dresh- 
er. To this last union were born the fol- 
lowing children: Margaret, Cynthia, 
Helen, Vernon, Gilbert and Luther. 
Helen and Vernon are deceased. 

Arthur Z. Smith was three years old 
when the family moved to the present 
farm and he attended the old Yale School 
in this district. He assisted in clearing 
this farm and has devoted himself to its 
cultivation and improvement ever since 
boyhood. He engages in a general agri- 
cultural line, raising fine stock and grow- 
ing grain. 

On December 2, 1900, Mr. Smith was 
married to Bertha Jordan, who is a 
daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Myers) 
Jordan, old pioneers of Pike Township. 
Mr. Jordan still survives. Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith have two sons, Harold C. and 
Lloyd Parker. In politics Mr. Smith is a 
Democrat and in January, 1908, his party 
elected him a member of the School Board 
of Pike Township. He belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of 
American Mechanics and to the National 
Protective Legion. 



WUjLIAM MILLER, who is now liv- 
ing in retirement at his home in Spring- 
field Township after many years of busi- 
ness activity, is owner of considerable 
property in different parts of the county. 
He has seven or eight acres within the 
limits of the city of Springfield, a tract 



966 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



of twenty-five acres across the road in 
Springfield Township and another tract 
of eighty-two acres in the same township, 
and in Moorefield Township has a farm of 
ninety-two acres. He is a native of Clark 
County, Ohio, having been born on the 
old Isaac Miller farm, April 10, 1846, and 
is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Sitz) 
Miller. 

The paternal grandparents of William 
Miller came from Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, of which they were natives, 
to Ohio, and took np their residence in 
German Township, Clark County. The 
grandfather, a hardy old pioneer, sowed 
the first clover seed in Clark County, 
having brought it in from Butler County. 

Isaac Miller was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and was seven 
years of age when he accompanied his 
parents to Clark County. He attended 
the primitive schools of German Town- 
ship, and at an early age learned the 
trade of carjoenter with James Humphrey, 
who lived on the Urbana Pike. He en- 
joyed a long and useful life, being nearly 
ninety-two years old at the time of his 
demise. He married Elizabeth Sitz, whose 
father, Henry Sitz, was a farmer and an 
early resident of the coimty. This union 
resulted in the following issue: David, 
who died at the age of forty-two years; 
William and Henry, twins; and Mary, 
wife of James M. Sheaff. 

William Miller received an excellent 
education in the district schools of his 
native township, and throughout his long 
and active business career engaged in ag- 
ricultural pursuits. He farmed the home 
place until his marriage, in 1871, then 
rented a place south of the city of Spring- 
field. After -a short residence there he 



moved down toward Clifton, and later to 
the old Charles Stroud farm at Donnels- 
ville. He then purchased twenty-six acres 
of land from his father, for which he paid 
$2,600 and after residing there three 
three years sold out at $154 per acre, al- 
most doubling his money on the invest- 
ment. He then lived on the farm left by 
his father-in-law, Henry Gram, for four 
years, at the end of which time he moved 
to his present place. 

Mr. Miller was first married to Miss 
Anna Rebbert, a daughter of Andrew 
Rebbert, who lived south of the city of 
Springfield, and one son, Andrew J., was 
born to bless this union. After the death 
of his first wife he formed a second union 
October G, 1875, with Miss Elizabeth 
Gram, a daughter of Henry Gram, who 
was a speculator and a well known citizen 
of this county. She was one of the fol- 
lowing children born to her parents: 
Catherine, deceased; Rebecca, deceased; 
Elizabeth (Miller); Sarah; John, de- 
ceased ; and Cornelius. This second union 
was also blessed with a son, Henry G., 
who operates the home farm. The latter 
was joined in marriage with Mary Kobe- 
lanz, a daughter of Henry Kobelanz, and 
Has a son, Karl C, aged three years. Re- 
ligiously Mr. Miller and his family are 
members of the Lutheran Church. 



LEWELLEN TAYLOR, a highly re- 
spected citizen and retired farmer of Mad 
River Township, was born on his father's 
farm in Ross County, Ohio, March 5, 
1829, and is a son of John and Mary 
(Pierce) Taylor. 

John Taylor was of Kentucky birth and 
rearing, and he was married in that state 



to Mary Pierce, whose people came from 
Pennsylvania. After marriage John 
Taylor and wife went to Boss County, 
.Ohio, where he bought a large, uncleared 
tarm m Paint Township. From tilling 
his acres here he went to serve as a sol- 
dier in the War of 1812, and on account 
ol his knowledge of horses was made over- 
seer of a wagon train. He survived all 
the dangers of war and returned to his 
family and resumed clearing and cultivat- 
ing his land in Ross County. In 1853 he 
removed from there to Clark County and 
died at the home of his son Lewellen in 
1863. His wife had died in Eoss County. 
They had eleven children, namely: Wash- 
ington, Hettie, William, Eachel, Neicey 
Pierce, Emily, Sallie, Andrew, Simeon 
and Lewellen all of whom reached ma- 
turity and married, and many left de- 
scendants. 

Lewellen Taylor was the youngest born 
o± the above family and is the only surviv- 
or He assisted to clear up his father's 
240 acre farm, in the meanwhile gaining a 
subscription school education in a log 
school building. His father paid $2.50 
for three months' instruction for each of 
his children. In those days there was 
no free system of education as at pres- 
ent, when children cannot evade going to 
school and having advantages, even if 
they desire to do so. He was married 
November 15, 1855, to Delilah Bare- 
field, of Highland County, Ohio, and to 
this marriage were born four children 
namely: Jefferson, Mary, Alfred and 
Birch. Jefferson married May Phillips 
and they have five children. Mary is de- 
ceased. She was the wife of Eobert Pat- 
ten and the mother of three children all 
of whom married and have children of 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



967 



their own. Alfred married Eose Sheets. 
Birch married Margaret CahiU and they 
have three children. Thus Mr. Tavlor's 
family has expanded into the third gen- 
eration and he is very proud of his four 
great-grandchildren. 

In 1855 Mr. Taylor moved with his fam- 
ily to Clark County, Ohio, where he 
bought 160 acres of land in Mad Eiver 
iownship. It was uncleared, unimproved 
property and the Eebert Turnpike Eoad 
which now skirts it was then but a rough 
muddy highway. Mr. Taylor soon 
changed the appearance of his farm and 
surroundings. He erected all the build- 
ings now standing and continued to add 
to his land until he owned 500 acres 
That represented years of industry and 
good management. This land he has ap- 
portioned to his children and has been 
permitted to live to see them in the enioy- 
ment of their heritage. 

Mr. Taylor has an honorable military 
record. When the Mexican War broke 
out he, with two companions, endeavored 
to enter the service, but he did not suc- 
ceed, although he was well developed for 
his age. He waited until 1864 before Ke 
made a second attempt to become a sol- 
dier, being accepted at this time. He was 
assig-ned to service on the gunboat, the 
General Grant," on the Tennessee 
Elver, and he participated in the numer- 
ous battles that marked the river cam- 
paign, receiving his honorable discharge 
on June 30, 1865. He escaped all injury 
and was able to return to his family un- 
harmed. In politics he is a Eepublican 

In 1893 Mr. Taylor retired from farm 
work and built his handsome residence 
which is pleasantly situated three miles' 
south and west of Springfield. Mr. Taylor 



968 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



is one of the representative men of Ms 
section and has reared a family which is 
preditable both to the parents and to the 
community in which they have their 
homes. 



WALTER NORTON CHAMBERLIN, 
one of the early pioneers of Clark County, 
Ohio, who is living in retirement at New 
Carlisle, in the enjoyment of a well 
earned rest after years of unceasing ac- 
tivity, was for many years one of the 
most prominent stock dealers and breed- 
ers of thoroughbred cattle, sheep and 
hogs in the county. He was born May 28, 
1823, at Lisbon, Clark County, Ohio, and 
is a son of Isaac and Polly (Harriman) 
Chamberlin. 

Isaac Chamberlin and wife came from 
Vermont to Ohio in 1817, leaving there in 
January in a sled made by removing the 
wheels from a wagon. After reaching the 
Western Reserve the wheels were again 
put into use and the trip finished by 
wagon, arriving at Clark County, Ohio, 
in March, when they settled in the timber- 
lands near Lisbon. Polly (Harriman) 
Chamberlin was a daughter of Stephen 
Harriman, who was a soldier in the War 
of the Revolution, and who had been in 
Ohio the year before the Chamberlins 
came here and bought a tract of timber- 
land near Lisbon. He then returned to 
Vermont and bought the farms of Mr. 
Chamberlin and three other farmers. 
Isaac Chamberlin was a comparatively 
poor man when he came to Ohio, where he 
engaged in farming and dealt extensively 
in stock, often taking stock to Detroit, 
Michigan, and other points. He was born 
April 14, 1782, at Strafford, Vermont, 



and died near Lisbon July 25, 1863, at 
the age of seventy-nine years. Six chil- 
dren were born to Isaac Chamberlin and 
wife, namely: Stephen, deceased; George 
C, deceased; Caroline, married J. Henry, 
both deceased; Walter N. ; and Sarah, 
who was the wife of Dr. J. S. Sprague, 
both now deceased. 

Walter N. Chamberlin was reared on 
his father's farm and attended the dis- 
trict schools of the township and later the 
Springfield High School and Wittenberg 
College. He then taught school at Platts- 
burg and vicinity for a period of ten 
years, 1842 to 1852, inclusive. On Decem- 
ber 25, 1851, he was married to Sarah 
Jane Osborn, a daughter of William and 
Jane (McDaniel) Osborn, who came on 
horseback to Ohio from Kentucky and set-' 
tied near Plattsburg. Mr. and Mrs. 
Chamberlin were the parents of eleven 
children, but seven of whom were reared 
to maturity: Emma; Melton; Olive, who 
is an instructor in the schools of Toledo, 
Ohio; Norton, who lives in Columbus; 
Frank, who lives in San Francisco; 
Orphia; and William, who died aged 
twenty-one years. 

Mr. Chamberlin has always been inter- 
ested in handling stock, and when nine- 
teen years old drove hogs from South 
Charleston to Richmond, Virginia, for ex- 
Sheriff A. Maddoeks, and also drove 
horses from Clark County to Philadelphia 
for his father. Later, in connection with 
his brother, he drove cattle to Dutchess 
County, New York. Soon after his mar- 
riage he engaged in farming and stock- 
raising, first making a specialty of Short- 
horn cattle, and Chester White hogs, 
later of Poland China hogs and Amer- 
ican Merino sheep. He has had many 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



973 



very successful exhibits at Ohio State 
Fairs and was once offered $1,000 
for one of his sheep. He has often 
been caJled upon to act as judge of 
stock at various fairs, and at the age of 
eighty years was one of the judges of 
stock at the Clark County Fair, and was 
also one of the five judges of stock at the 
largest state fair, which was held at Day- 
ton, Ohio. After being convinced of the 
advantages of pedigree stock, he became 
instrumental in establishing the records 
of Poland China hogs, calling a meeting 
of all the large breeders of that particular 
breed of swine in the state, of which meet- 
ing he was appointed chairman, and in 
1879 the first record of Poland China hogs 
was published. Upon first entering the 
stock business Mr. Chamberlin rented a 
large farm in Hardin County and there 
held annual stock sales for about fitve 
years, after which he located at Plain 
City, Ohio, where he continued in the 
stock business, holding sales there for six 
years. In 1880, after selling out, he went 
to London, Ohio, where he lived for some 
years. He then operated a large farm in 
Adams County, Ohio, for eighteen months 
and in 1885 he came to New Carlisle and 
purchased his present residence property, 
which is located on the corner of Church 
and Jackson Streets, where he has since 
been living in retirement after a long, 
active business career. 

Politically Mr. Chamberlin is a Repub- 
lican and has served as township trustee, 
school director and in various other minor 
township offices. He is a member of the 
Masonic order, with which he became as- 
sociated in 1850, and was formerly also 
an I. 0. 0. F., with which order he affili- 
ated in 1847. Religiously Mr. Chamber- 



lin is a member of the Universalist 
Church, and has always taken an active 
interest in the Sunday-school work. He 
has been active in the advancement of ed- 
ucational interests and was one of the 
first "to introduce teachers' institutes in 
the county; also centralized High Schools. 
He favored music in the common schools 
and mental arithmetic in the district 
schools, and has lived to see many of his 
ideas incorporated in the public school 
system. 



ARTHUR GERLAUGH, a life-long 
resident of Bethel Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, residing on a fine farm of 
350 acres, where he has always followed 
farming in connection with breeding and 
importing short-horn cattle, was born 
March 15, 1883, on his present farm near 
the village of Medway, and is a son of 
Charles L. and Julia A. (Hower) Ger- 



Charles L. Gerlaugh was born on a 
farm near Dayton, Ohio, where he was 
married to Julia A. Hower, a native of 
Fairfield, Ohio. In 1881 they came to 
Clark County and purchased 257 acres in 
Bethel Township, to which was later 
added ninety-three acres. Here he en- 
gaged in general farming, and breeding 
and importing short horn cattle until his 
death, which occurred in 1905, when he 
was fifty years old. He was survived by 
his widow until April, 1907, when she 
died in her forty-seventh year. He was 
a member and a director of the American 
Short Homed Breeders' Association. Six 
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ger- 
laugh, namely: Arthur, the subject of 
this sketch ; Howard, who also lives on the 



974 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



home farm, which he operates with Ar- 
thur; Ella, who is attending the Ohio 
State University; Bertha, Paul, and Cath- 
erine. 

Arthur Grerlaugh has spent his entire 
life on his present farm, and here he and 
his brother, Howard, have continued in 
their father's occupation as breeders and 
importers of short horn cattle. He is a 
member of and stockholder in the Ameri- 
can Breeders' Association. Mr. G-erlaugh 
was educated in the public schools, is a 
graduate of the Ohve Branch High School 
and attended "Wittenberg College for two 
years, after which he entered the Iowa 
State Agricultural College, where he re- 
mained until the death of his father. He 
then returned to the Woodberry farm, of 
which he took charge, and has since met 
with considerable success in all his under- 
takings. 

Politically Mr. Gerlaugh is a Repub- 
lican. In 1906 he was appointed a meni- 
ber of the school board to fill the vacancy 
caused by the death of his father, and in 
1907 was elected president of that body. 

June 19, 1907, Mr. Gerlaugh was joined 
in marriage with Margareta Butts, a 
daughter of C. J. and Margareta (Mar- 
shal) Butts, of Osborn, Ohio. Mr. and 
Mrs. Grerlaugh are members of the Luth- 
eran Church, of which the former is also 
a deacon. 



CHARLES A. BAUER, for many 
years was one of the remarkable business 
men of Springfield — a man whose broad 
and comprehensive knowledge of every- 
thing in the line of mechanics and mechan- 
ical construction, caused him to be iden- 
tified with some of the most important 



manufacturing undertakings of this sec- 
tion. Mr. Bauer was a German, born in 
Wurtemberg, August 16, 1846, and his 
father's name was Frederick Bauer. 

The parents of Mr. Bauer emigrated to 
America when he was six years of age, 
landing at New Orleans in 1852. Here 
the father died three months later of yel- 
low fever, when his widow and son re- 
moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the 
former resided until her death, in 1900. 

Left a fatherless boy in a great city 
and a strange countrj'-, the late Charles 
A. Bauer had few of the advantages or 
enjoyments of ordinary youth. At the 
age of twelve years he became, with justi- 
fiable pride, entirely self-supporting. His 
father had been a skilled draughtsman 
and successful bridge-builder, and the son 
inherited a positive genius for mechanics 
which caused him to seek employment in 
this direction. After a short period of 
work in the Pyrotechnical Manufactory, 
at Cincinnati, he became an apprentice to 
the gunsmith trade, and three years later, 
in 1864, circumstances made it possible 
for him to enter the machine shops of 
Miles, Greenwood & Company, at Cincin- 
nati. There he learned to be a practical 
machinist, extending his studies far into 
applied mechanics. 

Mr. Bauer's unusual ability did not fail 
to attract attention, and in 1867 he was 
offered a position at the Ohio Mechanics' 
Institute as an instructor in mechanical 
drawing and applied mechanics, which po- 
sition he retained while also filling that of 
superintendent of the Nile Tool Works, 
at Hamilton, and acting as consulting en- 
gineer for the firm of Lane & Bodley, at 
Cincinnati. In 1875 Mr. Bauer became 
superintendent of the Champion Bar and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



975 



Knife Company, at Springfield, and from 
that time until his death, which occurred 
in June, 1899, he continued to be connect- 
ed with Springfield enterprises. In 1883, 
he became general manager of the War- 
der, Bushnell & Griessner Mower and 
Reaper Works, and three years later, 
when the business was incorporated, he 
became a partner in the concern, still re- 
taining, however, his position as general 
manager. Mr. Bauer was a very valua- 
ble assistant and advisor in the installa- 
tion of the city's various utilities, and 
for nine years he served as a member of 
the board of trustees of the Springfield 
water-works system. 

His experience covered a wide range, 
including most prominently the design 
and practical execution of nearly all kinds 
of machine tools, stationary and river en- 
gines, rolling-mills, furnaces, pumping, 
mining and general milling machinery. 
He was particularly well fitted for super- 
intending the establishment of plants and 
the arrangement and details of buildings 
on ground for manufacturing purposes. 

In 1868 Mr. Bauer was married to 
Louise Haeseler, who was born in Prus- 
sia, and who accompanied her parents to 
America in 1851. Mrs. Bauer survives 
her husband and resides at No. 825 East 
High Street, Springfield. Three sons 
were born of this marriage, namely: 
Charles L., who is president of the Foos 
Manufacturing Company of Springfield, 
and who resides at No. 1215 East High 
Street; WiUiam A., who is treasurer of 
the Foos Manufacturing Company, and 
resides at No. 1427 East High Street; and 
Louis E., vice president of the Foos Man- 
ufacturing Company, who resides at No. 
1217 East High Street. 



The late Charles A. Bauer was one of 
the vice presidents of the National Found- 
ers ' Association, refusing the presidency 
of the same. He belonged also to the 
Fifth District committee of the American 
Foundrymen's Association, and was one 
of the charter members of the American 
Society of Mechanical Engineers, serving 
as one of its managers for four years. He 
was a Mason of high standing, having 
attained the 32nd degree, and he belonged 
to Anthony Lodge, No. 455, F. & A. M. 
He was also identified with the Knights 
of Pythias. The death of Mr. Bauer 
called forth many expressions of regret 
and appreciation from those who had en- 
joyed his personal acquaintance, and also 
from those who recognized the extent and 
value of his professional work, both in 
America and in Europe. 



JAMES K. KERSHNER, dairy and 
food inspector at Springfield, who has 
filled this important office since 1906, was 
born in 1844 in Springfield Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Jacob 
Kershner. 

Jacob Kershner was bom at Hagers- 
town, Maryland, and came from there to 
Clark County, Ohio, October 28, 1827, set- 
tling on two sections of land which his 
father had secured from the government 
in 1804. The grandfather lived on this 
land until his death, in 1852, and he was 
succeeded in its ownership by his son, 
Jacob, father of James K., and he became 
one of Springfield Township's leading 
men. 

James K. Kershner remained on the 
home farm and through boyhood attend- 
ed the neighboring schools. In 1872 he 



976 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



came to Springfield, where lie learned the 
carpenter's trade, at which he worked for 
a time, and subsequently he went into the 
horse business, which he has developed 
into an important industry. He both deals 
in horses and breeds fine saddle and trot- 
ting horses, and the products of his sta- 
bles are in demand throughout all this 
section. He has taken a good citizen's in- 
terest in politics, but his present position 
is the first public office he has been will- 
ing to accept, and to its duties he de- 
votes his most careful attention. He is 
a member of the First Lutheran Church 
at Springfield. 



GEOEGE W. OLINGEE, one of Har- 
mony Township's well known citizens, 
who is engaged in general farming, own- 
ing a fine property containing ninety-five 
acres of valuable land, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, May 27, 1857. He is a son 
of Joseph C. and Mary (Smith) dinger. 

Joseph C. dinger was born in Augusta 
County, Virginia, May 8, 1816, and was a 
son of George and Eachel dinger. In 
1846, when he was thirty years of age, 
he came to Clark County, Ohio (his par- 
ents and the rest of the family having 
come in 1832), and worked by the day 
for farmers, living in the meanwhile on 
the old Baird place. After buying and 
selling some land he acquired 500 acres in 
Harmony Township, near Brighton, and 
on that land he spent the remainder of his 
life. He married Mary Smith and they 
had nine children, six of whom survive, 
namely: Jacob, born in November, 1854, 
married Lizzie Hartman and they have 
one child, Joseph V. ; George W. ; William 
Henry, bom January 10, 1859 ; Jasper W., 



born April 11, 1861, on the day that Fort 
Sumpter was fired on, who married Alta 
Wilson, and they have two children, 
Ealph and Eaymond; Clinton S., born 
January 27, 1864, an attorney in practice 
at Springfield, who married Mary Eliza- 
beth Sparrow, and they have two chil- 
dren, Frances and Eobert; and Joseph C, 
born February 24, 1868, who married 
Ceha Shaffer. 

George W. dinger was reared and edu- 
cated in Harmony Township. For a num- 
ber of years he traveled all through the 
eastern and western states, selling elec- 
tric supplies, but at present is managing 
his farm. He purchased this property 
of the William Williamson estate, but 
through some litigation a part of it 
had to be repurchased. Since 1890 he has 
been the sole owner. He carries on gen- 
eral agriculture and is ably assisted by a 
young man by the name of John Eine- 
heart, whom Mr. dinger has reared from 
childhood. 

In 1889 Mr. dinger married Eva Tip- 
pie, who was born March 2, 1864, and died 
May 29, 1895. Their one daughter, Mary, 
who was born September 1, 1891, resides 
with her maternal grandparents, George 
and Orcha Tippie. Mr. and Mrs. Tippie 
have three children living — Decatur, Owa, 
and Etna. Mr. dinger is a member of 
the Odd Fellows, belonging to Lodge No. 
345, at Vienna, in which he has passed 
all the chairs. He is a leading member 
and liberal supporter of the Christian 
Church at Vienna. 



C. F. GILBEET, junior partner in the 
well known lumber firm of Van Horn & 
Gilbert, at South Charleston, Clark 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



977 



County, Ohio, was born at Cedarville, 
Greene County, Ohio, March 20, 1872. He 
is a son of Lewis and Anna (McLean) Gil- 
bert. 

The Gilbert family is of Scotch descent 
and has been long established on Ameri- 
can soil. The grandparents came to 
Greene County, Ohio, at an early period 
and there resided until death. Lewis Gil- 
bert, father of C. J., was bom in Eastern 
Ohio and was reared there on his fath- 
er's farm. He served four years in the 
Union army during the Civil War and 
participated in many of the important en- 
~gagements of that struggle. Upon his re- 
turn to peaceful pursuits he engaged in 
the timber business, which he followed 
with success for many years. He now re- 
sides at Cedarville, where he takes rank 
among the leading and substantial men. 
He married Anna McLean, a native of 
Greene County, and they became parents 
of four children, all of whom are living. 

C. F. Gilbert was educated in the pub- 
lic schools of Greene County, and remain- 
ed on the home place until twenty-one 
years of age. His connection with the 
lumbering business began early, and after 
a period of nine years in it he entered into 
partnership with Joseph Van Horn, under 
the firm name of Van Horn & Gilbert. 
Their sawmill was first located about a 
mile east of South Charleston, but after 
the formation of the partnership was re- 
moved to the village proper. They do a 
general sawmill business and deal exten- 
sively in all kinds of hard lumber. It is the 
only mill in this vicinity and is operated 
at its full capacity all the time. In addi- 
tion to the sawmill, Van Horn & Gilbert 
conduct a general store which enjoys a 
liberal patronage. 



Mr. Gilbert was united in marriage with 
Anna Wilson, a daughter of Timothy Wil- 
son of Madison Township, and they re- 
side in a comfortable home in South 
Charleston. Politically Mr. Gilbert is a 
Eepublican. He is prominent fraternally, 
being a member of the Masons, having 
attained the Knights Templar degree, 
and of the Odd Fellows and Knights of 
Pythias. He is one of the substantial 
men of affairs in his vicinity and in addi- 
tion to town property which he owns, he 
and his partner have large landed inter- 
ests in Mississippi and own also 120 acres 
in Greene County, Ohio. 



JOHN W. LEATHEEMAN, one of 
German Township's representative agri- 
culturists, resides on his well cultivated 
farm of sixty acres, which is situated on 
the Springfield-Northamptoij Turnpike 
Eoad, about four miles northwest of 
Springfield. He was born in Hampshire 
County, West Virginia, June 26, 1853, and 
is a son of Charles and Catherine (Shos- 
key) Leatherman. 

The parents of Mr. Leatherman came 
from West Virginia to Clark County, 
Ohio, when he was eighteen months old, 
and settled on a farm about nine miles 
northeast of Springfield, on the old Major 
Hunt place. The father rented that farm 
for two years and then moved to the 
neighboring one belonging to Nathan 
Trotter, which he rented for ten years, 
moving from there to one on the Yel- 
low Springs Turnpike. This farm be- 
longed to John Perrin, and one year 
later they moved to a farm two miles 
north of Clifton, and from there a 
year afterward to the James Ander- 



978 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



son farm, and thence to Dr. Marquart's 
farm, near Osborn, on whicli they lived 
for eight years. Their next move was 
to the Jolm Harris farm, near Day- 
ton, where the mother died. The father 
and sons had worked the various farms 
up, to this time, hut from that time on up 
to the time of his marriage, John W. 
Leatherman worked by the month. After 
that event he rented a farm in Pike 
Township, on which he lived for five 
years, and in 1886 he bought and moved 
on to his present farm, which he has con- 
tinued to improve up to the time of this 
writing. He has done a large amount 
of tiling and fencing and some clearing, 
and has remodeled the residence, and in 
1904 he built a new barn, the dimensions 
of which are 40 by 50 feet. He takes an 
interest in his surroundings, and his im- 
provements each year add value to his 
place. 

In 1881 Mr. Leatherman married Mary 
E. Dresher, a daughter of Nicholas and 
Margaret (Siefreid) Dresher, who was 
born south of Springfield, in Clark 
County. Their oldest child died in in- 
fancy. The survivors all are at home, 
namely: Otho, RoUand and Raymond, 
twins, and Irven. Mr. and Mrs. Leather- 
man are members of the German Baptist 
Church. 



WILLIAM HENRY OLINGER, a rep- 
resentative agriculturist of Harmony 
Township, in which he owns 295 acres of 
valuable land, was born in Clark County, 
Ohio, January 10, 1859, and is a son of 
Joseph C. and Mary (Smith) Olinger. 

The grandparents of Mr. Olinger, 
George and Rachel Olinger, came with 



their children in 1832 to Clark County 
from Rockbridge County, Virginia. They 
resided for a time near Charleston, and 
then removed to Illinois, where both died 
in the fullness of years. Their children 
were: Peter, John, George, Robert, 
Joseph, Rachel and Eliza. 

Joseph C. Olinger was born in Augusta 
County, Virginia, May 8, 1816, and from 
1846 until his death, in 1894, he lived in 
Clark County. He bought his first land in 
1834, near Catawba, but he subsequently 
sold that tract, after which, in 1855, he 
bought 484 acres from the Bailey heirs, 
and on this farm he lived until his death. 
He was married (first) February 28, 
1853, to Mary Smith, who was born in 
1828 and died in 1868. He was married 
(secondly) to Eliza Wilson, who survives 
him. The children were born of the first 
marriage, three dying in infancy and the 
following surviving to maturity: Jacob, 
born March 27, 1854, married Lizzie Hart- 
man, and they have one son, Joseph; 
George, born May 25, 1857, married Eva 
Tipple, who died in 1895, leaving one 
child, Mary; William Henry is the sub- 
ject of this sketch; Jasper W., born April 
11, 1861, married Alta Wilson, and they 
have two sons, Ralph and Raymond; 
Clinton S., born January 27, 1864, is an 
attorney at Spring-field, married Libbie 
Sparia, and they have two children, 
Frances and Robert ; and Joseph C, born 
February 24, 1868, married Celia Shaffer. 

In the division of the father's property 
the step-mother and the sis sons each re- 
ceived a just share. William Henry re- 
mained on the home place, where the step- 
mother keeps house for him. In 1898 he 
purchased his brothers' shares and has 
managed the whole place ever since. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



979 



When the Ohio Electric Line ran through 
here Mr. dinger sold five acres to the 
railroad. This is a very interesting old 
farm, and, besides an old Indian mound, 
many relics of by-gone days have been 
found, but whether of peace or warfare, 
it is not easy to decide. 



MISSES LUELLA AND SAEAH 
ELIZABETH VEEITY, who come of 
one of Pike Townships most prominent 
families, are descended from pioneers of 
Clark County, on both sides. Their pa- 
ternal grandfather, Matthew Verity, was 
born in Yorkshire, England, and accom- 
panied by his wife and family of four 
children, came to the United States. They 
settled in the woods near Dialton, in Pike 
Township, Clark County, Ohio, but later 
moved farther west, near New Carlisle, 
in the same township, where Matthew 
Verity died at the age of eighty years. 
He often told of his journey to Clark 
County, which was then regarded as very 
far west, and his wanderings were at- 
tended with hardships and he found him- 
self frequently in trying situations. His 
first night in Clark County found him oc- 
cupying a bed with a stranger. He had 
placed his money under the pillow and 
when his bedfellow persisted in using Mr. 
Verity's pillow the latter became so anx- 
ious about his money he could not sleep. 
His fears were groundless, however, as 
his money remained undisturbed. He 
first married Elizabeth Nickelson, who 
died after coming to Clark County, leav- 
ing seven children, four of whom were 
bom in England: John and William, 
both deceased ; Matthias, residing in Wis- 
consin; David, Henry and George, all de- 



ceased; and Jonathan, a minister of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. Matthew 
Verity subsequently married a Miss Ote- 
walt. This union resulted in no issue. 

Henry Verity, father of the Misses Ver- 
ity, was born in the woods of Pike Town- 
ship, August 11, 1832, and during his life 
time witnessed a wonderful change in con- 
ditions in this locahty. He and a brother 
rode horseback to Springfield to see the 
first steam engine enter the village. He 
followed farming all his days and ac- 
quired 100 acres of land, one mile west of 
Dialton, a part of which he cleared. He 
also taught school for a short time. He 
was joined in marriage August 30, 1860, 
to Louisa Jenkins, who was born in Pike 
Township, and was a daughter of Levi 
and Sarah (ShajBfer) Jenkins, the former 
a native of North Carolina, and the latter 
of Pike Township, Clark County, her 
people having come from Virginia at a 
very early period. The father of Levi 
Jenkins came overland from North Caro- 
lina in a wagon and was possessed of but 
fifty cents in money when he arrived. 
Levi Jenkins was industrious, and living 
frugally accumulated a handsome prop- 
erty, from which he gave each of his chil- 
dren a farm. Mr. Jenkins moved to Kan- 
sas in his latter years, but returned after 
his wife's death, dying six years later, to 
the day. 

Henry and Louisa Verity were parents 
of three children : Albert B., who is now 
in California; Luella; and Sarah Eliz- 
abeth. The elder daughter was born on 
the farm of Levi Jenkins in Champaign 
County, Ohio, and the younger was born 
in Pike Township, on the farm which was 
the birthplace of her mother. All three 
children attended London Hill Academy 



980 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



at New Carlisle, as did their mother, who 
for some years was a school teacher. 
Henry Verity died at the home place Jan- 
nary 14, 1900, and was survived by his 
widow, who died December 3, 1904, aged 
seventy years. Prior to the death of their 
mother, the Misses Verity purchased a 
home in Dialton, where they now reside. 
They rent the seventy-tive-acre farm in- 
herited from their mother, as well as one 
of one hundred acres left by their father. 
Religiously, both are members of' the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 



MH.TON L. EVANS, who owns sixty 
acres of some of the best farming land in 
German Township, which is favorably sit- 
uated only five miles northwest of Spring- 
field, just off the Jordan Turnpike Road, 
was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, June 2, 1872. He is a son 
of William Perry and Mary Jane (Lough- 
rige) Evans, William Perry Evans being 
a well known farmer in Miami County. 

Milton L. Evans remained on the home 
place until his marriage on August 22, 
1894, to Emma F. Grarst. Mrs. Evans was 
born in Pike Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, a daughter of John and Mary 
(Bozart) Grarst. When she was five 
years old she accompanied her mother and 
her step-father, John Filbrun, to Miami 
County, her own father having died when 
she was very young. For two years after 
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Evans lived 
with Mr, and Mrs. Filbrun, during which 
time Mr. Evans was engaged in teaching 
school. In the fall of 1895 he purchased 
his present farm and in the following 
spring they moved to it and have now 
lived here for the past twelve years. Mr. 



Evans is both a practical and progressive 
farmer, making use of modern methods 
and improved machinery. He and his 
wife have a family of eight children, 
namely: Robert Chesley, John Lebert, 
William Harold, Jasper Milton, Russell 
Frank, Ira Homer, Mary Caryl and Mor^ 
ris L. Mr. Evans is giving his children 
every advantage in his power and they 
show the effect of the parental care be- 
stowed upon them. 



ADAM GRUBE, a leading citizen of 
Springfield Township, where he owns one 
hundred and thirty-five acres of valuable 
land, is proprietor of the Adam Grube 
& Son brickyard, which is situated on 
North liimestone Street, just north of the 
limits of Springfield. Mr. Grube was born 
in Mackenbach, Rhine Bavaria, Germany, 
June 20, 18-33, and is a son of Jacob and 
Philipena (Shaar) Grube. 

In 1835 the parents of Mr. Grube came 
to America and settled in Tiffin, Ohio, 
where they lived for two years. During 
this time the father worked very hard, 
walking the whole distance to Fort 
Wayne, Indiana, where he secured em- 
ployment on the Wabash Canal, and later 
worked on the Maumee Canal. In 1837 
Jacob Grube decided to remove his fam- 
ily to Springiield, where there was a 
chance for him to secure work as a day 
laborer, and after this removal, x\dam 
Grube had a chance to go to school. He 
also began to assist in the care of the 
family, earning his first money selling 
produce from house to house, before and 
after school, his honest measure and 
pleasant manner soon making friends for 
him among the housewives of Spring-field. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



Just as soon as Ms strength permitted he 
began to -work at day labor, in the mean- 
while gaining a knowledge of the brick 
business. When he was only twelve years 
old he worked in James Eobinson's brick- 
yard for his board and three dollars a 
month. He was patient, persevering, 
honest and saving, and it was a proud day 
for hnn when, in partnership with his 
brother, he was able to buy fifteen acres 
of land. Later he bought his brother's 
seven and one-half acres, and this remains 
his home place. For fourteen years he 
lived in a log house and then built his 
present fine brick residence. When he 
went first into the brick business he was 
associated with his two brothers, Jacob 
and Christian, and they continued to- 
gether for six years, after which he fol- 
lowed farming and gardening for several 
years and then started his brickyard, 
later entering in partnership with his son, 
Charles Elmer Grube. The plant is fitted 
with the Quaker brick-making machinery, 
and employment is given twelve men and 
five boys. The output is building brick, 
and the business is one of importance. 

When he was about tAventy-two years 
of age, Mr. Grube was married to Annie 
Mary Wilch, and they had born seven chil- 
dren, the three survivors being: John 
Adam, who is a farmer and brickmaker; 
William H.; and Charles E., who is in 
partnership with his father. After the 
death of his first wife, Adam Grube mar- 
ried Gertrude Rettig, who is also de- 
ceased. Of their nine children, four are 
living, namely: George Peter, Samuel, 
Frantz Joseph, and Gertrude. 

Mr. Grube owns three farms, one piece 
of land consisting of sixty-nine acres, he 
owns in partnership with his sons Frantz 



Joseph and Samuel David. In addition 
to his residence already mentioned, Mr. 
Grube owns four other houses which he 
rents. His property is all of considerable 
value. A review of Mr. Grube 's life tells 
a story that carries its own lesson. It 
proves the value of industry and prud- 
ence. It is a long step from the little lad 
carrying his basket of produce from his 
parent 's garden, from door to door, to the 
substantial citizen whose name at the 
bottom of a legal paper represents large 
and honestly earned thousands of dollars. 



EDWARD H. RITCHIE, general farm- 
er, residing in Pleasant Township, owns 
two farms, comprising 240 acres of val- 
uable land. He was born in Loudon 
County, Virginia, and was six years old 
when his parents came to Clark County. 

The father of Mr. Ritchie settled first 
on a farm three miles west of Catawba, 
which he rented for one year. He then 
removed to the J. Chance farm, one and 
one-half miles west of Catawba, a year 
later moving to what was known as the 
Yeazle farm. From there he removed 
to the Baumgardner farm and while liv- 
ing on the latter property commenced to 
build a house on a farm that he had pur- 
chased in 1859. It contained 101 acres 
and the father of Mr. Ritchie bought the 
land for $16 an acre. It now belongs to 
Edward H. Ritchie, and he would not 
sell it for $70 an acre, it being now very 
valuable property. When the Ritchies 
settled on that land it was covered with 
timber and brush and it required a large 
amount of hard work to clear, cultivate 
and improve it. The father died on that 
farm in 1901, the mother having passed 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



away in 1889. There were four sons and 
one daughter in the family, namely : Mary, 
who is now deceased ; Martin Luther, who 
died at the age of five years; John, who 
died in the army during the Civil War, 
aged twenty-six years; William, who re- 
sides in Champaign County, Ohio; 
Charles, who resides in Pleasant Town- 
ship; and Edward H., the direct subject 
of this notice. 

Edward H. Eitchie was married in 
Pleasant Township, December 17, 1875, 
to Lucinda Jane Curl, who was born No- 
vember 1, 1849, in Clark County, Ohio, 
where she has passed her whole life. She 
is a daughter of John and Malinda 
(Frankelbery) Curl. Mr. and Mrs. Eit- 
chie have had four children, namely: Ni- 
na, bom January 8, 1877, who married 
Edgar Evans, April 9, 1902, and they re- 
side on the Evans homestead in Cham- 
paign County; Ora Ijorn September 23, 
1879, who married Oscar Mumper, April 
18, 1900, they residing on what is known 
as the EoUins farm in Champaign Coun- 
ty; an infant daughter, who was born 
January 5, 1882, and died unnamed aged 
three weeks; and Elta M., born January 
21, 1884, who married, May 29, 1906, Ed- 
gar Wood, a son of Henry Wood. The 
last mentioned reside on a farm near 
that of Mr. Eitchie. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eitchie live on the old 
homestead farm of the Curls which Mr. 
Eitchie purchased in 1882. He is one of 
the leading citizens of his township and 
has filled many of its important offices 
at various times, just now being the pres- 
ident of the board of trustees of Nation 
Chapel. He belongs to the order of 
Knights of Pythias, Mechanicsburg 
Lodge, No. 474. 



THOMAS A. PAINE, of the firm of 
W. E. Tuttle & Company, grain mer- 
chants, has been a resident of Spring- 
field, Ohio, since 1900, and takes rank 
among the most active and successful of 
the younger generation of business men 
of the city. 

Mr. Paine was born in London, Ohio, 
in 1865, and was a small boy when his 
father, Bushrod Paine, was killed by a 
stroke of lightning, leaving his mother 
with three small children to look after. 
As a result he was obliged to enter the 
field of business at an early age, his edu- 
cational training being limited to the com- 
mon schools of London. He began as a 
messenger boy and while thus engaged 
learned telegraphy, after which he became 
operator and assistant agent at London. 
He continued in that capacity six years, 
then became identified with the grain 
business of James Hamilton in 1888. He 
continued in the service of Mr. Hamilton 
and his successors until 1900, when he 
moved to Springfield, Ohio, and began his 
connection with W. E. Tuttle & Company. 
He has continued here since, giving am- 
ple demonstration of superior business 
ability. He moves in the best circles, en- 
joying a wide acquaintance and a host of 
friends. 



GEOEGE J. TIPPIE, a representative 
citizen and successful farmer of Harmony 
Township, owns one himdred and ninety- 
five acres of fine land in this section, on 
which he has resided since 1881. He was 
born March 9, 1838, in Athens County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Joseph and Anna 
(Wilkins) Tippie. 

Joseph Tippie was born in Athens 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



985 



County, Ohio, in 1809, and was a son of 
John Tippie. In 1829 he married Anna 
Wilkins and he died in 1894. Their fam- 
ily consisted of eight children, namely: 
Sylvina, who married Ephraim Sayers, 
and whose children were Agnes, Ollie, Or- 
ran, Jnlia, Lizzie and George; Wesley, 
who married Elizabeth Brolley, and has 
five children — Addison, John, "Warren, 
Silas and Nettie ; Eliza, who married Will- 
iam Ogg, and has three children — ^Sarah, 
Wesley and Joseph; Greorge J.; Julia, 
who married William Keeffer, and whose 
children are Frank and Kittle ; John, who 
died aged thirty-one years; Silas, who 
married May Bruner, and has three chil- 
dren — Ollie, Grace and John; and Martha, 
who married James James, and has two 
children — Freddie and Florence. 

George J. Tippie received a district 
school education, such as was afforded 
the youths in his neighborhood, and his 
life has been devoted almost continuously 
to agricultural pursuits. In 1881 he pur- 
chased his present farm of James McMil- 
len and James Sprague. He has made 
many substantial improvements on it and 
has put the land under fine cultivation. 
Besides liay and the usual cereals he 
raises some cattle and other live stock. 
When the Ohio Electric Road was seek- 
ing a right of way through this section, 
Mr. Tippie sold the company five acres 
of his land and now the line runs directly 
in front of his residence. 

Mr. Tippie was married in 1863, in 
7\thens County, Ohio, to Orcha Stephen- 
son, who was born in that county, Octo- 
ber 29, 1845. Her parents, Jerome and 
Anna (Southerton) Stephenson, had ten 
children — Orcha, Bruce, Beulah, Priscilla, 
Jerome, Hattie, Media, Zelphia, Forestine 

52 



and DoUie. Mr. and Mrs. Tippie have 
had four children — Eva, Decatur, Owa and 
Etna. Eva, the eldest daughter, who mar- 
ried George dinger, died in 1895, leav- 
ing one daughter, Mary, who was born in 
1890, and who resides with her grand- 
l^arents. Decatur, the eldest son, born in 
1865, married Fannie Smith and they re- 
side at Vienna. They have two children, 
Edna and Frank. Owa, the second daugh- 
ter, was born in 1869, and in 1890 married 
George Kephart. They have had two chil- 
dren, George Henry, born in 1896, who 
died in 1899, and Ruth, who was born in 
1899. Etna, the youngest daughter, born 
in 1871, married Fred Kemp and they re- 
side at Dayton, Ohio. They have five 
sons — Fred B., George L., Homer F., 
Russell L. and Harry S. 

Mr. Tippie has always been an active 
and public-spirited citizen. He has served 
three terms as township trustee and has 
shown his interest in the public schools 
by consenting to act as school director. 
He is a member of Lodge No. 345, Odd 
Fellows, at Vienna, in which he has held 
all the chairs. 



JOEL L. LITTLE, a prominent citizen 
of Villa, formerly postmaster and also 
justice of the peace, was born in Ross 
Township, Greene County, Ohio, Decem- 
ber 20, 1836, and is a son of Cyrus and 
Susanna (Dalbey) Little, and a grandson 
of Jacob Little. 

Cyrus Little was born in Frederick 
County, Virginia, in 1814, and died July 
21, 1905, aged eighty-nine years. When 
he was three years old his parents came 
to Ross Township, Greene County, this 
being in the fall of 1816, and between that 



986 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



and 1820, Jacob's brothers, Martin, David 
and John, came also to this section of Ohio 
and all bought large farms. Their father, 
George Adam Little came from G-ermany 
to Virginia, in 1795. His trade was that 
of nail-m-aker and he manufactured some 
of the spikes that were originally used in 
the construction of the White House, at 
Washington City. . After the death of 
James Demint, who laid out Spi'ingfield, 
Ohio, his widow, Mrs. Nancy Demint, be- 
came the second wife of Jacob Little, the 
ceremony taking place July 12, 1821. A 
brother-in-law of Jacob Little was a 
somewhat noted character of that day. 
His name was Joseph Thomas, but he was 
known all through Ohio as the Singing 
Pilgrim or the Wliite Pilgrim. He travel- 
ed all over the country preaching and 
singing his hymns, having published a 
hymn book of his own. Lie always dressed 
in white, hence his appellation, and he was 
a welcome visitor wherever his wander- 
ings led him. He married a sister-in-law 
of Jacob Little. He was born in Orange 
County, North Carolina, March 7, 1791, 
and died at Zanesville, Ohio. 

Cyrus Little and his brother Joseph 
learned the blacksmith's trade with their 
father, and Cyrus ran a blacksmith shop 
in Ross Township, Greene County, until 
1864, when he moved his shop to Van 
Wert, retiring after working as a black- 
smith for iifty-two years. He married 
tSusanna Dalby, who died December 6, 
1904, aged eighty-five years. The celebra- 
tion of their sixty-seventh wedding anni- 
versary had been planned, but Mrs. Little 
died three days before. 

JToel L. Little learned the blacksmith 
trade with his father, in Greene County, 
and after the termination of his service 



in the Civil War, he entered into partner- 
ship in a blacksmith business, with his 
father, at Van Wert, which continued for 
eighteen months. Mr. Little then came 
to Springfield and worked at his trade 
for eleven years, five of these being spent 
in the Champion Works. On December 
13, 1863, he enlisted in a heavy artillery 
regiment, at Yellow Springs, Ohio, but 
at Camp Cleveland he was transferred to 
Company I, One Hundred and Twenty- 
eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, and served until July 13, 1865. 
He was in the Department of Ohio and 
during the larger part of his service, was 
under the command of Gen. Joseph 
Hooker. During fourteen months of this 
time he was stationed at Johnson's 
Island, Sandusky Bay, as a guard over 
Confederate prisoners. 

In 1877, Mr. Little came to Villa and 
started a blacksmith shop which he oper- 
ated for fifteen years and then went into 
a grocery business for eleven years, dur- 
ing nine years of this period being post- 
master of the village. He succeeded his 
brother, Daniel Little, who had been post- 
master for six years previously. 

On February 4, 1858, Mr. Little was 
married to Charity Gordon, who was born 
in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
on a farm adjoining the one on which her 
grandfather, Richard Gordon, had settled. 
Her father, Richard Gordon, was born in 
Frederick County, Virginia, and was nine 
years old when his father settled on a 
farm south of Spring-field. The elder 
Richard Gordon had made a previous set- 
tlement in this region but had gone back 
to Virginia on account of the hostility of 
the Indians in Ohio at that time. Subse- 
quently he returned to his former farm 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



987 



on wHch lie lived out the rest of Ms life, 
and on wMcli he reared a family of seven- 
teen children all of whom reached matur- 
ity. When Mrs. Little was ten years old 
her parents moved to Ross Township, 
Greene County, where she was residing 
at the time of her marriage. 

Mr. and Mrs. Little have three children, 
namely: Willis, who is engaged in a 
blacksmith business at Urbana, his father 
owning the property; Cyrus G., who died 
December 9, 1907, was a resident of Den- 
ver, Colorado, and he had been in an ex- 
press business for the past twenty-two 
years, until 1906 being agent for the 
Pacific Express Company, at Cleveland; 
and Ida M., who married Peter Lynch, 
who is principal of the Eastern School, 
at Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Little have 
fifteen grandchildren and six great-grand- 
children. 

In 1881, Mr. Little joined the Odd Fel- 
lows and was a member of Ephraim 
Lodge, which he subsequently left in 
order to become a charter member of 
Lone Star Lodge, No. 732, Lagonda. He 
is a member of the United Brethren 
Church at Lagonda. For nine years, Mr. 
Little was a justice of the peace and is 
still familiarly addressed as Squire Little. 



JOHN FREDERIC OTSTOT, residing 
on one of his father's farms, which is sit- 
uated in section 20, Springfield Township, 
and consists of ninety-four and one-half 
acres of valuable land, was born in 
Springfield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, September 26, 1882, and is a son of 
John and Sallie (Kershner) Otstot. 

John Otstot was born in the house which 
is the present home of his son, John F. 



His father was William Otstot, who was 
a native of Pennsylvania and an early set- 
tler in this section. William Otstot built 
this commodious brick house in 1832 and 
at that time it was one of the finest resi- 
dences in all this part of the country, and 
many a social gathering has been held 
here and kind hospitality dispensed. It 
is still known as the old William Otstot 
place. John Otstot was reared in Spring- 
field Township and trained to be a good 
farmer. When he reached manhood he 
married Sallie Kershner, who was also 
born in Springfield Township, and is a 
daughter of William A. Kershner. To 
John and Sallie Otstot were born four 
children, namely: William A.; Mabel, 
who married August Getz ; John Frederic ; 
and Harry, who remains at home. John 
Otstot is a large farmer residing east of 
Springfield, and is a member of the 
Springfield Township School Board. 

John F. Otstot was reared in Spriag- 
field Township, and attended school dur- 
ing his boyhood and youth, in the neigh- 
borhood of his home. He grew to man- 
hood acquainted with all the practical de- 
tails of farming and has ever since given 
his attention to this business. For some 
months following his marriage he lived at 
home and then moved to the present farm 
which he has successfully operated for 
the past three years. He raises wheat, 
corn, oats and hay, also some stock, and 
keeps enough cows to have a good private 
dairy. He is one of the sensible, in- 
dustrious and enterprising young farmers 
of the township. 

On June 1, 1903, Mr. Otstot was mar- 
ried to Florence Self, who is a daughter 
of Joseph and Lettie Self. Mrs. Otstot 
was left an oi'phan when she was five 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



years old and was reared by her grand- 
father, James Self, of Madison County, 
Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Otstot have one son, 
a bright little child, whom they have 
named John Edgar. 



W. H. STACKHOUSE, manager of 
The Bettendorf Metal Wheel Company, 
at Springfield, has been identified with 
the interests of this city for the past ten 
years. He was born at Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania, in 1865, and was reared and 
educated at Davenport, Iowa. 

His early business efforts were con- 
nected with railroading and he subse- 
quently became cashier at Davenport, for 
the Eock Island Eailroad, and he served 
also as private secretary to the assistant 
president of the road, for eight years. He 
then turned his attention to life insur- 
ance, representing the Northwestern Mu- 
tual Life Insurance Company of Milwau- 
kee. About this time he also entered ac- 
tively into politics, becoming an import- 
ant factor in the Democratic ranks. For 
some years he continuously represented 
his party at district and state conven- 
tions, and he was sent as a delegate to the 
Democratic national convention, in 1896, 
and was still further honored by an ap- 
pointment as a member of the committee 
selected to notify the vice-presidential 
nominee. From 1889 until 1893, he was 
associated with the Democratic national 
committee. During the second adminis- 
tration of President Cleveland, he was 
appointed collector of internal revenue, 
for southern Iowa. 

In 1896, Mr. Stackhouse came to 
Springfield and accepted the position of 
assistant manager of The Bettendorf 



Metal Wheel Company, becoming its man- 
ager in August, 1903. He has numer- 
ous other interests and is a director of 
the Springfield Street Eailway Company. 

He is also identified with various pub- 
lie enterprises, his fellow-citizens having 
long since learned that he is a man of 
sound sense and unusual business capac- 
ity. He is one of the three members form- 
ing an advisory board appointed to look 
after the investment of the endowment 
fund of the Spring-field City Hospital. 
For the past year he has been president 
of the Springfield commercial club, and he 
belongs also to the Ohio State board of 
commerce and is a member of the commit- 
tee on business corporate law. 

On July 16, 1890, Mr. Stackhouse was 
married to Elizabeth Lenihan, of Du- 
buque, Iowa, and they have a family of 
four sons and four daughters. Mr. 
Stackhouse and family belong to St. 
Eaphael's Catholic church. 



WILLIAM H. OVEEHOLSEE, a much 
esteemed resident of Lawrenceville, and 
owner of a farm of fifty acres in German 
Township, was born two miles northwest 
of Lawrenceville on the farm which he 
owns, October 20, 1853, and is a son of 
Moses and Eva (Eust) Overholser. 

Moses Overholser, a native of Virginia, 
came to Ohio when sis years old with his 
father, Christian Overholser, who first 
settled at Newark, Ohio, moving from 
there to Terre Haute, Champaign Coun- 
ty, and thence to German Township, Clark 
County, where he purchased a tract of 
200 acres, of which the subject of this 
sketch owns fifty acres. Moses assisted 
his father in clearing this land and made 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



991 



his home on the place all his life. He 
married Eva Eust, who was born in Clark 
County, a daughter of Abraham Eust, a 
native of Virginia. Seven children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Overholser, namely : 
Abraham; Susan, who married James 
Reckner; Elizabeth, who married Will- 
iam Eoach; Sarah Jane, the wife of Fred- 
erick Michael; William H., whose name 
begins this article; Martha, who married 
Daniel Myers; and Moses. Mrs. Over- 
holser died November 19, 1900, and her 
husband on May 7, 1904, aged seventy- 
eight years. 

William H. Overholser grew to man- 
hood on the old homestead in German 
Township and has always been a farmer 
by occupation. Although a resident of 
Lawrenceville since November 1, 1906, he 
still continues to manage his farm. Mr. 
Overholser owns a fine residence in Law- 
renceville, and also erected a large barn 
when the house was built. 

Mr. Overholser was married October 
20, 1875, to Mary Davis, who was born 
and reared in German Township, Clark 
Coimty, and is a daughter of Elkanah and 
Rachel (Baker) Davis, who were promi- 
nent farmers of German Township. Mr. 
and Mrs. Davis had six children, five of 
whom are living — Edward, Samuel, 
Smith, Sylvester, who died aged eleven 
years; Mary (Mrs. Overholser), and Dr. 
Elisha B. Davis of Troy, Ohio. Three 
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Over- 
holser, namely: Minnie, who married 
John Marshall and has the following 
children: William, Stewart, Everett, 
Howard, Carroll, Adrian ; Florentine, who 
married John Hallstine, and Roger Eu- 
gene, who still attends school. 

Mr. Overholser has membership in the 



Junior Order of American Mechanics, and 
Mrs. Overholser belongs to the Daughters 
of America. The former is a member of 
the Reformed Church, of which he has 
been deacon since 1900. 



ADOLPHUS H. SMITH, Jr., an enter- 
prising and progressive citizen of Mad 
Eiver Township, has been a continuous 
resident of Clark County since 1864, and 
throughout his entire business career has 
devoted his attention to agricultural pur- 
suits in this community. He was born 
October 1, 1850, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where 
the first fourteen years of his life were 
spent. 

After Mr. Smith's father became pos- 
sessed of land in Clark County, the fam- 
ily spent the summer months on the farm 
here, returning to the city for the win- 
ters. His early education was obtained 
in his native city, and this was supple- 
mented by a two years ' course in a mili- 
tary college at Springfield, conducted by 
Chandler Eobins, and later he attended 
Notre Dame University, South Bend, In- 
diana, for two years. In 1864 Mr. Smith 
came to Clark County and resided on his 
father's farm until after his marriage, 
when he rented a farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres located two and one-half miles 
west of Enon. This he cultivated with 
much success and was enabled to lay aside 
sufficient capital to purchase a farm for 
himself in 1877. He also became manager 
of his father 's large interests in this local- 
ity and at his father's death inherited an 
equal share with the other children in the 
estate. 

On October 17, 1871, shortly after at- 



992 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



taining his majority, Mr. Smith was 
joined in marriage with Sarah J. Shella- 
harger, a native of Mad River Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, and a life-long resi- 
dent of this community. She is a daugh- 
ter of Reuben and Elizabeth (Baker) 
Shellabarger, the former of whom passed 
out of this life in 1889. His wife died in 
1873. Seven children have been born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Smith : Amelia, who is the 
wife of L. Baylor of Springfield, has three 
children; Maria L., who is the wife of P. 
Johnson, has one child; May K., who is 
the wife of Clarence W. Engledue of 
Springfield, Ohio, has four children ; Rilla 
J., who is the wife of J. E. Drake, has 
one child; Justin B., who married Amelia 
Smith, has had six children, and follows 
farming in Mad River Township; G-er- 
trude E. ; and Helen V. 

Mr. Smith has always been a man of 
public spirit and enterprise, giving his 
support to all measures which tend to- 
ward the advancement of his community. 
He cast his first presidential vote for 
Horace Greeley and is a staunch advocate 
of the Democratic party. Although never 
seeking political preferment, he has filled 
the office of township trustee of Mad 
River Township for about twenty-two 
years and has taken an active part in 
securing and maintaining good roads. He 
is fraternally affiliated with the Yellow 
Springs Lodge No. 441, F. & A. M., and 
New Carlisle Chapter No. 57, R. A. M. 
He is also a member of the subordinate 
lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows at 
Fairfield, G-reene County, Ohio, and holds 
membership in the Knights of Pythias 
order at Enon, having filled all the chairs 
and served as a representative to the 
Grand Lodge. 



JACOB LESLIE McCLELLAN, who 
died on his farm in Springfield Township 
April 30, 1892, was one of the highly es- 
teemed citizens of this section, in which 
a large part of his useful life had been 
spent. He was born May 2, 1821, in Penn- 
sylvania, and was a son of George and 
Isabella (Leslie) McClellan. 

In his infancy Mr. McClellan was 
brought by his parents to Richland 
County, Ohio, where his father followed 
shoemaking. He was educated in the coun- 
try schools and at Wittenberg College, 
at Springfield, after which he began to 
teach school. He became very popular as 
a teacher, first in Spring-field Township 
and later in other sections. He was the 
teacher at the Sinking Creek School for 
several years, also at the Reid School, 
and during a part of this time he was 
a boarder at the home of Caleb Tuttle, 
the leading farmer of the community, 
whose daughter Rachel he subsequently 
married. He continued teaching for sev- 
eral years after marriage, and then turned 
his attention to farming and moved to the 
farm of one hundred and four acres on 
which Mrs. McClellan resides. It was 
formerly the property of her father, Caleb 
Tuttle, who owned about a thousand 
acres of land in Clark Coimty. Mr. Mc- 
Clellan resided on this farm and carried 
on a general line of agriculture. He wa.s 
an elder in the Presbyterian Church. 

On April 8, 1852, Jacob L. McCleUan 
was married to Rachel Tuttle, who is a 
daughter of Caleb and Mary (Prickett) 
Tuttle. Caleb Tuttle was born in Vir- 
ginia in 1799 and was a son of Sylvanus 
Tuttle, who came to Clark County in 1806 
and settled on a farm in Moorefield Town- 
ship, near the present home of Mrs. Mc- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



993 



Clellan. Caleb Tuttle married Mary 
Prickett, who was a daughter of Nicholas 
Prickett, who came from Claremont 
County to Clark County, Ohio, and ran 
the first flour mill at Lagonda. Of Caleb 
Tuttle 's large family but two survive — 
Mrs. McClellan and Miss Laura Tuttle. 
In her girlhood Mrs. McClellan taught one 
term of school, but otherwise her atten- 
tion has always been directed to looking 
after her domestic affairs and to provid- 
ing for the happiness and comfort of her 
family. Mr. and Mrs. McClellan had five 
children born to them, as follows : Mary 
Isabella, who married John H. Gower, re- 
sides in Harmony Township ; Eliza Jane, 
who married G. W. Yeazell, resides in 
Springfield Township; Emma, who mar- 
ried W. B. Curtis, resides at Springfield ; 
Alice, who married M. D. Doyle; and 
William Leslie, who died February 18, 
1903. For eight years he was money 
order clerk at the Springfield postoffice. 
He married Maud Leuty and she survives 
with two sons, John Leuty and James 
Henry. 

Mrs. McClellan attended school in the 
building that is now utilized for a relig- 
ious edifice and is known as the Union 
Sinking Creek Church. Mrs. McClellan 
belongs to the Presbyterian faith. She 
has resided on her present farm since 
]857. 



NATHAN GEIEST, residing on his 
well-improved farm of seventy-nine acres, 
which lies in Sections 19 and 20, German 
Township, was born on this farm, Novem- 
ber 25, 1839, and is a son of Willing and 
Hannah (Thomas) Griest. 

The parents of Mr. Griest were born 



and reared in York County Pennsylvania, 
where they were married in 1828, im- 
mediately coming to Clark County, Ohio, 
and settling in German Township, but 
they occupied' two other farms before lo- 
cating on the one which Nathan Griest 
now owns. They were people known for 
their worth and they lived in peace and 
good fellowship with their neighbors for 
many years, and finally died on this farm. 
They had seven children, five of whom 
grew to maturity, the two survivors be- 
ing: Nathan and Isaac. 

Nathan Griest obtained his education 
in the district schools and from boyhood 
has been accustomed to an agricultural 
life. With his two sons he is engaged in 
general farming and in truck gardening. 
Mr. Griest is a veteran of the Civil 
War, enlisting in February, 1864, in Com- 
pany F, Eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Cavalry. The larger part of his service 
was in W^est Virginia and he was made 
a prisoner at Beverly, in that state, and 
confined for a month in Libby Prison. He 
was fortunately then exchanged, rejoined 
his company and was mustered out at the 
close of the war, at Clarksburg, Virginia. 
He is a member of the Grand Army of 
the Republic. 

Mr. Griest was married (first) to Har- 
riet Amelia Callison, who died six months 
later, in the spring of 1860. He was mar- 
ried (secondly), in November, 1867, to 
Emeline Getz and they have had nine chil- 
dren, namely: Edward C, who is de- 
ceased; Mary Belle, deceased, who mar- 
ried David M. Haulman and left two chil- 
dren, Alma and Orrin W., both of whom 
live with their grandfather, Mr. Griest 
Cora, who married Samuel E. Callison 
Effie Ellen, who married Silas Horton 



994 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



Forrest; Clarence D., who married Pearl 
Ballentine and resides in German Town- 
ship; Minnie, who married Charles Kib- 
linger; Esther Blanche, who married 
Scott Kiblinger; and Cyrus, who is a 
student in the Lawrenceville High School. 



WH^LIAM J. GRAM, a well known 
general farmer and dairyman of Spring- 
field Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- 
siding on a farm of fifty acres, situated 
about three miles south of the city, on the 
Possum road, was born November 13, 
1855, on the old Gram farm just south of 
Leffel Lane, and is a son of Jacob and 
Isabella (Dory) Gram. 

Jacob Gram was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of 
Cornelius Gram. When about seventeen 
years old, Jacob Gram came to Clark 
County with his father, who bought a 
farm of three hundred and twenty acres 
running a mile north and south, and a 
half a mile east and west. Cornelius oper- 
ated a distillery for some time. The fam- 
ily lived first in a log house, but later a 
brick house was erected, which has been 
torn down. Jacob Gram married Isabella 
Dory, who was born in Cincinnati, a 
daughter of James Dory, who was a na- 
tive of England, and a gardner by occupa- 
tion. When a babe her parents moved to 
Spring-field, where her father ran a garden 
on Grand Avenue, that section now being 
known as the Dory Addition. Jacob and 
Isabella Gram had four children: Will- 
iam J. ; Harriet Elizabeth, who married 
S. C. Rebert of Springfield; Martha C, 
Avho married Oliver H. Leffel of Green 
Township, Clark County: and Charles J., 



who is a resident of Spring-field, Ohio. 
Jacob Gram and wife first went to house- 
keeping on the old Gram farm, moving in 
1857 to the farm on which William J. now 
resides, which then contained eighty 
acres. They subsequently removed to 
Springfield and built a home on Grand 
Avenue, where the mother died in Janu- 
ary, 1890. Jacob then came to live with 
his son William J. He died April 3, 
1894, wliile on a visit at the home of his 
son Charles, who then resided in Green 
Township. 

William Gram was reared on his pres- 
ent farm and received his schooling at 
the Possum school. He has always fol- 
lowed farming and for twelve years also 
operated a dairy, recently having sold his 
route to his son George. He usually 
keeps about fifteen head of cattle. 

Mr. Gram was married October 28, 
1880, to Mattie Otstot, who was reared in 
Springfield, Ohio, and is a daughter of 
Adam Hunter and Sarah (Parsons) 
Otstot. Adam Hrmter Otstot, who is now 
deceased, was born in March, 1827, in 
Pennsylvania, and was a carpenter by 
trade. His widow and one son, L. Burt 
Otstot, reside in Santa Ana, California. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gram have had eight chil- 
dren, seven of whom are still living, name- 
ly: Robert C, resides in Santa Ana, 
California, where he is employed in a 
drug store: Dola, married Walter Min- 
nich of Springfield Township, and has 
two children, Ralph, and Robert; George 
W., married Emma Deeter of Pleasant 
Hill, Ohio, and has one child, William; 
Lewis Jacob, married Mabel E. Patten 
and resides in Spring-field; Burt, married 
Ethel Celesfe Woosley, on November 20, 
1907; Isabella, who attends High School 



at Springfield; and Marian, who attends 
the Possom school of this Township. 

Mr. Gram and family are members of 
the Third Lutheran Church. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



995 



WILLIAM W. REYNOLDS, residing 
m Section 1, Springfield Township, where 
he operates a fine farm of one hundred 
and twenty-five acres, is a representative 
citizen of this neighborhood. He was born 
m Green Township, Clark County Ohio 
August 20, 1846, and is a son of Henry 
and Julia Ann (McKinney) Reynolds 
_ The first member of the Reynolds fam- 
ily that appears to have come to Clark 
County, from Virginia, was James Reyn- 
olds, who was a brother of William Reyn- 
olds, the latter being the grandfather of 
William W. James Reynolds settled in 
Harmony Township, not far from Platts- 
burg, probably some years prior to 
Christmas Day, 1826, when William 
Reynolds reached the same place. He 
lived for one year in Harmony Township 
and then moved to Green Township, where 
he bought the farm on which his grand- 
son, William W., was born. His family 
consisted of his wife and children, to- 
gether with his aged mother. 

Henry Reynolds was born in Virginia 
and was almost eleven years old when the 
family came to Clark County, December 
25, 1826, his birth having been in Janu- 
ary, 1816. He married Julia Ann Mc- 
Kinney, who was born and reared in 
Clark County, where she died September 
24, 1878. Her father, John McKinney, 
was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylva- 
nia, and came to Ohio in young manhood. 
He was married near Dayton, where he 
lived for a time, and then bought a farm 



m Green Township, Clark County, which 
he owned at the time of his death. Henry 
Reynolds and wife had the following chil- 
dren: Nancy, deceased, was the wife of 
John Warren; Olive is the widow of 
Thomas Hill and lives in Kansas ; William 
W.; Jolm H. resides in German Town-^ 
ship, Clark County;. Elizabeth, residin- 
with her brother, William W., owns a part 
o± the home farm; and Rachel Jane, who 
married James P. Titus, resides in 
Springfield Township. 

In October, 1850, Henry Reynolds and 
tamily moved to the farm Mr. Reynolds 
now occupies, having purchased it in 1845, 
from Dr. Samuel Canada, who had entered 
the land. In 1865 Henry Reynolds built 
the large, handsome brick house, making 
the brick on his own farm with his own 
hands. He died July 6, 1884. 

William W. Reynolds was four years 
old when his parents came to the present 
farm and he remained on the home place 
until the year 1869, when he made a trip 
to Illinois, where he spent one year He 
then returned to Clark County, and on 
March 30, 1876, he was married to Mary 
A. Pilcher, who was reared in Green 
Township and is a daughter of Jonathan 
and Margaret Ann (Elwell) Pilcher. Mr. 
and Mrs. Reynolds have had seven chil- 
dren, all of whom survive except the old- 
est, William, who died aged seven months 
The others are: Ralph Carey, residing in 
Springfield, a moulder, married Grace 
Zimmerman, and they have two children 
Mary Elizabeth and Margaret Jeanette;' 
and John Henry, Hortense, Laura Eliza- 
beth, Rachel Evelyn and James Olin El- 
well, all residing at home. 

After marriage, William W. Reynolds 
and wife lived for two years in Harmony 



996 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



TownsMp and then moved for one year 
to Green Township, and from there to 
Marion Comity, where they remained for 
two years, at the end of which time they 
came back to Clark County. They lived 
in this county for the following six years 
and then moved to Logan County in 1888, 
and in the following year to Putnam 
County, Ohio, for a short time, but No- 
vember, 1889, found them in Minnesota, 
where they resided until April, 1894, when 
they returned to Clark County and spent 
tAvo years in Green Township, two years 
in Mooretield Township and two years in 
Mad River Township, and settled on the 
present farm in 1900. 



JAMES N. HAUK, residing on his fine 
farm which contains 500 acres, situated 
in Madison Township, is one of the rep- 
resentative men of this section. He was 
born at Cincinnati, Ohio, June 22, 1845, 
and is a son of Columbus B. and Johanna 
(Norton) Hauk. The maternal grand- 
father, Elijah Norton, was one of the 
earliest settlers at Cincinnati, a cotem- 
porary and friend of the first Nicholas 
Longworth. Mr. Norton was a progres- 
sive man. He built one of the first ice cel- 
lars at Cincinnati, and engaged in the ice 
industry. 

Columbus B. Hauk, father of James 
N., was bom at Athens, Ohio, and was 
reared on the farm which is now the site 
of the Children's Home. He spent thirty 
years of his life on the river and was 
known to river men from Pittsburg to 
New Orleans. In 1865 he bought a farm 
near South Charleston, Clark County. He 
married Johanna Norton, who was born 
at Cincinnati, and they had three sons and 



one daughter, namely : James N. ; Charles 
D., who is a university graduate, formerly 
was in business at Springfield, but is now 
residing on a farm at Bemis Point, New 
York; Mary Ella, who married Gomer E. 
Hiley, resides at Chicago ; and Harry, who 
is in business at Jackson, Michigan. 

James N. Hauk was seventeen years of 
age when he entered the Federal Army in 
which he served through the war and was 
honorably discharged in 1865. He was a 
member of the Seventh Regiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Cavalry, and took part in many 
of the most important battles of the war, 
fighting at Nashville and Franklin and 
participating in the whole Atlanta cam- 
paign. After his return from the army, 
Mr. HaiTk was married to Catherine Com- 
rie and they settled on a farm of 160 
acres given Mrs. Hauk by her father, this 
being the nucleus of the large property 
they now own, having gradually added to 
it by hard work and good management. 
The father of Mrs. Hauk was William 
Comrie, who was born in Scotland. When 
Mr. and Mrs. Hauk came to this farm the 
only cleared part was the spot on which 
the old house, still standing, not far from 
the present commodious residence, had 
been erected. Mr. Hauk cleared the whole 
place and has made all the improvements. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hauk have had four chil- 
dren, the two survivors being, William 
Comrie and Elizabeth S., both residing at 
home. They belong to the Presbyterian 
Church. Mr. Hauk is a Republican. 



JESSE IRVIN MAXSON, a prominent 
citizen of Pike Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, and owner of eighty-four and one- 
half acres of farm land, located about fif- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



997 



teen miles nortliwest of Springfield, was 
born December 31, 1854, in Champaign 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Joseph and 
Lovitha (Carmen) Maxson and a grand- 
son of Cornelius and Mattie (Sills) Max- 
son. 

Joseph Maxson, father, was born in In- 
diana, in October, 1830, and after the 
death of his father, which occurred when 
he was but a lad, his mother moved with 
her children to Champaign County, Ohio, 
and lived with her father on a farm sit- 
uated one-half mile south of Christians- 
burg. Joseph Maxson was reared on this 
farm and followed agricultural pursuits 
through his subsequent life. Several 
years after his marriage he rented a farm 
in Champaign County, from which he 
moved to Jay County, Indiana, where he 
purchased a farm of eighty acres and died 
there aged sixty -nine years. He married 
Lovitha Carmen, a daughter of Benjamin 
Carmen and wife, who came from Mary- 
land to Ohio and settled in the wilds of 
Clark County. Lovitha was the young- 
est of a large family of children born to 
her parents and died in March, 1906, aged 
eighty-eight years. Three children were 
born to Joseph and Lovitha Maxson: 
Jesse Irvin; and William and Benjamin, 
both of whom reside in Jay County, In- 
diana. 

Jesse I. Maxson was bom on his fath- 
er's farm in Champaign County, in a one- 
room log cabin, which had a stick chim- 
ney covered with mud. At that time but 
few public improvements had been made, 
bridges had not even been built across the 
creeks, and settlers were few. Here Mr. 
Maxson was reared and what schooling he 
received was obtained at the old Honey 
Creek district school, which he recalls was 



taught by Carry Lynn. The greater part 
of his time was given to farm work. After 
his marriage, he moved to Jay County, 
Indiana, where he engaged in farming for 
ten years, then returned to the home farm 
in Champaign County for two years. He 
next rented the Peter Studebaker farm, 
in Clark County, which he operated for 
ten years and also owned, in partnership 
with Mr. Studebaker, a tract of sixty 
acres, known as the John Bright place, 
which he cultivated in connection with 
the Studebaker farm. On July 28, 1907, 
he sold his interest in this land and bought 
his present farm of eighty-four and one- 
half acres, from Susan Black. All of the 
large buildings on the place were here at 
the time of his purchase. 

On October 19, 1876, Mr. Maxson was 
united in marriage with Ada Davis, who 
was born in Champaign County, Ohio, and 
is a daughter of Ananias and Phoebe 
(Sutton) Davis, both of whom died in 
Champaign County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. 
Davis were the parents of nine children: 
Jane, who married Lewis Ray, both de- 
ceased; Lydia, who is the widow of A. 
Bust ; Charity, who is the widow of David 
Beaty; David, deceased; Lida, deceased, 
who was the wife of Adam Bright; and 
Jasper Newton, Ada, Albert, and Jerry. 
Mr. and Mrs. Maxson are the parents of 
five children : Ernest, who lives at home ; 
Joseph Orva, residing in Pike Township, 
married Daisy Etchens, and they have 
four children, Lewis, Glenna, Ethel, and 
Paul ; Walter W., who lives in Pike Town- 
ship, married Blanche Mumphert; Harry 
H., residing at home, teaches school and 
conducts a store in partnership with Em- 
ery Thackery ; and William, who also lives 



998 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



at home. Mr. Maxson is a Democrat ia 
politics and has served as a school di- 
rector. 



ELT FEANCIS McCLINTICK, car- 
penter, contractor and general farmer, 
residing on Ms father's farm of fifty 
acres, is one of the well-known and re- 
spected citizens of Pleasant Township. 
He was born in Ohio, September 12, 1853, 
and is a son of William and Eliza Jane 
(Eunyan) McClintick, and a grandson of 
Alexander McClintick, who came to Amer- 
ica from Ireland. 

William McClintick, father of Eli F., 
was born October 11, 1827, and resides 
with his wife at London, Ohio. His wife, 
Eliza Jane Eunyan, who was born Octo- 
ber 2, 1836, is a daughter of David Eun- 
yan, an old resident of Clark County. 
They had three children, namely: Eli 
F., subject of this sketch; James H., who 
was born in 1856 and now residing in 
Madison County, was married, first, to 
Ida Mitchell, and, secondly, to Lida 
Bland, his two children, Leila and Carrie, 
being by the first union ; Isaiah C, born in 
1859, who died in 1883, married Ida 
Miller, who survives him and resides in 
the West. 

Eli F. McClintick learned the carpen- 
ter's trade with Edward Edwards, at 
South Charleston, beginning his appren- 
ticeship in March, 1876, and serving three 
years. He has been engaged in contract- 
ing for a number of years and has erected 
many of the best residences in Clark and 
Madison Counties. For the past seven- 
teen years he has resided on his father's 
farm, the latter having retired to London. 
He makes something of a specialty of 



raising poultry and has many very fine 
specimens of the Plymouth Eock variety. 

Mr. McClintick was married, first, De- 
cember 28, 1876, to Alice Wilkinson, who 
died October 16, 1896. She was a daugh- 
ter of AYesley and Martha Wilkinson. 
They had three children, namely: Dora 
r., born September 19, 1878, who mar- 
ried M. Dye, of Champaign County and 
has two children — Paul and Leroy; Carl, 
born February 7, 1884, who resides at 
Spring-field; and Bessie Carrie, who was 
born April 12, 1887. On December 1, 
1897, Mr. McClintick married, for his sec- 
ond wife, Alice A. Curl, who is a daugh- 
ter of John and Tilitha (Longbrake) Curl. 
The father of Mrs. McClintick was born 
in 1847 and died in 1896. In 1871 he was 
married to Tilitha Longbrake, who was 
born in 1847 and died in 1881. They had 
five children — Venilla, who died when an 
infant, Alice A., Charles, George and 
Marion. 

Mr. McClintick is a member of the 
Junior Order of American Mechanics and 
is' connected with Lodge No. 167, at 
Catawba, of which he is a trustee. He 
is also a member of the Junior Post As- 
sociation, which is a higher branch of the 
former organization and has served in all 
of the offices in this body. 



HITGH EUSSEIjL, who has been a 
prominent business man and citizen of 
Springfield, Ohio, since 1867, former- 
ly head of the firm of Eussell Bros., one 
of the oldest and most reputable contract- 
ing firms in the city, was bom in Cree- 
town, Scotland, January 12, 1846, and is 
a son of Hugh and Elizabeth (Conning) 
Eussell. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



999 



Hugh Russell, Sr., moved witli his fam- 
ily to the United States in 1866, having 
been preceded to this country some five 
years by two of his sons, Anthony C. and 
William. He located first at Xenia, Ohio, 
and later at Springfield, where he died on 
October 3, 1902. His wife died in 1898. 
They were parents of seven children. An- 
thony C, who for many years was asso- 
ciated with his brother Hugh as a mem- 
ber of the firm of Russell Bros., was born 
in Galloway, Scotland, in 1844, and came 
to the United States in 1861 with his 
brother William. On October 3, 1862, he 
enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and 
Tenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, as a private, and served until May 
16, 1865, participating in many of the 
hottest engagements of the war, among 
them the battle of the Wilderness, in 
which he was severely wounded. Febru- 
ary 15, 1883, he became a member of 
Mitchell Post, G. A. R. His death oc- 
curred July 7, 1901, at the age of fifty- 
seven years. William, the second son of 
Hugh and Elizabeth Russell, also enlisted 
in the army and, it is presumed, was 
killed in battle, as he never returned. 
Hugh was the third of this family. James 
and Michael live in Spring-field. Mrs. 
William McCullough, a daughter, resides 
in Springfield, and Mrs. Andrew Burnett, 
deceased, was a resident of Wichita Palls, 
Texas. 

Hugh Russell, Jr., spent his boyhood in 
his native land, but at an early age left 
school to follow a sea-faring life. He 
continued on the water four years, then 
returned home and became apprenticed to 
a stonecutter at Creetown. He was 
twenty years of age when he accom- 
panied his parents to the United States 



and with them located at Xenia, Ohio, 
where he followed his trade. He subse- 
quently went to Lima, Ohio, where he as- 
sisted in the construction of the jail, and 
in 1867 moved to Springfield, Ohio. Here 
he formed a partnership with William 
Mowett, under the firm name of Russell 
& Mowett, and engaged in stone contract- 
ing. After one year Mr. Mowett was suc- 
ceeded in the firm by Hugh Russell, Sr., 
and later Anthony C. Russell became a 
member of the firm, which for a period of 
ten years was known by the title of Rus- 
sell & Sons. Mr. Russell, Sr., then retired 
and the style and title became Russell 
Bros., which continued until 1903, when 
our subject continued under his own name, 
Hugh Russell. The business prospered 
and continued without interruption until 
in April, 1898, when Mr. Russell was 
elected to the board of public service in 
Springfield, necessitating his entire time 
to be devoted to the discharge of his pub- 
lic duties. However, upon the death of 
his brother in 1901, he resumed charge of 
the business of Russell Bros., as his term 
of four years in office had nearly expired. 
The firm has done an extensive business 
in stone work and is a pioneer one in 
cement work. Mr. Russell has been em- 
ployed in the construction of many 
churches, school-houses, public buildings 
and residences throughout this section of 
the State, and the character of the work 
has been such as to give the firm an en- 
viable reputation. 

In 1879, Hugh Russell was joined in 
marriage with Miss Helen Sheets, a native 
of Delaware County, Ohio, and a daugh- 
ter of Daniel and Malinda (Lake) Sheets, 
who were farmers. They have five chil- 
dren, as follows: John Sherman, who is 



1000 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



DOW identified witli the business of Hugh 
Russell, Ms father, was for a time en- 
gaged as bookkeeper at Jamestown, N. Y., 
and also served in the Spanish- American 
War ; Anna W., who is the wife of Byron 
W. Riffell of Springfield; Carrie S.; Ella 
S. ; and Earl S., the latter of whom died 
at the age of eight years. Mr. Russell is 
a member of the Free Presbyterian 
Church, has served on the board of trus- 
tees many years and is at present a dea- 
con. While on a visit to Scotland in 1874 
he was made a Master Mason, and at the 
present time is a member of Anthony 
Lodge No. 455, F. & A. M.; Springfield 
Chapter No. 48, R. A. M. ; Springfield 
Council No. 17, R. & S. M.; Palestine 
Commandery No. 33, Spring-field. With 
Mrs. Russell he has made six voyages to 
the old country, and in February, 1908, 
visited his mother lodge in Scotland, 
where he spent seven weeks, going over on 
the Muritania and returning on the Lusi- 
tania. 



JACOB VOLLMER, one of Harmony 
Township's leading citizens, the owner of 
forty-eight acres of excellent land near 
Harmony and also of town property, has 
been engaged in farming and wagon-mak- 
ing in this vicinity since the close of the 
Civil War, in which he earned the title of 
veteran soldier. Mr. Vollmer was born 
December 11, 1840, and is a son of John 
and Susanna (Eberle) Vollmer. 

The grandparents of Mr. Vollmer lived 
out their lives in Germany. His father, 
John Vollmer, was born in Germany in 
1800 and died in Clark County, Ohio, in 
1876. He cam_e to America in 1828 and 
resided in Pennsylvania until 1835, when 



he settled in Spring-field, Ohio. Here he 
remained a few years and then moved to 
ZanesviUe, Ohio, and resided there until 
1851, when he returned to Clark County, 
where he died. A brother, Andi'ew, and 
a sister, Maria, came also to America, but 
after staying a short time, returned to 
their native land. In 1830, John Vollmer 
married Susanna Eberle, who lived in the 
city of Reading, Pennsylvania, and they 
had nine children bom to them, the earlier 
ones dying in infancy. Those who sur- 
vived were the following: John, born in 
1833, resides in Clark County; George, 
born in 1837, died in 1864 ; Jacob, subject 
of this sketch; Mary, born in 1844, mar- 
ried Sigmond Kember, residing in Clark 
County, and they have four children; and 
Amelia, born in 1849, married Frederick 
Fiosel, residing in Clark County and they 
have six children. 

Jacob Vollmer was a sturdy young man 
of twenty-two years when he entered the 
army in 1862 and was broken down in 
health, with a body racked with pain when 
he escaped the tortures of the southern 
prisons, and, a mere shadow of himself, 
crept back to those who loved him. From 
these hardships he has never entirely re- 
covered. In 1862, at Spring-field, Ohio, he 
enlisted in Company A , Ninety-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 
took his part in all the battles and 
marches of his regiment, courageously 
performing all the duties of a soldier. In 
September, 1863, at the terrible battle of 
Chickamauga, he was captured by the 
Confederates and from that time until 
April 28, 1865, he remained a prisoner of 
war. He was taken first to Belle Isle, 
where he was confined for two weeks, be- 
ina: transferred from there to Libby 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1001 



Prison, Richmond, where he was in- 
troduced to hardships and to surround- 
ings that the young man had never im- 
agined in all his free young life before. 
In spite of the chill weather, the prisoners 
slept unprotected on the ground, with 
scarcely any food provided, and from 
there they were taken to quarters just aS 
bad at Danville, Virginia. In the dungeon 
where the Federal prisoners were herded, 
some of the Germans had been ingenious 
enough to discover the possibility of mak- 
ing a tunnel by which they could hope to 
reach liberty. Only German prisoners 
had the confidence of the workers and 
Mr. Vollmer was made a guard for the 
work. Of its difficulties and dangers no 
one could have a conception unless he was 
permitted to hear the story from the lips 
of a participant, but it may be here briefly 
stated that the tunnel was successfully 
bored and through it sixty-two imprisoned 
men escaped. It is sad to have to relate 
that very few of them succeeded in reach- 
ing liberty and Mr. Vollmer, with three 
companions, were recaptured two weeks 
later. They had been succored by the 
negroes, but in spite of this, and their 
own efforts, in their exhausted condition 
they were unable to escape their enemies 
and they were recaptured and taken back 
to prison to Eichmond. In the latter part 
of February, they were introduced to the 
kind of treatment accorded the unfortun- 
ates who were sent to Andersonville, 
which celebrated prison was not entirelj^ 
completed when Mr. Vollmer and his com- 
rades were placed within its stockade. 
When General Sherman was on his vic- 
torious march to the sea, in the follow- 
ing September, Mr. Vollmer and his un- 
fortunate companions were taken to 



Savannah and kept in a stockade there 
until December, when he was removed to 
Camp, Lawton, farther in the interior 
where he was kept for a short time. When 
General Sherman's forces had ap- 
proached that point, the prisoners were 
hurried to Thomasville, Georgia, near the 
present fashionable winter resort, and 
were concealed in the woods for a few 
weeks, after which they were marched 
fifty-sis miles to a railroad that ran to 
Andersonville and they arrived there on 
Christmas day, 1864. In that place Mr. 
Vollmer was confined until the following 
April. All the iDrisoners who were left, 
were then taken to Florida, and there 
turned loose. During the larger part of 
this time of hardships, Mr. Vollmer was 
sick and it is no wonder that he still feels 
the effects of those dreadful years. After 
finding themselves free, the Federal sol- 
diers hastened as fast as their enfeebled 
condition would permit, to the nearest 
Union forces at Jacksonville. There 
they shipped on a steamer that con- 
veyed them to Annapolis, Maryland, and 
from there Mr. Vollmer soon reached 
Columbus, where he was discharged. 

After the close of his military service 
Mr. Vollmer returned to his home in Clark 
County and in 1866 he located on his pres- 
ent property. By trade he is a wagon- 
maker and this industry he continues to 
be engaged in together with general farm- 
ing. He is considered one of the town- 
ship's substantial citizens. He has al- 
ways taken considerable interest in pub- 
lie matters since permanently locating in 
Harmon}^ Township and has been elected 
to office on numerous occasions — on the 
Democratic ticket to the office of town- 
ship trustee — and has a record of being 



1002 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



tlie only member of that political party 
to serve three terms in that office. Mr. 
Vollmer wonld make a good public official 
under any party's wing and at present he 
is identified with the Prohibition party. 
He has served also as a school director 
and has been liberal in his contributions 
to public-spirited enterprises in his sec- 
tion. 

In 1870 Mr. Vollmer was married to 
Olive (Laybourn) Stevens, who was the 
widow of Henry Stevens and a daughter 
of Joseph and Anna (Kirldey) Laybourn. 
Mrs. Stevens had one daughter, Hattie, 
who was born in 1864. She married 
Frank Mark and they have one son, 
Maurice. Mr. and Mrs. Vollmer have had 
four children: George, Charles, John 
and Daisy. The eldest son, George, was 
born in 1872, was well educated and now 
occupies the responsible position of cash- 
ier of the German] a Bank, at Minneapolis, 
Minnesota. Charles, the second son, was 
born in 1874 and died in 1894. This bril- 
liant young man was a student at Witten- 
berg College, at Spring-field, and was pre- 
paring for the medical profession. John, 
the third son, was born in 1878, married 
Lida Baird, and they have two children, 
Paul and John H. Daisy, who was bom 
in 1879, remains at home with her parents. 
Mr. and Mrs. Vollmer are members of the 
Methodist Protestant Church, of which 
he is one of the trustees. 

Christian Laybourn, the great-grand- 
father of Mrs. Vollmer, was born in Eng- 
land in 1745. He was there married in 
1777 to Margaret Newlove, who was born 
in 1758. They came to the United States 
in 1794, bringing with them six children. 
They remained in New York state for a 
period of eighteen years, during which 



time he served as mayor of New York 
city two years. In 1812 they came to 
Ohio and settled in Harmony Township. 
He died in 1842 on the farm now owned 
by his son Amos and grandson Joseph 
Laybourn, the father of Mrs. Vollmer. 
Joseph Laybourn continued to reside on 
the old home place until his death, which 
occurred in January, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. 
Laybourn had seven children, fi.ve of 
whom are still living, Mrs. Vollmer being 
the second in order of birth. 



JOSEPH D. TROUT, a prominent 
farmer of Harmony Township, residing 
on his fine farm of ninety acres, was born 
in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
December 1, 1855, a son of Philip and 
Sarah (Baker) Trout. His parents were 
natives of Virginia and Maryland respec- 
tively. Philip Trout came to Clark Coun- 
ty with his father, David Trout, when a 
child. Here he met Sarah Baker and they 
were married in 1839. They settled on a 
farm in German Township and there they 
lived and died. Philip Trout was a Demo- 
crat. Religiously, he and his wife were 
Methodists, while his father David was 
a Dunkard and was a preacher of that 
faith. Philip Trout and his wife had four- 
teen children, of whom nine are still liv- 
ing. They are: Mary (Conard), residing 
in Springfield, Ohio; Lydia (Huffman), 
residing in Iowa; Rev. Philip, a Meth- 
odist Episcopal minister of Waynesville, 
Ohio; John F., of Springfield Township; 
Joseph D., subject of this sketcli ; Cassie 
(Bevitt), residing in Spring-field; Carrie 
(Callison), whose husband is a farmer of 
Pike Township; Stephen A., a farmer of 
German Township; and Jacob B., also a 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1005 



farmer of Greraian Township. Those de- 
ceased are: William Edward, Eliza, 
Sarah and an infant daughter. Philip 
Trout, the father, died at the age of 
eighty-four years. Mrs. Trout died at the 
age of seventy. 

Joseph D. Trout received his education 
in the local schools and was graduated 
from the German Township High School 
in the class of 1877. He taught school for 
eight years, since which time he has been 
engaged in farming. 

In 1878 Mr. Trout was married to Em- 
ma E. Stephenson, a native of German 
Township and daughter of James and Sa- 
bina (Overpeck) Stephenson, both of 
whom were natives of Clark County. Mr. 
Stephenson, who was a farmer and stock 
dealer of German Township, was born 
September 23, 1824. His wife was born 
September 12, 1823, and they were mar- 
ried in 1847. They had eleven children, 
of whom six survive, namely : Harvey, 
William, Nancy (Bowers), Mary (Nis- 
sley), Emma E., and Sallie (Hartman). 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph D. Trout have had 
a family of ten children, of whom nine 
now survive, namely: Orval, who mar- 
ried Laura Cotrel, lives in Springfield, 
and has one daughter, Dorothy; Maud, 
who is the wife of Albert Frantz, of Eoyal 
Center, Indiana; and has three children 
— Eoger, Eussell, and Irma; Elizabeth, 
who is the wife of Clarence Heath, of Day- 
ton, Ohio, and the mother of two chil- 
dren — Sherman and Alta; Daisy, who is 
the wife of Crawford Minter of Dayton, 
and has one son, Eonald ; the others being, 
Elza, Jessie, Harvey, Eussell and Loyd. 
The one deceased was Eoger, who died at 
the age of nine months. The children who 
are single are all at home. 

53 



Mr. Trout is a Prohibitionist in polities. 
Eeligiously, he is a Methodist and is a 
local preacher in the Methodist Church, 
having supplied the pulpit at Vienna 
Cross Eoads, Ohio, for two years. 



CHAELES F. WISE, a prominent citi- 
zen of Green Township and a prosperous 
farmer, residing on a quarter section of 
land lying about ten miles southeast of 
the city of Springfield, Ohio, was born in 
Springfield Township, and is a son of 
Lewis and Melinda (Hatfield) Wise. 

Lewis Wise was born near South 
Charleston, in Clark County, in 1829, and 
died in February, 1906. He was a son 
of Jesse Wise, who came from Virginia 
about one hundred years ago and located 
near South Charleston. He followed 
farming all his life and died near Selma 
at the age of sixty-eight years. He first 
married a Miss Strong, and of their three 
children, one was Lewis, the father of 
Charles F. His second union with Muriel 
Hann resulted in the birth of six children. 
Lewis Wise lived under the parental roof 
until he was married, at the age of twenty- 
six years, then moved on the Hatfield 
farm, in Springfield Township, where 
Charles F. Wise was born. Lewis Wise 
followed farming through his active years. 
He married Melinda H. Hatfield, a daugh- 
ter of James Hatfield, an early resident 
of Clark County, whose family came orig- 
inally from Wales. They settled first in 
Pennsylvania, then went to Virginia, and 
then to Kentucky, later coming to Ohio. 
Six children blessed this union, three of 
whom are now living. 

Charles F. Wise was reared on the home 
farm and attended the district schools 



1006 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



during Ms early days. He remained with 
Ms parents until Ms marriage, then set 
up housekeeping in Harmony Township, 
where he carried on farming about one 
year, returning then to the old home 
place. After conducting this farm for one 
year he purchased his present property, 
consisting of one hundred and sixty acres 
situated in Green Township. He follows 
general farming and stockraising and 
success has attended his efforts. 

Mr. Wise was joined in the holy bonds 
of wedlock with Miss Minnie A. Schicke- 
dantz, a native of Clark County, and a 
daughter of Christopher Schickedantz, 
who was a farmer and stock dealer near 
South Charleston. They have three sons : 
Blaine C, Clarence L. and Jesse C. Po- 
litically, Mr. Wise is a Republican and is 
now serving his township most efficiently 
in the capacity of township trustee. He 
is also a member of the School Board, 
having been appointed to serve out an un- 
expired term. He belongs to the Patrons 
of Husbandry. With his family, he is con- 
nected with the Baptist Church. 



JOHN M. MILLER, who resides in 
Springfield Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, is a successful business man, who 
in addition to farming maintains stall No. 
42 in the Springfield market. He has a 
fruit farm of thirty-three acres in Spring- 
field TownsMp, on which he has 600 bear- 
ing cherry trees, besides a large number 
of apple, peach and plum trees. During 
the winter he butchers and dresses poul- 
try for the market. He also rents and 
farms the Bitner place of 100 acres in 
Spring-field Township. Mr. Miller was 
born on his father's farm in Franklin 



county, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1861, 
and is a son of Emanuel and Anna (Ken- 
dig) Miller, and grandson of Emanuel 
Miller. 

Emanuel Miller, father of John M., was 
one of ten children and was born on a farm 
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. At 
the age of eighteen years he came west to 
Ohio with a party of men on horseback, 
Clark County being at that time largely 
forest land, but he soon returned to Penn- 
sylvania, and followed farming in Frank- 
lin County until his death in June, 1890, 
when aged seventy-two years. He mar- 
ried Anna Kendig, who was born in Penn- 
sylvania and is now living there with her 
oldest son, at the advanced age of eighty 
years. They had fourteen cMldren, ten 
of whom grew up, as follows : Jacob K. ; 
Melinda, wife of H. Frantz; Jerry, who 
died at the age of thirty ^f our years; Bar- 
bara, wife of John C. Miller; Abraham; 
Benjamin F. ; John M. ; Susan E., wife of 
George Geltzinger ; Martin R. ; and 
Harry. 

John M. Miller was reared on the home 
farm and attended the common schools. 
When nineteen years old he began learn- 
ing the trade of a machinist, and for three 
and a half years was in the employ of 
Frick & Co. in their engine and boiler 
works at Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. He 
subsequently followed the trade of a tool 
maker. In 1886 he came to Springfield, 
OMo, and worked for the William N. 
■\¥Mteley Company continuously until 
1890, except for a short time spent at 
Dayton, Ohio, and from 1890 until 1892, 
for the Rogers Iron Company, now the 
William Bailey Co., of Springfield. In 
1887 he purchased ten acres of land in 
Springfield Township, from Henry 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1007 



Frantz, upon whicli lie moved on March 
1, 1888, removing from there to his pres- 
ent location in October, 1899, having ]3ur- 
chased this place in the fall of the same 
year. He was always considered a skilled 
machinist and has also been successful in 
agricultural work and his business under- 
takings. 

Mr. Miller was married December 5, 
1886, to Anna L. Bair, who was born in 
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Her 
parents were Daniel H. and Barbara 
(Weber) Bair, the latter of whom died 
after the birth of the following children: 
Benjamin W., Mary, Anna L., Martha, 
and Elizabeth. The father of Mrs. Miller 
formed a second marriage with Clara A. 
Eesh, by whom he has a son, Daniel I. 
Mr. Bair is living at the age of seventy- 
two years. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are par- 
ents of five children, namely : Arthur E., 
Mary A., Harvey D., Harrold L., and 
Oscar B. The family belong to the Men- 
nonite Church. 



DANIEL KIBLINGEE, a substantial 
farmer and highly respected citizen of 
German Township, residing on a fine farm 
of 145 acres, situated just north of Law- 
renceville on the Ballentine Road, was 
born September 25, 1838, in Pike Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
Jacob M. and Elizabeth (Pence) Kiblin- 
ger. 

Jacob M. Kiblinger was a son of Daniel 
Kiblinger, who, with his wife and family, 
came from the Shenandoah Valley, Vir- 
ginia, to Clark County, Ohio, at a very 
early period and bought farms in German 
and Pike Townships, but settled on the 
land in German Township on the Mad - 



Eiver. Daniel at one time owned three 
farms, and gave the one in Pike Township 
to his son, Jacob M., the father of our sub- 
ject. Jacob died on our subject's farm 
in 1897 at the age of eighty-three years, 
and was survived by his widow until 1904, 
when in her eighty-fifth year, she died. 

Daniel Kiblinger was reared in Pike 
Township, and in 1855 came to his present 
farm with his parents and has been a resi- 
dent of German Township ever since. Mr. 
Kiblinger has made many improvements 
on the farm, including the erection of a 
fine brick residence. He was married in 
February, 1868, to Elizabeth Littrell, who 
is still living, and who is a daughter of 
Henry Littrell. They have had five chil- 
dren, as follows : Amy, who married Wil- 
liam Michael and has one child; Clara, 
who married Elmer Overholser, and has 
two children; Scott, who is married to 
Blanche Greist, and has four children; 
Nettie, who lives at home ; and Mary, who 
died at the age of fourteen months. Mr. 
Kiblinger is a member and an elder of 
the Reformed Church of Lawrenceville. 



THOMAS EDWAED HAEWOOD, 

who was prominently identified with the 
printing and publishing business at 
Springfield for forty years, was born May 
26, 1846, at Cincinnati,. Ohio, and died 
February 13, 1906, after a short illness, at 
the home of his son, Frank C, who is 
president of the Gazette Publisliing Com- 
pany, of this city. Mr. Harwood was of 
Virginia ancestry, a son of Francis Lee 
and Mary (Coffman) Harwood. 

In boyhood Mr. Harwood learned the 
printer's trade at Newark, Ohio, and 
after working as a journeyman, came to 



1008 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Springfield in 1865. Thoroughly under- 
standing all the practical details of the 
making of a newspaper, he soon displayed 
also a facility in editorial work, and in 
the course of time became city editor of 
the "Weekly Gazette," a journal he 
bought in 1873 and continued to issue 
weekly until 1876, when he founded the 
Daily Gazette. Later he admitted his 
son, Frank C, to partnership, and in 1898, 
when the business was incorporated, Mr. 
Harwood became president, and the name 
of the T. E. Harwood Printing and Pub- 
lishing Company was assumed. Later the 
name was changed to the Gazette Publish- 
ing Company. This enterprise was suc- 
cessfully conducted until the death of Mr. 
Harwood, when his son succeeded to the 
presidency, continuing the policy of the 
old organization. The Gazette is the 
leading Eepublican organ of this section 
of the State. Mr. Harwood was a man 
of recognized ability, public spirited to a 
large degree, and with disinterestedness 
fostered many of the city's useful enter- 
prises. For a number of years he re- 
sided in a beautiful home on South Foun- 
tain Avenue. 

At Springfield, October 19, 1868, Mr. 
Harwood was married to Anna M. Hart- 
stone, and they had ten children, the fol- 
lowing of whom survive: Frank C, re- 
siding at No. 1054 East High Street, who 
is president of the G-azette Publishing 
Company; Frederick H., who was an offi- 
cer of the Tenth Regiment, Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, during the Spanish- Ameri- 
can War, and served also for two years 
in the Philippines as sergeant-major of 
the Thirty-first Regiment; Lee Edward, 
Charles A., who resides at Birmingham, 
Alabama; Ralph C, who lives at Cleve- 



land; Kenneth S., who resides at Bir- 
mingham, Alabama; Jessie Manton, who 
married John L. Bushnell, of Springfield ; 
and Nannie L. Carter, residing at Cleve- 
land . 



HOWARD SULTZBACH, a leading 
citizen of Moorefield Township, part 
owner of 200 acres of very valuable land 
which is situated in Section 32, on the 
Urbana Turnpike Road, about three miles 
from the center of Springfield, was born 
in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
March 20, 1856. He is a son of Joseph and 
Catherine (Longenecker) Sultzbach. 

Both parents of Mr. Sultzbach were 
born in Pennsylvania, the father in York 
Coimty, and the mother in Lancaster 
County, both stanch old German strong- 
holds. After their marriage they lived 
for some years on a farm of 100 acres 
near the town of Hellam, York County, 
and on that farm thirteen of their four- 
teen children were born. In 1855 Joseph 
Sultzbach brought his family to German 
Township, Clark County, Ohio. He had 
sold the York County farm and for the 
first year in the new locality he rented 
land and then purchased 346 acres of land 
in Clark County, sixteen of which were in 
German Township. The former owner 
was John Grube, and he had built a large 
brick house, so that there was a com- 
fortable home on the new farm. Joseph 
Sultzbach prospered and in 1860 he built 
what is still one of the largest barns in 
Clark County, its dimensions being 112 
feet in length by 50 feet in width. He 
was an intelligent, reliable man and soon 
became a leader among his fellow citizens 
and was frequently elected to responsible 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1009 



offices, serving both as trustee of German 
Township and of Moorefield Township, 
and also as county commissioner of Clark 
County. After a life of usefulness he 
died, in 1886. His widow survived until 
1892. 

The children born to Joseph Sultzbaeh 
and wife were the following : Henry, who 
lives in Harvey County, Kansas; Ehza- 
beth, who resides on the home farm; 
Frank, who lives in Mad Eiver Town- 
ship; Joseph, who is engaged in farming 
in Bethel Township; John, who lives in 
Mad Eiver Township; Catherine, who is 
the widow of J. J. McLean, formerly a 
grocer at Springfield, resides with her 
brother, Howard; Amanda, residing at 
Seattle, Washington, married Mark 
Wood; Hyman, who resides at DuBois, 
Iowa; Webster, who died in 1907, was a 
resident of Harmony Township ; Bayard, 
who is deceased; Calvin, who was acci- 
dentally killed at Detx'oit, Michigan; 
George, who resides on a farm in Moore- 
field Township ; Anna, who married John 
Humbarger, residing in Mad Eiver 
Township; and Howard, the latter being 
the only member of the family born in 
Ohio, 

Howard Sultzbaeh was one year old 
when his parents settled on the present 
farm, which is jointly the property of 
himself and his two sisters, Mrs. Cath- 
erine McLean and Miss Elizabeth Sultz- 
baeh. Two railroads run through this 
farm, the Erie and Big Four and the Ur- 
bana Traction. Mr. Sultzbaeh manages 
the farm, carrying on general farming, 
stock-raising and dairying. He has never 
married. His sister, Mrs. McLean, at- 
tends to his domestic affairs and makes 
his home comfortable. She has one 



daughter, Bessie, who married J. J. 
Cromwell. Like his late father, Howard 
Sultzbaeh is a stanch Eepublican. He 
takes a good citizen's interest in public 
affairs, but has never sought office, his 
preference being for the quiet, enjoyable 
life of an independent farmer. 



JOHN TEMPLETON STEWAET. It 
is deemed fitting and proper to give rep- 
resentation in this work to one who, 
though long deceased, left an impress on 
the affairs of Clark County which more 
than half a century of time has not 
effaced. A pioneer, coming in 1805, prior 
to the organization of Clark County, Mr. 
Stewart took an important part in the 
work of development, improvement and 
progress in this part of the state, both in 
private and official capacity. Aside from 
this, he gave to the commimity a large 
family of children, who became influential 
and of large affairs and have done much 
as individuals, some of them as public of- 
ficers, to add materially to the welfare 
and prosperity of Clark County. 

John Templeton Stewart (1) was born 
in Hanover Township, Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1781, and was a son of 
Samuel, Jr., and Nancy (Templeton) 
Stewart. He came of a prominent old 
colonial family in this country and traced 
his ancestry in Scotland back to John 
Stewart, a Scotch Covenanter of the sev- 
enteenth century, who fled from Scotland 
to County Down, in the North of Ireland, 
at the time when Charles II. of England 
was trying to force Episcopacy upon the 
Scottish nation, some time between the 
years 1660 and 1685. Of this early an- 
cestor we have record of but one son, 



1010 



HISTOEY OF CLABK COUNTY 



Bobert Stewart, who was born near Grlas- 
gow, Scotland, in 1665. The latter did not 
go to the Emerald Isle until the death of 
his father in 1720', then located in Dru- 
more Township, County Down, where he 
died ten years later. 

Samuel Stewart, Sr., a son of Robert, 
was born near G-lasgow, Scotland, in 1698, 
and in 1720 emigrated to North of Ire- 
land with his father. In 1735, with his 
only brother, Hugh, he came to America, 
and after landing in Philadelphia, went 
to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
where he died in 1770. He married Mary 
McClay, and one of their ten children was 
Samuel, Jr. 

Samuel Stewart, Jr., was born in Coun- 
ty Down, Ireland, and came with his par- 
ents to America. He was reared in Lan- 
caster County, where, about the year 1750, 
he settled on a farm of 100 acres in Han- 
over Township, for which he held a war- 
rant dated May 17, 1754. He served as a 
private in a battalion commanded by 
Colonel Tim Greene in the defense of the 
frontier, and in 1776 he became a member 
of the company commanded by Captain 
James Eogers of liancaster, fighting for 
American Independence. He moved to 
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and in 
1785 served on the first grand jury of that 
county. He first married Nancy Temple- 
ton, a daughter of Robert and Agnes Tem- 
pleton, and after her death married 
Agues Calhoun, a daughter of William 
and Hannah Calhoun. He died Septem- 
ber 16, 1803, and was buried in Hanover 
Cemetery. 

John Templeton Stewart lived in his 
native county until 1805, when, with an 
older brother, Samuel E., he came west to 
what is now Clark County, Ohio, then a 



part of Greene County, settling on the 
bank of the Little Miami River. In 1813 
he was elected justice of the peace, serv- 
ing continuously until 1838. He was the 
first clerk of Green Township, and served 
from 1837 until 1840 as associate judge 
of the Court of Common Pleas. In com- 
pany with his brother he jDurchased about 
500 acres in Section 15, Green Township, 
erected a log cabin and set about clearing 
the land and converting it from its wild 
state to one of cultivation. There he 
lived and prospered, adding largely to his 
landed interests. His death on April 16, 
1850, was mourned as a sad loss to the en- 
tire community. 

Mr. Stewart was married March 2, 1815, 
to Miss Ann Elder, who was born in 
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in May, 
1798, and was a daughter of Robert and 
Ann Elder, her people moving to Ohio in 
1812. This union resulted in the birth of 
ten children, eight sons and one daughter 
growing to maturity, as follows : Juliana, 
wife of David Anderson, died in 1901, at 
the age of eighty-six years ; Perry, a rec- 
ord of whom may be found in the sketch 
of David Wilmot Stewart; Elder Robert, 
a resident of Springfield; Samuel, who 
died near Kenton, Hardin County; 
Charles, a resident of Springfield, died 
October 26, 1902; Hon. James M., of 
Xenia, Ohio; Thomas, a resident of 
Green Township; Oscar N., a resident of 
Harmony Township; and William C, a 
resident of Green Township. 



JOSEPH P. CRABILL, general farm- 
er and stock-raiser, of Springfield Town- 
ship, residing on a highly cultivated farm 
of 253 acres, part of which is the old 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1011 



Crabill homestead, was born on this farm 
February 1, ]859, and is a son of Thomas 
V. and Sidney (Yeazell) Crabill. He is 
the youngest of a family of fourteen chil- 
dren and has always lived on his present 
farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
His education was obtained in the district 
schools of the township. Mr. Crabill is 
one of the most successful farmers of the 
township, and is extensively engaged in 
stock-raising, making a specialty of cat- 
tle, horses and sheep. With the excep- 
tion of twenty acres of timberland, the 
entire farm is under cultivation and in 
pasture, and is well equipped with com- 
modious and substantial buildings. 

Mr. Crabill has been twice married, 
first to Minnie J. Smith, a daughter of 
Andrew J. Smith. She died September 
27, 1897, leaving two children- — Glenna L., 
a graduate of the Springfield High School, 
who also took a Normal course at Miami 
University, Oxford, Ohio, and now 
teaches at Benson's School, Springfield 
Township, and Robert E., who lives at 
home. Mr. Crabill was married secondly 
to Mrs. Flora J. (Jones) Lawrence, a 
widow, from Detroit, Michigan. She has 
one daughter by her first marriage, name- 
ly, Helen B. 



GIDEON HARTMAN, a leading citizen 
of Pike Township, where he owns a valu- 
able farm of 113 acres, was born March 
6, 1832, on his father's farm in York 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Peter and Hannah (Myers) Hartman. 

The parents of Mr. Hartman sold their 
farm in York County in the spring of 
1837 and came to Ohio by wagon, stop- 
ping for one month at Springfield on the 



way to German Township, where they 
bought the farm on which they both died. 
Peter Hartman died in 1872, aged seven- 
ty-seven years. His widow survived un- 
til 1889, dying in her eighty-seventh year. 
They were members of the German Re- 
formed Church. Their four children 
were: Maria, who married Eli Keiser; 
and Amos, Gideon and Lewis M., the lat- 
ter of whom was born after the family 
settled in Ohio. 

Gideon Hartman was five years old 
when his parents took up their residence 
in German Township and he can remem- 
ber many of the incidents of their early 
settlement there. He assisted his father 
in clearing up the land and after the death 
of the father he came into possession of a 
part of the home farm, to which he added 
until he owned 158 acres. This property 
he sold to Amerieus James in 1891. In 
January, 1883, he bought his present 
farm in Pike Township and moved on it 
in the following March, and here he has 
been actively engaged in a general farm- 
ing line until recently, when he retired. 
In 1897 the residence was destroyed by 
fire, but Mr. Hartman soon built a larger 
and more substantial one. In addition to 
farming Mr. Hartman also conducted a 
dairy and for nine years sold milk in 
Springfield, his largest customer being the 
old St. James Hotel. 

Mr. Hartman was married in German 
Township to Barbara Snell, who was born 
in Clark County, Ohio, a daughter of 
Daniel Snell, who came to Ohio from Vir- 
ginia at an early day. Mrs. Hartman 
died March 22; 1884, aged forty-four 
years. There were seven children born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Hartman, namely: 
Oscar W., residing at Atchison, Kansas, 



1012 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



married Clara Kline; Harrison F., died 
aged four years ; Ellen F., married George 
Lavey, residing in Clark County, and they 
have three children, Harvey, Bessie E. 
and Dorothy; Ida A., married Jacob 
Baugh, residing in Champaign County, 
Ohio, and they have the following chil- 
dren, Maude, wife of Wiley Uundolf, 
Jessie, Cecil S., Noah and Nola, twins, 
and Luther ; Peter, died aged six months ; 
Effie M., married David Flory, who farms 
the homestead, and they have the follow- 
ing children, Clara M., Emma C, Russell 
H., Inez M., Elmer F., Lavina E., Verna 
E. and Nellie A.; and Elmer C, who is 
engaged in a mercantile business, mar- 
ried Crista Bush, and they have had four 
children, Imdwig, Lucille, Christina and 
Louise. Mr. Hartman has a fine family 
of descendants. Several children and 
grandchildren have not survived in- 
fancy, but the larger number have de- 
veloped into men and women and boys 
and girls of physical strength and beauty 
and of mental capacity. Mr. Hartman 's 
family belongs to the German Baptist 
Church, of the old order. He is one of 
Pike Township's most respected resi- 
dents. 



CHARLES PARTINGTON, a retired 
farmer of Mad River Township, who 
owns eighty acres of valuable land on 
which he resides, was born in Fairfield 
County, Ohio, July 17, 1836, and is the 
youngest child of James and Mary (Wil- 
son) Partington. 

James Partington was born in England 
and came to America in boyhood, accom- 
panying his parents, who settled at Bran- 
dywine, Delaware, where he later became 



superintendent of the Dupont Cloth Man- 
ufacturing Works. From there he went 
to Pennsylvania, where he was also en- 
gaged in a manufacturing business, and 
he was married in that state to Mary. Wil- 
son. After their marriage they came to 
Ohio, and settled in Fairfield County. 
James Partington manufactured blank- 
ets, carpets and woolens at Knisley's mill 
in that county. About 1839 he came to 
Clark County and bought the farm now 
owned by his son, Charles, acquiring a 
paper-mill and water-power. This mill 
he changed into a woolen mill and en- 
gaged in a manufacturing business quite 
extensively, giving employment to a num- 
ber of men. Both he and wife died in 
advanced age on this farm. They had 
eight children, namely: James W., Rich- 
ard, Jane, Eliza, Mary, Martha, John and 
Charles, the latter being now the only 
survivor. 

Charles Partington was a child when 
his parents came to the Mad River Town- 
ship farm. The mill then stood on the 
land, but all the surroundings were in a 
wild state, and even when Charles had 
grown old enough to be trusted with a 
gun, squirrels and turkey were yet plan- 
tiful on the home acres. As he grew to 
manhood he assisted in clearing the land 
and also worked in his father's factory. 
He obtained his education in the log 
school-house near his home, his teacher 
being James Hagen. After he had reach- 
ed manhood he began buying land, and 
kept on adding to the original tract until 
he owned 155 acres, seventy-five of which 
he has recently sold. After a time he 
opened up a stone quarry on his land, 
which was worked for a number of years, 
as long as it was profitable, and he still 




CHARLES PARTINGTON. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1015 



sells sand and gravel, furnishing a great 
deal of the gravel used in mending the 
roads in the township. Mr. Partington 
has always been considered a good busi- 
ness man. In addition to his other inter- 
ests he was engaged in dealing in horses, 
buying and selling for the Dupont Band- 
ing Company, of Brandywine. 

Mr. Partington has never married. He 
resides in the old comfortable stone house 
which was built by his father and with 
him live Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Sparrow 
and their son, Ealph, the latter of whom 
now looks after the horse business. In 
politics Mr. Partington is a Eepubhcan. 
He is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church. 



GEOEGE L. KEDZIE, one of the earlyj 
settlers of Mad Eiver Township, an es- 
teemed citizen and prominent agricultur- 
ist, residing on a fine farm of 207 acres, 
was bom August 5, 1821, and is a son 
of James and Margaret (Hume) Kedzie. 
The grandfather, Adam Kedzie, a native 
of Scotland, brought his family to Amer- 
ica in 1795, and settled on a farm in Dela- 
ware County, New York, where he re- 
mained until his death, some years later. 

James Kedzie was one of his family of 
eight children: George, James, William, 
Adam, Elizabeth, Janet, Isabella, and 
Nancy, all now deceased. James Kedzie 
was married in New York State in 1804, 
to Margaret Hume, a native of Scotland. 
She came to America on the same vessel 
as Mr. Kedzie, accompanying her par- 
ents, Eobert and Allison (Willson) Hume. 
In 1837 James Kedzie and family re- 
moved to Ohio and settled in Mad Eiver 
Township, buying a large tract of tim- 



bered land from Henry Bechth, who had 
entered it from the government. The 
family lived for a time in a log house 
which was found on the place, but in 1842 
a frame house was erected. Three years 
later this house burned down. In 1852 
the large ten-room brick house in 
which George L. Kedzie now resides 
was erected, and here both James 
Kedzie and his wife died, the former 
on May 28, 1860, and the latter in 
1865. They were the parents of nine 
children: Adam, deceased; Allison, 
married Eobert Hyde, both deceased; 
Margaret, married Orrin Penfield, both 
are deceased; Isabella, deceased; Eobert, 
died while attending college in Now 
York; John H., deceased, went to Chicago 
in 1847 and became a large real estate 
owner, and his widow, Mrs. Mary E. 
(Kent) Kedzie, still resides there; Eliza- 
beth, married John Dewey,, both are de- 
ceased; George L., and Jane Ann, who 
died, aged nine months. 

George L. Kedzie was born on his fath- 
er's farm near Delhi, New York, and at 
the age of sixteen years came with his 
parents to Clark County, Ohio, and set- 
tled on his present farm. The trip from 
Delhi required about two weeks time, the 
travelers going first to Utica, New York, 
in a lumber wagon, thence to Buffalo by 
canal, from there to Cleveland, Ohio, by 
steamboat, then down the canal to Colum- 
bus, and from there to Clark County in 
wagons. Mr. Kedzie 's education was re- 
ceived in the common schools previous 
to coming to Ohio. After reaching Clark 
County, although only a lad, he began 
clearing the farm and experienced many 
of the hardships common to pioneer life. 
He subsequently purchased the place 



1016 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



from his father and assumed entire 
charge of the farming and stock-raising, in 
which he has always been very successful. 
Mr. Kedzie is a stockholder in the Mad 
River Bank, the First National Bank and 
in the Lagonda Bank, of which he was one 
of the organizers. He is a Republican in 
politics. He belongs to the Presbyterian 
Church, in which he is an elder-. 



LEON H. HOUSTON, who has the repu- 
tation of being one of the shrewdest and 
most capable and successfid business man 
of Central Ohio, as a merchant, banker 
and farmer, was born in South Charles- 
ton, Clark County, Ohio, March 1, 1842, a 
son of Thomas F. Houston. His paternal 
grandparents, Joseph Houston, and his 
wife, Nancy (Fisher), were among the 
early settlers of Clark County. They 
were born and married in Sussex County, 
in the State of Delaware, lived a short 
time in Kentucky, and came to Ohio in 
1812, settling about three miles northeast 
of Spring-field, near what is now Lagonda. 

There was a large family of children 
who married and had homes in Clark and 
adjoining counties of Ohio and other 
states. Thomas Fisher Houston was the 
youngest son of Joseph and Nancy Hous- 
ton, and was born October 7, 1818, in their 
pioneer home. He was married to Ra- 
chael A. DeLashmutt, December 25, 1839, 
in South Charleston, where they lived 
many years, and after five years spent on 
their farm in Pleasant Township, Clark 
County, they moved to Springfield, and 
in their Bast High Street home Thomas 
Houston died June 28, 1874, and his wife, 
Rachel, died November 8, 1886. Their 
family consisted of ten children, namely: 



Catherine, William L., Charles, Thornton, 
Mary, Emma, Leonidas Hamlin (subject 
of this sketch), Edwin DeLashmutt, Fos- 
ter B., and Elissa J. The six first men- 
tioned have all passed away, while of the 
living members of the family Leon H., 
Edwin D. and Foster B. are residents at 
South Charleston, Elissa being a resident 
of Springfield, Ohio. 

Leon H. Houston was their eldest son. 
Edwin D. Houston was their fourth son, 
and was married to Ethel A. Jones Feb- 
ruary 22, 1905. Foster B. Houston was 
their youngest son, and was married to 
Ida Rose Arbogast June 24, 1890, in 
Spring-field, where he had lived until he 
was twenty years old. They have a son, 
Roger, and daughter, Rachel. 

William Laws Houston was their sec- 
ond son, and was one of the progressive 
farmers of Clark County. He died in 
London, Madison County, leaving a wife, 
two sons and a daughter. 

These Houstons are lineal descendants 
of Robert Houston, of Sussex County, 
Delaware, who was a recogiiized patriot 
and rendered material aid to the cause 
of independence during the Revolution- 
ary War, and also of Robert R. Houston, 
of near Paisley, Scotland, whose name is 
found on the land register of Virginia 
and Maryland as early as 1664. He died 
at Pokomoke City, Maryland, in Decem- 
ber, 1692. The parish, castle, and town of 
Houston, in Scotland, near Glasgow, are 
objects of present interest. 

On April 1, 1859, Leon H. Houston 
commenced his business career with the 
firm of Houston & Brother, composed of 
Henry Clay Houston and John R. Hous- 
ton, at a salary of $50.00 per year and 
board for the first year. He continued as 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1017 



a clerk until January 1, 1863, when he 
was admitted as a partner into the firm 
of Houston & Company, composed of H. 

C. Houston, J. E. Houston, and Leon H. 
Houston, which partnership lasted until 
January 1, 1867. John E. and Henry C. 
Houston then retired and the firm of 
Houston & Murray was organized and 
continued until January 1, 1875, with 
Leon H. Houston and Peter Murray as 
partners, when Peter Murray retired, and 
the firm of Houston & Brother was or- 
ganized by Leon H. Houston and Edwin' 

D. Houston. This firm continued until 
January 1, 1893, when Foster B. Houston 
was admitted under the firm name of 
Houston Brothers, this co-partnership 
continuing up to January 1, 1904, when 
the business was incorporated under the 
name of The Houston Company, with Ed- 
win D. Houston as president, Foster B. 
Houston, vice president, and Leon H. 
Hojiston, secretary. The business con- 
ducted from the beginning was the selling 
of general merchandise to farmers and 
others, and the operation of grain eleva- 
tors, lumber and coal yards, including 
also extensive dealings in wool. 

Mr. Leon H. Houston has been actively 
engaged in the said general business from 
April, 1859, to the present time. In 1892 
the Citizens' Bank, of South Charleston, 
Ohio, was organized, Leon H. Houston 
and Edwin D. Houston owning more than 
three-fourths of the institution, Leon H. 
Houston acting as president, Edwin D. 
Houston as vice president, and William 
A. Malsbary, cashier. This is regarded 
as the strongest bank in Clark County, as 
it is a co-partnership, and all the prop- 
erty of each and every co-partner is 
bound for the liabilities of the bank. Thev 



make a specialty of loaning money on 
farm mortgages. 

Mr. Leon H. Houston has been several 
times elected to the village council, and 
has taken much interest in beautifying the 
village of South Charleston. He was in- 
strumental in the construction of the mod- 
ern cement sidewalks and macadamized 
streets, which are known to be the best 
of any village in the state. He served 
with credit as county commissioner from 
1878 to 1881 ; was a member of the State 
Board of Equalization in 1890 and 1891, 
and was accredited with accomplishing 
great good for the farming and other in- 
terests of the state. 

Leon H. Houston owns over 4,000 acres 
and Edwin D. Houston over 1,500 acres of 
the best farming lands in Madison, Clark, 
and Green Counties. 

Their Woodlawn Farm, about seven 
miles north of London, in Madison 
County, is known as the best farm in the 
State. They also own large tracts of tim- 
ber land in Mississippi. 

To operate these farm lands there has 
been recently organized The Houston 
Farm Company, with a capital stock of 
$100,000.00— Leon H. Houston, Edwin D. 
Houston, Foster B. Houston, Elissa J. 
Houston and Howard Yeazell being own- 
ers and directors of said farm company. 

Leon H. Houston has been quite an ex- 
tensive traveler between this country and 
Europe, having crossed the Atlantic 
twelve times, and profited much by his 
observations in this and foreign coun- 
tries. Edwin D. Houston has made two 
trips around the world and one to South 
America. 

The subject of this sketch has a pala- 
tial residence in South Charleston, of 



1018 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



which place he is one of the foremost and 
respected citizens, and is known for his 
liberality and helpfulness to all worthy 
causes, and has contributed largely to the 
benefit and welfare of the community by 
aiding private and public interests. 



WALTER S. MICHAEL is a well known 
citizen and successful farmer and stock- 
raiser, residing on his valuable farm of 
eighty acres, which is situated on the 
Flick Turnpike Road, eight miles north, 
west of Spring-field, and two miles west 
of Lawrenceville, in German Township. 
Mr. Michael was born in German Town- 
ship, Clark County, Ohio, January 14, 
1872, and is a son of Alexander and Re- 
becca (Overholser) Michael. 

Alexander Michael was also born in 
Clark County, where his father, David 
Michael, settled at an early day, and 
owned the farm adjoining the one now 
owned by his grandson. Alexander 
Michael was married twice and had 
twelve children. Walter S. Michael has 
two surviving brothers, D. I. and John, 
both residing at Springfield. He lost 
his mother when a babe only eleven 
days old and he was reared by Peter 
J. Hause and wife, who had no chil- 
dren of their own and who gave their 
adopted son a chance to obtain a good, 
common school education. Mr. Michael 
loved them as his parents, as he now 
reveres their memory; in every way he 
was a son to them and from them inherit- 
ed his present farm. Peter J. Hause died 
in 1895 and his widow in 1899. After his 
marriage Mr. Michael remained for one 
year on the farm and then moved to 
Herbst, Grant County, Indiana, where he 



worked for two years in a tile factory, 
after which he returned to the farm. He 
carries on general farming, raises excel- 
lent stock and keeps eight cows, shipping 
his milk to his brother, John Michael, 
who is a milk dealer at Springfield. Mr. 
Michael married Maggie Rust, who is a 
daughter of Henry and Drusilla (Cost) 
Rust, farmers, of German Township. 
The}" have two children — Ei-nest Leroy 
and Glendon Ray. Mr. Michael is a mem- 
ber of the Junior Order of American Me- 
chanics, at Northampton. 



ISAAC KAY, M. D., whose long and 
uninterrupted career as a physician and 
surgeon at Spring-field has made him the 
oldest resident medical man in this city, 
has also brought him the esteem and con- 
fidence of his fellow-citizens, as well as 
deserved honors and fitting emolument in 
his profession. Dr. Kay was born in 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, not far 
distant from the beautiful city of Cham- 
bersburg, December 8, 1828. He is a son 
of William and Susanna (Unger) Kay, a 
grandson of John Kay and a great-grand- 
son of John Kay, who, at the date of the 
Revolutionaiy War, was already a man of 
business enterprise in the city of Phila- 
delphia. It is not difficult to trace the 
family still farther back, even in the days 
when its early settlers accompanied Will- 
iam Penn to Pennsylvania and assisted 
him in his civilizing efforts. 

In 1836, when Isaac Kay was a boy of 
nine years, his parents left the old fam- 
ily home in Pennsylvania and journeyed 
over the mountains in the primitive man- 
ner of the time and established a new 
home in Ohio. Other members of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1019 



family took up the burden of clearing the 
land and developing a farm in the wilder- 
ness, but from early youth Isaac had 
made up his mind to be a physician. 
Through many obstacles he pushed his 
way and in 1849 he secured his diploma 
from Starling Medical College, at Colum- 
bus. On May 18, 1853, he came to Spring- 
field, having already had four years of 
medical experience at Lewisburg, Ohio, 
and with the growth and progress of this 
city, for a half century, he has been in- 
dissolubly connected. One of his early 
and continued interests has been the 
spread of medical knowledge within his 
own profession, and early and late he has 
worked to establish organizations of this 
character and to make them fulfil their 
mission. Almost since its inception he 
has been an active member of the Clark 
County Medical Society, in which he has 
frequently held official position, and for 
many years his name has been one oT 
those most honored in the Ohio State 
Medical Association. Colleges and con- 
ventions, associations and societies have 
conferred degrees upon him for valuable 
services rendered, all feeling that they 
iiave profited from his scientific re- 
searches, his valuable literary contribu- 
tions and his enlightening lectures on 
subjects of the gravest importance. 

Dr. Kay was married November 4, 
1852, to Clara M. Deckert, of Miamisburg, 
Ohio. They have two sons, Charles S. 
and Clarence H. During almost the en- 
tire period of his mature life he has been 
an active member of the Baptist Church. 
Politically he is a Republican, always 
earnest in his eff'orts to encourage good 
government, but never descending to the 
methods of mere party politicians. His 



connection with the Masonic fraternity 
dates back to 1850 and he has felt it to be 
one of his great privileges to live up to 
the demands and aims of this brother- 
hood. 



MILTON J. BAIRD, a representative 
farmer and well known citizen of Pleas- 
ant Township, residing on his valuable 
farm of seventy acres, which is situated 
on the Columbus Road, was born in Clark 
County, Ohio, November 27, 1870, and is 
a son of William J. and Nancy J. (Kim- 
ble) Baird. 

His grandparents on the paternal side 
were residents in 1794 of Pennsylvania, 
whence they migrated to Kentucky, com- 
ing from the latter state to Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1808 and settling in Harmony 
Township. William Baird, the great- 
grandfather, had been a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War, fighting for Ameri- 
can independence. At one time he was 
placed as a guard over certain Hessian 
prisoners, and accidentally overhearing 
several of them express sentiments favor- 
able to America, and declare that they 
would never return to Germany, but 
would, if they could escape, become citi- 
zens of the new republic against which 
they had been hired to fight, he purposely 
relaxed his vigilance, with the result that 
they got away, and, it is to be presumed, 
fulfilled their intentions, to the benefit of 
the land of their adoption. The family 
tradition is that the Bairds originated in 
Scotland, were driven to Ireland by re- 
ligious persecution and subsequently came 
to America. In Kentucky they intermar- 
ried with the Breckenridges and other 
prominent families. 



1020 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Mr. Baird's grandparents, Peter C. and 
Frances (Wilson) Baird, were born, re- 
spectively, in Kentucky and North Car- 
olina. They resided in Harmony Town- 
ship, Clark County until their death, 
about 1872. Peter C. Baird came to Clark 
County in 1808. His ten children bore the 
following names, respectively: William 
J., Clara J., Willis, Caroline, Susan, 
Lewis E., John, Robert, Dorothy and 
Mary Ann. 

William J. Baird father of Milton J., 
was born March 27, 1826, in Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and was married twice, first to 
Frances Hayward. Three children were 
born to that marriage: John, who mar- 
ried Susan Slagle, resides at Springfield, 
and they have two children, Lewis and 
George; Margaret F., who married 
George Eberhart, residing in Clark Coun- 
ty; and Lewis R., who resides in Kansas, 
married Lena Perro, and they have five 
children. February 19, 1867, William J. 
Baird was married (secondly) to Nancy 
J. Kimble, and the following children 
were born to them: Clara E., born in 
1868, married Frank Joues, and they re- 
side in Clark County and have had four 
children: Milton J.; Nellie, born Novem- 
ber 2, 1872, married Clark Jones; Eva, 
born November 2, 1875, resides at Vienna 
Cross Roads ; and Laura, born November 
14, 1877, married Minor Slagle and they 
have two children. William J. Baird 
died February 20, 1907. His widow sur- 
vives. 

Milton J. Baird was reared on the home 
farm and attended the district schools. 
His main occupation has been farming. 
In 1902 he purchased his present proper- 
ty from Andrew Goodfellow, and has 
been engaged in improving it ever since. 



On December 26, 1900, Milton J. Baird 
was married to Floy Neer, a daughter of 
Nathan 0. and Millie (Comstock) Neer. 
The father of Mrs. Baird was born Janu- 
ary 8, 1850, and in 1875 he married Millie 
Comstock, who was born November 8, 
1856. Mr. and Mrs. Neer had the follow- 
ing children: Floy, wife of Milton J. 
Baird, was born October 24, 1876; Anna 
B., born July 18, 1879, married Eugene 
(xrubb, and they have two children, 
Evlyn and Mildred; Benjamin, born Oc- 
tober 31, 1882; Laura, born May 20, 1887; 
Ruth, born Api'il 13, 1894; Mahlon, born 
April 20, 1898; and Clark, who was born 
March 16, 1885, died in the same year. 
Mr. and Mrs. Neer still survive. 

Mr. and Mrs. Baii'd have four children, 
namely: Herbert, who was boi'n January 
8, 1902; Roland, who was born July 11, 
1903; Howard, who was born September 
14, 1905; and Florence, who was born 
March 26, 1907. 

Mr. Baird takes^a good citizen's inter- 
est in township affairs and gives liberal 
assistance to many piTblic-spirited enter- 
prises. In politics he is a Republican. He 
is a valued member of the township school 
board. 



LEVI KAUFFMAN, who is engaged 
in agricultural pursuits on a well im- 
proved farm of 166 acres, located about 
twelve miles west of Springfield, on the 
north side of the Valley Pike, was born 
Se]Dtember 3, 1833, in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Christian 
and Anna (Erb) Kauffman. 

The Kauffman family is of German ex- 
traction, the great-grandfather having 
come from Germany in 1717. He settled 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1021 



near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where the 
family later became very prominent. 
Christian Kauffman, grandfather, was 
born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
where he followed farming all his life and 
acquired a full section of land. He mar- 
ried Anna Miller, also a native of Lancas- 
ter County, and they became the parents 
of three sons and three daughters. 

Christian Kauffman, father of Levi, 
was bom in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and became both a farmer and 
miller. For many years he operated a 
water-power grist mill. He was married 
to Anna Erb, a daughter of Jacob Erb, of 
German extraction, and a native of Lan- 
caster Count}'', Pennsylvania. In 1840, 
Christian Kauflfman and family moved to 
Ohio, making the trip, which required 
three weeks, in wagons. They passed 
through Spring-field, then a small village, 
and located in Bethel Township, Clark 
County, on the farm which is now partly 
owned by Levi Kauffman, purchasing 500 
acres of timberland from Samuel Bur- 
nett. The family began life here in a 
small cabin, which was standing, later 
building a brick house, which was one of 
the first erected in this section, and was 
made of bricks of their own manufactur- 
ing. Mr. Kauffman engaged in farming 
here the remainder of his life, and he also 
operated a water-power sawmill, which he 
sold shortly before his death, which oc- 
curred in 1870, when aged seventy-one 
years. His widow survived him a num- 
ber of years, her death occurring when 
past seventy years of age. Thirteen chil- 
dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kauff- 
man, all of whom but the four youngest, 
were born in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania: Emanuel, deceased; Jacob, de- 



ceased; Christian; John; Elizabeth, de- 
ceased wife of H. Huber ; Marj^, wife of 
Benjamin Kneisley, both deceased; Levi; 
Benjamin, deceased; Eeuben, deceased; 
Anna, widow of Samuel Musselman; 
Henry; Sarah, wife of J. H. Mouk; and 
Abraham. 

Levi Kauffman was a small child when 
his parents moved from Pennsylvania to 
Ohio, where the greater part of his boy- 
hood days were spent in assisting his 
father in clearing and placing the farm 
in a tillable condition. His education was 
such as could be obtained in the district 
schools at that time, which were of the 
pioneer type, with slab benches, and these- 
he only attended about four months dur- 
ing the winters, when his services could 
best be spared. At the outbreak of the 
Civil War, Mr. Kauffman enlisted in the 
army, serving under Captain McKinney, 
in Company E, One Hundred and Fifty- 
third Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
and participated in several important 
skirmishes. Mr. Kauffman remained at 
home engaged in farming until his mar- 
riage. In 1870 he purchased his farm 
from the Kauffman estate, where he has 
since been engaged in general farming 
and has added many improvements to his 
place. 

On March 7, 1861, Mr. Kauffman was 
united in marriage with Anna Harnish, a 
daughter of John and Esther Harnish, 
and to them have been born the following 
children: Laura, who is the wife of 
George S. Lotterett ; Benjamin, who mar- 
ried Melvina Herr ; Hattie, and Hettie, • 
twins, the former of whom died young, 
and the latter of whom, Mrs. H. K. Smith, 
with her son, "Ward L., lost her life during 
the Johnstown Flood, while on the train 



1022 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



when enroTite to Pennsylvania; Susan S., 
who died aged fourteen years; Anna E., 
who died aged twenty-five years, was the 
wife of Clarence Tannyhill, also de- 
ceased; Emma B., who is the wife of Nor- 
man E. Bear, has three children, Eobert, 
Lawrence, and Anna Virginia ; Elizabeth ; 
Dora and Cora, twins, the latter of whom 
is deceased. Mr. Kauffman and his wife 
are members of the Reformed Mennonite 
Church. 



WILLIAM W. HYSLOP, residing on a 
well improved and highly cultivated farm 
of 140 acres located about four and one- 
half miles northwest of Spring-field, on 
the Jordon and Miami Pike, has been a 
resident of German Township since the 
spring of 1894, and is one of the enter- 
prising and substantial farmers of this 
section. He was born October 1, 1862, on 
the old home place in New Jasper, Greene 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Eobert and 
Martha (Bogle) Hyslop. 

Eobert Hyslop is also a native of 
Greene County, Ohio, having been born 
on the same farm on which our subject 
was born, and is a son of George Hyslop, 
a native of Scotland, who came to this 
country at a very early period and set- 
tled in the woods of Greene County, near 
New Jasper. There he built a log cabin, 
cleared a large tract of land and died at 
an advanced age. Eobert Hyslop, father 
of Wilham W., was reared on this farm 
and followed farming there throughout 
his life. He married Martha Bogle, who 
was asister of Col. James Bogie, formerly 
a well known and highly respected citizen 
of Spring-field, Ohio, now a resident of 
California. There were eleven children 



born to Robert and Martha Hyslop, but 
five of whom are living. Mrs. Hyslop died 
about 1867 and Eobert Hyslop died in 
Xenia, Greene County, Ohio, in 1896. 

William W. Hyslop was reared in 
Greene County, and has always followed 
farming in a general way on a scientific 
basis. Subsequent to his marriage he 
rented a farm near Clifton, Green Town- 
ship, Clark County, for a period of six 
years, but in 1894, he bought and located 
on ninety acres of his present farm in 
German Township. To this he added 
twenty acres in 1900, and thirty acres 
more in 1907. Here he has made many 
improvements, having built in' 1902 a 
large, modern frame house with all mod- 
ern improvements, including furnace, nat- 
ural gas, etc. A lane formerly ran from 
Miami Pike to the old house, but Mr. Hys- 
lop has opened a lane from Jordon Pike 
to his new residence, which is located in 
German Township, but part of the land 
lies in school district No. 11, Springfield 
Township. 

Mr. Hyslop was married February 27, 
1888, while still a resident of Greene 
County, to Mary Crawford, a daughter of 
Harper Crawford, who was a well known 
agriculturist of Greene County, Ohio. 
Two children have been born to our sub- 
ject and wife, namely: Earl, who is tak- 
ing- a special agricultural course at the 
Ohio State University; and Frances, who 
lives at home. 

Mr. Hyslop served as a member of the 
Springfield Township School Board two 
years, 1905-1907, inclusive, having been 
elected on the Independent ticket, and 
when a resident of Greene County served 
two terms as township clerk of New Jas- 
per Township, being elected on the Ee- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



publican ticket. He is affiliated with the 
Rockway Grange, No. 1626, and his relig- 
ious connection is with the United Presby- 
terian Church of Springfield. 



CHARLES J. BOWLUS, proprietor of 
the Bowlus Fruit Company, manager of 
the National Stogie Company and ex- 
mayor of the city of Spring-field, Ohio, 
was born December 17, 1866, in Bowlus- 
ville, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
George C. Bowlus, of this city. 

George C. Bowlus, one of the leading 
real estate men of Springfield, was born in 
Frederick County, Maryland, and in about 
1851 came to Clark County with his fath- 
er. Captain Samuel H. Bowlus, who was a 
member of a local military company of 
Maryland and subsequently became a 
farmer and grain dealer in this county. 

Charles J. Bowlus was reared and ob- 
tained his educational training in Clark 
County, and early in life became a gro- 
cery clerk in Springfield, where he subse- 
quently engaged in the wholesale fruit 
business. In 1894 the Bowlus Fruit Com- 
pany, well known wholesale and retail 
dealers of foreign and domestic fruits and 
produce, was established, and is now rec- 
ognized as one of the leading business en- 
terprises of the city. Mr. Bowlus is also 
interested in various other enterprises of 
the city, among them the well known 
Ridgely Trimmer Company, of which he 
is vice president and a director. He has 
always taken an active interest in the 
political affairs of the city and served 
his first term as mayor of Springfield 
from 1899 to 1901. He was again elected 
mayor in 1903, serving until 1905. 

On March 31, 1887, Mr. Bowlus was 



1023 

joined in marriage with Fannie Lee Du- 
vall, of Springfield, and four children were 
born of this union: Roger C. ; William 
D., who is attending college at Elberton, 
Georgia; Charles J., Jr., and Thelma, 
who died in infancy. 

Fraternally Mr. Bowlus is a thirty- 
second degree Mason, holding lodge mem- 
bership at Dayton ; he also belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the 
Commercial Travelers. He is a director 
of the Children's Hospital, of Cincinnati, 
and, religiously, is affiliated with the 
Heavenly Rest Episcopal Church, of 
which he is vestryman. 



TUNIS FERMAN MUMFORD, resid- 
ing on a fine farm of 100 acres, situated 
in the northwest corner of Pike Township, 
has been a life-long resident of Clark 
County. He was born in Pike Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, July 4, 1860, on the 
old homestead farm of his maternal 
grandfather, and is a son of William H. 
and Nancy (Carmen) Mumford. 

William H. Mumford was born in the 
old log cabin on his father's farm in Pike 
Township, Clark County, March 4, 1835, 
and is a son of Richard Mumford, who 
came from Maryland to Ohio on horse- 
back and was one of the pioneers of this 
section. The latter died here at a ripe 
old age, and was the father of the follow- 
ing children: William H. ; Alexander; 
Mary, widow of Peter Barley; John A. 
and Daniel, deceased. William H. Mum- 
ford helped clear the farm and has fol- 
lowed farming all his life, except the time 
spent in the army during the Civil War. He 
was a member of the Seventy-first Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and diir- 



1024 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ing Ms service of three years and sis 
months partieiiDated in many important 
engagements. He married Nancy Car- 
men, who was born in a log cabin on the 
pioneer farm of her father, John Carmen, 
who came with his wife from Pennsylva- 
nia, at an early date, and lived in Pike 
Township until his death, at the age of 
eighty years. Mr. and Mrs. Mnmford be- 
came parents of the following children: 
Mary, who is the wife of Henry McCros- 
son, of Dayton, Ohio; Sarah, who is the 
wife of Sharon Scott, lives in Miami 
County, Ohio; John A., deceased; Tunis 
F. ; Charles R., deceased; Wilbert H., 
who resides in Miami County; and Clara 
Adella, who is the wife of David Little- 
john, lives in Champaign Count}^ Ohio. 
Mrs. Mumford died in April, 1900. Mr. 
Mumford resides at the home of his 
youngest daughter. 

Tunis F. Mumford was reared on the 
home place and received his educational 
training in the district schools. He early 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and rent- 
ed a farm from the time he left the pa- 
ternal roof until 1896, when he purchased 
forty-five acres of his Grandfather Car- 
men's old farm. To this he added twelve 
acres of the Henry Shell farm, and con- 
tinued to reside on that place until 1908, 
when he traded it as part payment on the 
David Strock fai-m of 100 acres, where 
he now lives. He has always followed 
general farming, and in addition to this, 
during the past twenty-five years, has op- 
erated a threshing machine all through 
this section. For three years he was 
deputy for the Threshers' Association, 
an organization national in its extent, its 
object being the protection of threshers, 
and during his term of office organized 



lodges in many counties of Ohio, Mich- 
igan, Kansas, Oklahoma and Minnesota. 

On February 20, 1878, Mr. Mumford 
was united in marriage with Martha 
Wrightsman, a daughter of Richard and 
Minerva (Adamson) Wrightsman, of In- 
diana. Her father died in July, 1901, and 
her mother now resides in Portland, In- 
diana. Mr. and Mrs. Wrightsman had 
the following children: Munford; Will- 
iam, deceased; John; Martha; Adolphus, 
deceased; Allie, deceased; Phoebe, de- 
ceased ; Charles ; Thomas ; Efifie ; and 
Florence, who died young. 

Tunis F. Mumford and his estimable 
wife are parents of three children, as fol- 
lows: Clarence, who lives in Troy, Ohio, 
married Mary Hill, and has a daughter, 
Glenna May; Glenna, who diqd aged nine 
years; and Blanche, who is the wife of 
Wilber Maxson. Fraternally Mr. Mum- 
ford is a member of Castown Lodge No. 
426, I. O. 0. F. He is a Democrat in pol- 
itics. Religiously he is a member of the 
Honey Creek Church. 



CHARLES N. RITCHIE, one of Pleas- 
ant Township's leading citizens, owning 
a valuable estate of ninety-eight and two- 
third acres, all in one farm, situated in 
Sections 37 and 42, about three miles 
southeast of Catawba, was born July 4, 
1847, and Is a son of Solomon and Eliza 
Ann (Ropp) Ritchie. 

The parents of Mr. Ritchie were born 
in Virginia and they lived near Harper's 
Ferry. They had the following children: 
Mary E., deceased, who married Oliver 
Young, also deceased, had four children, 
Effie, Willie, Tillie and Bertha, Efifie and 
Tillie being deceased ; John S., who was a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1025 



soldier and was killed during the Civil 
War; William, who was born in 1845, 
married Mary Ann Brown, and they have 
three children, Edward, Celia and Anna, 
all being residents of Champaign County ; 
Charles N. ; Edward, who married Lu- 
cinda Curl, had four children, Nina, Ora, 
Elta and a babe that died in infancy ; and 
Martin Luther, who died aged six years. 

Charles N. Ritchie was married in 
Pleasant Township, September 24, 1876, 
to Mary Wiet, who was born February 
15, 1851, and is a daughter of Michael and 
Ann (Runyan) Wiet. Michael Wiet was 
bom in Virginia and his wife in Clark 
County, Ohio. They had nine children, as 
follows: James, who was born in 1847, 
married Hannah Potee; Eli F., who was 
bom in 1849, married Savilla Paine, and 
they had two children, Hattie May and 
Sallie: Mary, who became Mrs. Ritchie; 
Katherine, who was born in 1853, married 
Amos Smith, and they had six children, 
Clifford, Sylvia, Leona, Nina, Fostora 
and Kate; Sarah, who was born in 1855, 
died aged two years; Asa, who was born 
in 1857, died unmarried, aged twenty-six 
years; Lucinda, who was born in 1858, 
married Harry Tavner and they had 
six children, and she died March 17, 1906; 
Amelia, who was born in 1860, died at the 
age of thirteen years; and the youngest 
child, a son, was born and died in 1862. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have had three 
children, the two survivors being Howard 
and Lora Estyl. The eldest, a son, was 
born May 19, 1880, and died an infant. 
Howard Ritchie was born January 16, 
1882, and married Nellie Bumgardner, 
and they have one child, Gwyneth, who 
was born December 10, 1904. They re- 
side on their farm of twenty-five acres. 



Howard operates both his own and his 
father's farm. Lora Estyl Ritchie was 
born March 27, 1884, and was married 
August 25, 1904, to Paul Bronson. Both 
children of Mr. Ritchie received an ex- 
cellent public school education. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have lived in 
Pleasant Township ever since their mar- 
riage and on the present farm for the 
past seven years. It is a valuable prop- 
erty, situated conveniently on the Ells- 
worth Turnpike, near Catawba, and has 
been well improved. For a term Mr. 
Ritchie served as a member of the town- 
ship School Board and terms as road su- 
pervisor. Both he and wife belong to 
Pleasant Chapel, of which he is one of the 
trustees. 



JOHN RAY, the oldest resident of 
Clark County, Ohio, residing in Pike 
Township, was born July 29, 1812, and 
has lived here all his life, a period of over 
ninety-five years. He makes his home 
with his daughter, Mrs. George Freeman, 
who lives on the old home place near 
Dialton. 

Lewis Ray, father of John Ray, was 
bom in Virginia and after his marriage 
to Elizabeth Zigler, in 1812, came to Ohio, 
making the journey in wagons. They 
settled in the woods in Pike Township, 
made a clearing and erected a log cabin. 
They subsisted largely on wild game, 
deer and other wild animals abounding, 
and corn bread, but once a week, usually 
Sunday, they had a change to white bread. 
Lewis and Elizabeth Ray spent the re- 
mainder of their lives on the quarter sec- 
tion of land they owned here, he dying at 
the age of sixty-six years and she at 



1026 



HISTORY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



ninety. Both were membei'S of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Ten children 
were born to them, eight grew up, as fol- 
lows: John; Mary, who was wife of 
Timothy Wones, both deceased; Henry, 
deceased; Susan, widow of Duncan 
Thackery, is one of the oldest women 
living in the county; Michael, deceased; 
Samuel, deceased; Lewis, deceased; and 
Sarah, who was wife of Eev. John Black, 
both now deceased. 

John Eay was reared in Pike Township 
and has witnessed a remarkable change in 
conditions since his boyhood days. Then 
wild game was plentiful and Indians still 
roamed about this section, some times 
their hostility driving his parents to leave 
their home for a place of greater safety. 
He attended school in the old log school- 
house, and assisted in clearing the home 
place of its wild growth of timber, ex- 
periencing many hardships of pioneer 
life. He engaged in farm work there for 
a time, then picked up the carpenter 
trade, which he thereafter followed, and 
as a carpenter and builder for more than 
thirty years, sometimes employing a 
large force of men. He put up many of 
the frame houses and barns of this town- 
ship, some of which are standing today. 
AVhile a young man he purchased of Jacob 
Harner eighty acres of land for $600, be- 
ing given six years in which to make pay- 
ment, without the requirement of interest. 
He later bought an additional eighty 
acres for $800, and from time to time add- 
ed to his original purchase until he had 
300 acres. He was always successful in 
a business way, but success came only 
through hard, persistent and well direct- 
ed effort. Upon retiring from business 
activity he divided his property among 



his children and now lives on the old 
home place with his daughter, Mrs. Free- 
man. 

In April, 1837, Mr. Ray was united in 
marriage with Margaret Overpack, who 
was bom near North Hampton, Pike 
Township, and was a daughter of George 
and Martha (Kerns) Overpack, who came 
from Virginia. She died in March, 1892, 
aged seventy-two years, being survived 
by her husband and three children: 
Lewis, who married Jane Davis, both 
now deceased: George, who married 
Sarah Howell, both deceased; and Mary, 
with whom Mr. Ray now lives. 

In 1862 Mary Ray was married (first) 
to David Otewalt, who died in 1882, leav- 
ing a daughter, Rosella, who is now the 
wife of Elihu Hiatt, of Columbus, Ohio. 
Her first union was with Matthew Wones, 
and they had one son, Ross, who married 
Cora Hardin. Mrs. Otewalt was married 
(second) in 1892 to George Freeman, 
who is now operating the old Ray farm. 
Mr. Freeman was born in New York 
state and is a son of Warren Freeman, 

The venerable John Ray has been a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church for more than sixty years. He is 
a Republican in politics. 



ROONEY WASHINGTON JONES, re- 
siding on his valuable fruit farm of three 
acres, situated within the limits of Vien- 
na, in Harmony Township, fills the im- 
portant office of treasurer of the village. 
He was born in Clark County, Ohio, Jan- 
uary 18, 1875. and is a son of Newton R. 
and Frances (Sullivan) Jones. 

The maternal grandparents of Mr. 
Jones were Samuel and Mary Sullivan. 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1027 



Samuel SiiUivan was born in 1800 and 
was an apprentice to an ofHcer during the 
M'^ar of 1812. He came from Baltimore, 
Maryland, to Clark County, in 1837, and 
settled near Vienna, where he conducted 
a cooper shop for many years. At the 
time of his death, in 1898, he was the old- 
est man in Clark County. His wife died 
in 1881. They had three daughters: 
Mary Catherine, who married William 
Young; Frances Ann, who was born in 
Maryland in 1834; and Clarissa. 

Newton R. Jones was born in Virginia 
in 1836 and died in 1890 in Clark County, 
Ohio. He served in the Federal Army 
during almost the entire period of the 
Civil War, enlisting November 2, 1861, at 
Vienna, Ohio, in Company C, Eleventh 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and 
being honorably discharged at Omaha, 
Nebraska, April 1, 1865. This regiment 
was mainly used to fight the Indians and 
their service was constantly one of great 
danger. On one occasion Mr. Jones was 
among the mountains in very inclement 
weather and was almost frozen to death. 
After his military service was over he re- 
turned to Clark County and resided near 
Vienna during the remainder of his life. 
In 1860 he was married to Frances Ann 
Sullivan, and they had three sons born to 
them, all of whom survive, namely: 
Vancy, who was born in 1868, resides with 
his brother, Rooney W. ; Noah, who was 
born April 18, 1871, married Sylvia 
Smith, a daughter of Amos Smith, and 
they have one daughter, Gladys; and 
Rooney Washington. 

Rooney W. Jones was educated with a 
view of becoming a teacher, taking the 
course at the Ohio Normal University at 
Ada, and subsequently engaging in teach- 



ing for a number of years. On May 26, 
1900, he was married to Cora A. Stafford. 
They have a little adopted daughter 
named Bessie. Mrs. Jones was also edu- 
cated at the Ohio Normal University and 
is a lady of high attainments. She for- 
merly taught school. 

Mr. Jones is a Republican and has 
taken an active interest in politics ever 
since he became a voter and has been hon- 
ored by his party on many occasions. In 
1900 he took the census in this vicinity. 
He has served as chairman of the Clark 
County Central Committee of his party, 
and at present is corporation treasurer of 
Vienna, having previously served two 
terms as township treasurer. In 1908 
Mr. Jones was nominated by his party 
for county recorder, a nomination in 
Clark County on the Republican ticket 
meaning an election. Mr. and Mrs. Jones 
are active members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church at Vienna, in which Mr. 
Jones is a trustee and a steward. Mr. 
Jones is one of the prominent members 
of the order of Knights of Pythias at 
Vienna, belonging to Lodge No. 660, and 
also to Lodge No. 15, Junior Order 
United American Mechanics. He is a 
valued member of the Franklin Society. 



GEORGE GRIESER, a prosperous 
farmer living on a farm of eighty-three 
and one-half acres in Pike Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, was born November 
8, 1844, in Hessen, Darmstadt, Germany, 
and is a son of John and Maria (Gearon) 
Grieser, both of whom died in that coun- 
try, he at the age of fifty-four years, and 
she at seventy years. The father follow- 
ed farming throughout life. They had 



1028 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



eight children, as follows: Mark, de- 
ceased; John; Margaretta, deceased, who 
was the wife of John Domesberger ; 
Philip ; George ; Gertrude, who is the wife 
of Jacob Gearon; Adam; and Gerhardt. 
The four youngest of the family came to 
America, but not at the same time. Mrs. 
Gearon being the first and George the 
next to come across the ocean. 

George Grieser was reared on a farm 
in his native province, and there received 
an excellent education in the public 
schools. In May, 1872, he left home for 
America and reached Fort Wayne, Indi- 
ana, just three weeks later, to the hour. 
Crossing on the same steamer was his 
bride-to-be, Elizabeth Stineman, who 
came from the same neighborhood, and 
upon arriving at the home of her brother, 
in Fort Wayne, they were married. Two 
weeks later they moved to Clark County, 
Ohio, where his sister, Mrs. Gearon, lived, 
and there he worked in a stone quarry for 
five years. He then rented a farm of 110 
acres in German Township, of Samuel 
Nesser, which he operated for four years, 
and later, the Henry Snyder place of 200 
acres, near Enon, for two years. He next 
rented 110 acres of Gen. Rust, in North- 
ampton Township, for four years, after 
which he was again located on the Ness- 
ler place for three years. He then con- 
ducted the Anna Schooley farm of 160 
acres for four years, after which he pur- 
chased his present farm of eighty-three 
acres, on which stands a large brick house. 
He subsequently added more land and 
erected good substantial farm buildings. 
He put up a commodious farm-house con- 
taining six large rooms, in which he now 
lives, and rents the brick residence. He 
has followed farming and stock-raising in 



a general way, and has been very success- 
ful. 

It was in June, 1872, that Mr. Grieser 
and Elizabeth Stineman were married. 
She is a daughter of Adam and Eve Eliz- 
abeth (Klinger) Stineman, who followed 
their children to America from Germany^ 
late in life. Mr. Stineman died in Indi- 
ana and his wife died at the home of Mr. 
and Mrs. Grieser. They were the parents 
of eight children : Adam, who crossed the 
Atlantic in 1860, being the first of the fam- 
ily to come to America; Peter, who lives 
in Germany; Eve Elizabeth; Catherine, 
who is the wife of Jacob Bowers; John, 
who died in Indiana; Agnes, who is the 
wife of Charles Helms ; and two who died 
in childhood. 

George Grieser and his estimable wife 
have also had eight children, namely: 
Catherine, who died April 20, 1908, was 
the wife of Adam German, and had three 
children, Effie, Lena, and Edna; Agnes, 
who died in 1904, aged twenty-nine years, 
was the wife of Philip Roder, and left 
three children, George, Nellie and Flor- 
ence ; John, who married Iva Boyers, has 
a son, Ralph; Adam, who married Julia 
Florey, has one child; Elizabeth, who is 
the wife of Elliott Neese, lives in the State 
of Washington; Effie, who is the wife of 
William Parks has two children, Al- 
fred and Edward ; George, who is employ- 
ed as a bookkeeper at Spring-field, Ohio, 
and Margaret, who died in 1906, aged 
eighteen years. Mr. Grieser is a Repub- 
lican in politics. Religiously he is a mem- 
ber of St. John's Lutheran Church at 
Springfield, Ohio. 

Mr. Grieser has made his way in the 
world through hard and persistent effort, 
assisted only by his faithful wife. Com- 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1029 



ing to this country with little means, a 
foreigner, unused to Americans and 
American methods, it was an uphill fight 
from the first. Meeting adversity with a 
brave front, he struggled on until now he 
is reckoned one of the substantial men of 
his home community. 



HON. MELVIN L. MILLIGAN, presi- 
dent of The Fairbanks Company, and vice 
president of The Indianapolis Switch and 
Frog Company, is a leading citizen of 
Springfield. Mr. Milligan was born in 
Perry County, Ohio, July 28, 1860, and 
is a son of Alfred P. and Rachel (Iliff) 
Milligan. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Mil- 
ligan were George and Priscilla (Thrap) 
Milligan, natives of Pennsylvania, who 
came to Ohio among the pioneers of Perry 
County. In the home they established 
Alfred P. Milligan, father of Melvin L., 
was born September 1, 1831. In early 
manhood he married Rachel Iliff, who was 
born in Pei-ry County, Ohio, February 16, 
1840. They reside at Deavertown, Ohio. 
Alfred P. Milligan was engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits through his active years. 

Melvin L. Milligan attended school in 
both Perry and Morgan Counties, com- 
pleted a thorough business course at 
Zanesville, and then entered the Ohio 
Wesleyan University at Delaware, where 
he was -graduated in 1884, with the degree 
of Bachelor of Arts. Several years of 
close study of law followed and he was 
admitted to the bar at Columbus, in May, 
1886, and later, at Kansas City, Missouri, 
in which city he engaged in the practice 
of his profession. 

Having acquired business interests at 



Springfield, Ohio, Mr. Milligan was led to 
locate in this city in 1891, since which time 
his connection with her important enter- 
prises has been strengthened. Mr. Milli- 
gan, with trained intellectual faculties, is 
also a man of very practical business con- 
ceptions, and the ability with which he 
has, for years, conducted large transac- 
tions, has served to make him a very not- 
able factor in the commercial life of this 
section. He has filled high official posi- 
tions with great industrial concerns. Since 
1902 he has been president and general 
manager of The Fairbanks Company, 
which formerly did business as The 
Springfield Foundry Company, and which 
employs 325 people. For four years he 
served as president, and since then has 
been vice president of The Indianapolis 
Switch and Frog Company, which is one 
of the largest houses in the country en- 
gaged in the manufacture of switches, 
frogs and railroad specialties. It was in- 
corporated in 1892, with a capital stock 
of $300,000. 

Although Mr. Milligan is necessarily 
greatly absorbed in his private business 
enterprises, he has always found time 
to devote to civic interests, and in such 
measure as to win the full confidence and 
esteem of his fellow citizens. In 
April, 1901, he was elected mayor 
of Springfield, and during his serv- 
ice of two years the city made 
marked progress. Politically he is 
identified with the Republican party. Mr. 
Milligan is one of the board of directors 
of the American Trust and Savings Com- 
pany, at Springfield, a corporation which 
occupies the substantial nine-story struc- 
ture to which the city points as its larg- 
est and finest building. 



1030 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



On August 30, 1887, Mr. Milligan was 
married to Jennie Fairbanks, who is a 
daughter of Loriston M. and Mary Ade- 
laide Fairbanks, of Columbus, and a sis- 
ter of Hon. Charles W. Fairbanks, vice 
president of the United States. Mr. and 
Mrs. Milligan have five children, namely: 
Loriston F., Harry S., Mary Adelaide, 
Robert L., and Rachel lolene. The fam- 
ily residence is located at No. 1029 South 
Fountain Avenue, Springfield. 



JOHN HENRY BLOSE, one of Ger- 
man Township's substantial and repre- 
sentative citizens, resides on his valuable 
farm of 150 acres, which lies directly 
north of Tremont, on both sides of the 
road. Mr. Blose was born in Mad River 
Township, four miles west of Urbana, 
Champaign County, Ohio, August 29, 
1838, and is a son of Daniel and Susanna 
(Pence) Blose. 

Daniel Blose was born in Shenandoah 
County, Virginia, and was a son of John 
and Amelia Blose, who moved to Cham- 
paign County, Ohio, when Daniel was a 
child of two years. The latter grew up 
on a farm situated four miles north of 
that on which his son, John Henry, re- 
sides. In early manhood he married a 
daughter of Henry Pence, who came from 
Virginia to Champaign County, in 1801, 
and in that county Mrs. Blose was born. 
This marriage was a very early one and 
the couple went to live on the old Pence 
farm, where four children were born, of 
whom John Henry was the eldest. The 
other three were, Minerva, who died aged 
one year ; Eunice Elizabeth, who married 
Samuel Sowers, and, with her husband, 
is now deceased, they being survived by 



five children; and Marietta, also deceased, 
with her husband, who married Christian 
F. Rohrer. The fi];st wife of Daniel Blose 
died in 1846 and he was married (sec- 
ondly) to Louisa Colbert. They had seven 
children, namely: James Irvin, who fol- 
lows farming and is also in the. grain busi- 
ness at Urbana ; Leroy, who is engaged in 
the grain business with his brother ; Dan- 
iel, who is a travehng salesman; Emery, 
deceased, who was also in the grain busi- 
ness; Edward, who died in young man- 
hood; and two children who died in in- 
fancy. The father of the above mentioned 
family died in 1871, aged fifty-three years. 

John Henry Blose was reared in Cham- 
paign County, where he attended the 
country schools, and when about seven- 
teen years of age he also taught school. 
His father owned a flour mill and also a 
distillery, and he worked in both of these 
and also engaged in farming. At the age 
of nineteen years he was married to Caro- 
line Steinberger, and for two years after- 
ward they lived on one of his father's 
farms. Mr. Blose then came to German 
Towhship, Clark County, and bought an 
interest in a farm of 200 acres, which was 
jointly owned by his father and a Mr. 
Jacob Seitz, and this he operated from 
1859 until 1871, in connection with milling 
and distilling. He built a house near his 
mill, but occupied it only a short time, 
moving then to his present farm. After 
retiring from the milling and distilhng 
business, which he did in 1871, he settled 
down to farming and stock-raising, serv- 
ing at various times in the important pub- 
he offices to which his fellow citizens have 
frequently elected him. 

Mr. and Mrs. Blose have had eight chil- 
dren, namely : Rose, who died an infant ; 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1031 



Alpha Williams, Charles Vallandigham, 
OUie Estella, Frank Pendleton, Clyde 
Edward, Mary Elizabeth and Lettie May. 
The eldest son, Alpha Williams, has been 
a successful teacher for the past fifteen 
years and resides at home. The second 
son, Charles V., married Lida Dingledine 
and they have three children — Hazel E., 
Lucy May and Mary Margaret. Olhe 
Estella married Charles K. Collins, and 
they have had seven children — Martha 
Eunice, Tandy Blose, Euth, Eoger A., 
Pauline and Lucy and Edna, the latter two 
being deceased. Prank Pendleton, who is 
a teacher, and is also serving in the office 
of justice of the peace in German Town- 
ship, married Nora Weigel, and they have 
one child, Helen lona. Clyde Edward 
Blose, the third son, who is train dis- 
patcher at Springfield for the D., T. & I. 
Eailroad, married Viola May Kiplinger, 
and they have had nine children — James 
Elwood, Euhl Willard, Lettie Eileen, 
Ethel Caroline, Emily Josephine, Flor- 
ence Nell, John Henry, Joseph Philip and 
Mary Louise. Mary Elizabeth Blose mar- 
ried U. G. Karg, and they live near Tre- 
. mont. 

In politics Mr. Blose is a Democrat. 
From 1863 until 1893, he served as a jus- 
tice of the peace in German Township, 
and during this long period in this im- 
jDortant position adjusted many important 
cases and gave many valuable decisions. 
He was chosen as one of the Congress- 
ional district delegates to the Democratic 
National Convention held in New York 
City in 1868, at which Horatio Seymour 
was nominated for President. He was at 
that time a great admirer of George H. 
Pendleton, and earnestly worked for his 
nomination. Again, in 1872, he was chosen 



as one of the Congressional district dele- 
gates to the Democratic National Conven- 
tion held at Baltimore, Maryland, which 
nominated as its candidate for president, 
Horace Greeley. 

In 1873 he was elected a member of the 
Constitutional Convention of Ohio, which 
met then at Columbus, but was adjourned 
to Cincinnati, on account of the preva- 
lence of cholera at that time in the former 
city. In 1875, Mr. Blose was elected a 
county commissioner of Clark County and 
served faithfully as such for a term of 
three years. He is a member of the local 
Grange. As an active and interested citi- 
zen, he has always performed public du- 
ties with an eye to the welfare of his com- 
munity, and is held in high esteem by his 
neighbors, and by the public generally. 



JOHN OTSTOT, a prominent citizen of 
SpringHeld Township and a member of 
the township school board, owns three 
valuable farms which aggregate 290 
acres. He was born on the farm which is 
now occupied by his son, John Frederick 
Otstot, in Springfield Township, Clark 
County, Ohio, March 28, 1847, and is a 
son of William and Eebecca (Knaub) 
Otstot. 

The Otstot family came to Ohio from 
that old German stronghold, Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania. Adam Otstot, the 
grandfather of John Otstot, came to Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, in 1831, and was accompa- 
nied by his son, William Otstot, who had 
been born in Pennsylvania, December 25, 
1811. The family remained at Columbus 
for two years and then came to Clark 
County, settling on the farm on which 
John Otstot was born. William Otstot 



1032 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



was married in Clark County to Eebecca 
Knaub, who died in December, 1902. Slie 
was a daughter of George Knaub and was 
born in York County, Pennsylvania. The 
thirteen children of WilHam and Eebecca 
Otstot were reared on the farm south of 
Springfield, and all of them, with one ex- 
ception, reached maturity. William Ot- 
stot died July 16, 1895, aged eighty-four 
years. 

John Otstot attended school in the 
neighborhood of his home, but early be- 
gan to assist in the farm work and has 
continued to be interested in agricultural 
pursuits up to the present time. His early 
training was not lost, for there is little 
pertaining to farm work that he does not 
thoroughly understand. After his mar- 
riage he went to housekeeping on the Wil- 
liam Perrin farm, in Springfield Town- 
ship, where he lived until the spring of 
1883, a period of seven years, and then 
came to the present farm, which he 
bought in the spring of 1882. 

Mr. Otstot married Sarah Kershner, 
who is a daughter of William A. and 
Ellen .(Way) Kershner. Mrs. Kershner 
was born in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a daughter of Capt. Michael 
Way, who operated a shoe factory there. 
He was an officer in the War of 1812. 
After coming to Clark County Ellen Way 
attended and graduated from the old 
Springfield Seminary, and for a number 
of years afterward taught school both in 
Springfield and in the country. She mar- 
ried William A. Kershner, who was 
born in Clark County and who was a 
son of Jacob Kershner, who came to 
this section from Hagerstown, Maryland. 
Mr. and Mrs. Otstot have four children, 
namely : William A., who married Minnie 



Hayman and has two children — Anna 
Euth and Christel; Mabel who married 
August Gretz and has one child — Lewis; 
John Frederick, who married Florence 
Self, and they have one child — John Ed- 
gar ; and Harry, who is residing at home. 
Mr. Otstot has always taken a good cit- 
izen's interest in public aifairs and on 
several occasions has consented to serve 
as a member of the school board. 



BENJAMIN FEANKLIN PEINCE, 
A. M., Ph. D. Benjamin F. Prince was 
born December 12, 1840, near Urbana, 
Champaign County, Ohio ; he is a descend- 
ant of some of the first settlers in west- 
ern Ohio. His maternal grandparents 
settled in Champaign County, Ohio, in 
1805, and his paternal grandparents in 
1809; grandfather participated in the 
War of 1812. Benjamin was raised upon 
a farm, and received the usual education 
in the country schools. In 1860 he entered 
the preparatory department of Witten- 
berg College (Springfield) and graduated 
from that institution in 1865. He entered 
upon the study of theology, but was ap- 
pointed instructor in his alma mater in 
the spring of 1866, and has been connect- 
ed with that institution since that date, 
serving for more than twenty years as 
professor of Greek and History, and now 
occupying the professorship of History 
and Political Science. He is ex-president 
of Clark County Historical Society and a 
life member and trustee by appointment 
of Governor Bushnell, and re-appoint- 
ment by Governor Nash, of the Ohio 
State Archaeological and Historical So- 
ciety. 

Dr. Prince was married in 1869 to Miss 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1033 



Ellen Sanderson of Springfield. She was 
born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, her 
mother for many years was postmistress 
of Springfield. They have been blessed 
with four children, Gracella, Flora, Wal- 
ter and Mabel. Dr. Prince has always 
taken an active interest in public affairs, 
having served for many years in the city 
council, and is today, perhaps, one of the 
best known persons connected with "Wit- 
tenberg College. Notwithstanding his 
nearing three score years and ten, he is 
exceedingly active and energetic and bids 
fair to add some years to his already long 
service with his alma mater. 



WILLIS JACOB DRAKE, a prosper- 
ous farmer of Pike Township, Clark 
Cotinty, Ohio, is located on a farm of 
seventy-one acres about eighteen miles 
northwest of the city of Spring-field, and 
in addition has a tract of twenty-five 
acres in Jackson Township, Champaign 
County. He was born on what is now 
known as the Jacob Sultzbaeh farm in 
Pike Township, March 20, 1861, and is a 
son of Thomas and Mary (Deaton) 
Drake. Thomas Drake was born in Eliza- 
beth Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
September 18, 1836, and was a son of 
Jacob Drake, who came from New Jersey 
to Miami County during pioneer days. 
Jacob Drake was first married January 
12, 1814, to Phoebe Stout, by whom he 
had two sons, Thomas and William. He 
was again married June 27, 1839, to 
Ruth A. Titous, and they had four chil- 
dren, Ezra H., Willis H., Albert and 
Mary A. (Lamme). 

Thomas Drake, father of our subject, 
spent his boyhood days on the home farm, 



which he assisted in clearing. They lived 
in a log house for many years, and in 1853 
Mr. Drake erected a magnificent frame 
house, the finest in the county at that time. 
After his marriage he moved to the Ful- 
ler farm in Pike Township, Clark County, 
which he rented for two years ; then, dur- 
ing the following three years, lived on the 
farm of his wife's mother. At the end of 
that time he moved to Champaign Coun- 
ty, farming near Addison for five years, 
and then moved to a farm on the Clark 
County line. The family next lived on 
the Sheets farm near Tippecanoe for a 
period of eighteen years, then on the 
Strock farm in Pike Township for nine 
years. From there they moved to Jack- 
son Township, where they remained but 
a short time, locating soon after on a 
small farm that Mr. Drake bought near 
Addison. Three weeks after moving on 
the place, Mrs. Drake died, on Decem- 
ber 13, 1907. Mr. Drake is now retired 
and lives in the village of Addison. His 
wife, Mary (Deaton) Drake, was born in 
Pike Township and was a daughter of 
William and Catherine Deaton, early 
pioneers of the county. Six children were 
born to them: William, Willis Jacob, 
Elizabeth F., who died at nine years; 
Sherman, who died at eight years ; Grant 
and Levi. 

Willis J. Drake was reared on the farm 
and attended the district schools. He be- 
gan dealing in stock in a small way when 
a young man and also followed general 
farming. He lived at home until one year 
after his marriage. October 30, 1891, he' 
purchased his present farm from the 
Samuel Lind heirs and erected a fine 
nine-room frame house, a good barn and 
other buildings. He makes a specialty of 



1034 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



hogs and cattle, particularly the former, 
and has nine acres in tobacco. 

December 20, 1883, Mr. Drake was 
united in marriage with Catherine Wide- 
ner, a daughter of William and Amie 
(Rollins) Widener, her father coming 
from Pennsylvania and her mother from 
Indiana. Mrs. Drake is one of eleven 
children, as follows: Charles, deceased; 
Catherine (Drake) ; William Elmer; War- 
ren E. ; John E. ; Harry F. and Hattie F., 
twins, the latter, wife of James Dick; 
Caroline E. (Staley) ; Hays; Ross; and 
Laura (Cottingham). Mrs. Widener died 
in 1896 and is survived by her husband, 
who lives in Troy, Ohio. 

Mr. and Mrs. Drake have three chil- 
dren, as follows : Tnlly L., who was 
married December 15, 1907, to Amelia 
Group, and is now farming in Champaign 
County; Florence E., who died in in- 
fancy; and Eva E., who attends the Wil- 
lis Business College in Spring-field. Mr. 
Drake is a Republican in politics, and 
served as supervisor in Elizabeth Town- 
ship, Champaign County; and many 
years as road superintendent in Pike 
Township. He and his wife are consistent 
members of the Christian Church. 



WILLIAM H. BURTON, a general 
farmer, stock raiser, and dairyman of 
Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- 
siding on a well improved farm of 189 
acres, situated about seven miles west of 
Springfield, was born July 6, 1856, on his 
father's farm in Gallia County, Ohio, and 
is a son of James and Armenta (Blank- 
enship) Burton. 

James Burton and his wife were both 
natives of Virginia, where they were mar- 



ried. He was a collier by trade, which oc- 
cupation he followed for the greater part 
of his Ufe. He came to Scioto County, 
Ohio, in his later years, and settled on a 
small farm, where he resided until his 
death, at thed age of seventy-eight. 
Eleven children were born to James Bur- 
ton and wife, namely: Janette, Sally 
Jane, James Harvey, Ruth L., Isaac Mil- 
ton, Amanda, wife of Asa Cander; Na- 
thaniel, George Riley, Eliza Jane, wife of 
Thomas McGilvery; Harvey M., and Wil- 
liam H., the subject of this sketch. The 
five first mentioned are now deceased, as 
also is Harvey .M. 

William Burton was reared on his fath- 
er's farm in Scioto County, and for a 
short time attended the district schools. 
At the age of twenty he went west, to 
Hastings, Minnesota, and worked for 
some time in a wheat elevator and at vari- 
ous other odd jobs, remaining there for 
twenty-two months. Then he returned to 
Scioto County, Ohio, for a short time, 
after which he came to Clark County and 
worked by the month on various farms in 
the county. He continued thus occupied 
for some time after his marriage, and 
then rented the Charles Thomas farm in 
German Township for three years, after 
which he rented the Demormandie farm 
for one year, moving thence to the Peter 
Ebersole farm, which he operated for five 
years. He then lived for one year on the 
Sipes farm, near Urbana, and in Novem- 
ber, 1906, bought his present farm of 189 
acres from the Wittenberg College estate, 
where he has since been engaged in gen- 
eral farming, stock-raising and dairying, 
and is recognized as one of Bethel Town- 
ship's most enterprising and successful 
farmers. 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1035 



Mr. Burton was united in marriage De- 
cember 27, 1883, to Clara Belle Callison, 
who was born October 5, 1841, in German 
Township, and who is a daughter of Ja- 
cob and Margaret Jane (Argab right) Cal- 
lison, who came to this county from Vir- 
ginia. Mrs. Burton was the eldest of a 
family of five children, namely: Clara 
Belle, Lucinda Jane, widow of Fred 
Wert; Charles A., John M., and George, 
the three last mentioned being now de- 
ceased. Her mother is still living. Nine 
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bur- 
ton, as follows: Lawrence E., Ira A., 
Clifford J., Joseph D., William Eussell, 
who died aged fourteen months; James 
Dwight, George H., Elsie M., and Nellie I. 

Politically Mr. Burton is a Prohibition- 
ist, but was formerly a Eepublican. Both 
he and his wife are members of the Ger- 
man Baptist Brethren Church. 



ROBERT ELDER, owner of a large 
general store in the village of Selma, and 
president of the Miami Deposit Bank, of 
Yellow Springs, Ohio, was born in this 
vicinity January 16, 1872, and is a son of 
Robert and Julia Ann (Stewart) Elder. 
The old Elder homestead in Green Town- 
ship was established by Robert Elder, 
grandfather of our subject, and a native 
of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, who 
came to Ohio when eleven years of age, 
locating in Clark County. He married 
Nancy Elder, a native of Clark County, 
and reared a family of nine children, 
three sons and six daughters, of whom 
five are still living. 

Robert N. Elder, father of the present 
Robert, was born and reared on the home 



farm in Green Township and there spent 
his entire life, engaged in farming. He 
married Julia Ann Stewart, a daughter 
of Perry and Rhoda Stewart, of Green 
Township, Clark County, and they be- 
came the parents of eleven children, of 
whom six still survive, the subject of this 
sketch being the eldest of those living. 
Robert N. Elder's death, which occurred 
July 1^, 1907, was caused by his sustain- 
ing a fall in the barn of the home farm. 

Robert Elder, subject of this sketch, 
was reared on the home farm and re- 
ceived his educational training in the dis- 
trict schools of the township, after which 
he assisted with the work at home until 
twenty-three years old. He then engaged 
as clerk in the store then operated by 
Wildman & Company and two years later 
bought a half interest in the store, of 
which he took entire charge the year fol- 
lowing, and has conducted same ever 
since. Mr. Elder is also financially inter- 
ested in the Miami Deposit Bank, of Yel- 
low Springs. In 1895 he and his uncle, 
P. M. Stewart, bought the defunct Citi- 
zens' Bank of that town, and again put 
it in operation, it now being known as the 
Miami Deposit Bank, Mr. Elder acting 
as president and P. M. Stewart as cashier. 

Politically Mr. Elder is a Republican 
and has served as a delegate to County, 
District and Congressional Conventions, 
is clerk of the School Board, and cashier 
of the Ohio State Fair. The school dis- 
trict of this vicinity was the second or- 
ganized under the New Special School 
District Law of 1904, and it was through 
the efforts of Mr. Elder and others who 
have always taken an active interest in 
all affairs which tend toward the advance- 
ment of the community that this fine 



1036 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



school with its excellent facilities was 
made possible. 

Mr. Elder was joined in marriage Sep- 
tember 14, 1898, with Eachel T. Wildman, 
a daughter of William and Eliza WUd- 
man, now residents of Springfield. They 
are the parents of four children, Robert 
Newell, Lois, Malcolm and Julia, two of 
whom are attending school. Religiously 
Mr. Elder is a member of the Methodist 
Church and his wife is a Friend. 



SILAS BAKER, a well known resi- 
dent of the jDleasant village of Lawrence- 
ville, and the owner of 103 acres of valu- 
able farming land in Gei'man Township, 
was born in Clark County, Ohio, on land 
he still owns, February 16, 1824. His 
parents were Samuel and Mary (Naw- 
man) Baker. 

Samuel Baker was born in Virginia and 
in young manhood, in 1811, came to 
Springfield, Ohio, and participated in the 
War of 1812. He was a blacksmith by 
trade and after he returned to civil life 
he built a shop in the woods, in German 
Township, Clark Coimty, where he had ac- 
quired a small farm. He married Mary 
Nawman, who had accompanied her par- 
ents to German Township from Virginia, 
and they lived out their quiet, useful 
lives on their farm in this township. 
Samuel Baker died at the age of seventy- 
one years, and his wife at that of seventy- 
nine. 

Silas Baker grew to manhood on the 
home farm, attending the district schools 
for three months during the winter sea- 
sons in his boyhood, but from youth as- 
sisting in the duties pertaining to the 
raising of stock and cultivating the land. 
For manv vears he gave his whole atten- 



tion to his farming interests and has 
owned his present property since the 
death of his parents. In the spring of 
1906 he bought Ms comfortable cottage 
in Lawrenceville, where he and wife are 
passing their declining years. 

In 1849 Mr. Baker was married to 
Elizabeth Friermood, who was born in 
German Township, a daughter of Reuben 
Friermood, who came to Clark County 
from Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Baker 
have four children living, four others be- 
ing deceased. The former are: Alice, 
who is the widow of Harry Ryman ; Will- 
iam Wesley, who is in the optical business 
at Troy, Ohio; Emory, who resides at 
Springfield; and Martha Ellen, who mar- 
ried Thomas B. Ream, a leading grocery 
merchant at Springfield. Politically Mr. 
Baker is a Democrat. During his resi- 
dence in the county he served fourteen 
successive years as clerk of German 
Township and frequently as township 
trustee. 



JOSEPH ULERY, who is engaged in 
farming on a tract of eighty-two acres in 
Pike Township, comes of one of Clark 
County's well known pioneer families. He 
was born September 12, 1851, on his fath- 
er's farm near Liberty, Pike Township, 
and is a son of John R. and Mary (Zieg- 
ler) Ulery, and a grandson of John and 
Elizabeth Ulery. 

His great grandparents were the first 
of the Ulery family to come to this coim- 
try, their native home being Germany. 
John Ulery, the grandfather of Joseph, 
was born in Franklin County, Pennsylva- 
nia, where also he was reared and mar- 
ried. He subsequently came to Ohio to 



AND REPBESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1037 



enter land, walking the entire distance of 
500 miles, both ways. In 1842 he brought 
his family and household goods overland 
to Ohio in wagons and located on a tract 
of 200 acres near Liberty (two and one- 
half miles northeast of New Carlisle), the 
family hving for some time in a log cabin 
which stood on the land. Hei'e John and 
his wife Elizabeth spent the rest of their 
lives, dying each at an advanced age. 
They were the parents of five children, of 
whom but two are now living — Jacob, and 
Nancy, the widow of David Nysewander. 
John R. L'lery, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Franklin County, 
Pennsylvania, in 1825, and at the age of 
seventeen years came to Clark County, 
Ohio, with his parents, who, as above 
noted, located at Liberty. Here he mar- 
ried Mary Ziegler, a native of Maryland, 
also of G-erman descent, whose parents 
came to Logan County, Ohio, at an early 
period, when the Indians still inhabited 
this section. She saw the last of the 
tribes leave, and well remembered them 
stopping at her father's house to trade 
their bead-work for food. After his mar- 
riage John and his wife located on a farm 
adjoining that of his father, and there 
spent the remainder of their lives, en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits. Mrs. 
John R. Ulery died in 1897 when she was 
seventy-one years of age, and she was 
survived by her husband until April 2, 
1907. They were the parents of ten chil- 
dren, as follows: Sarah, Anna, Joseph, 
whose name begins this article; Lydia, 
David, Elizabeth, Mary Catherine, 
George, Daniel and Emery. Of these chil- 
dren the following are deceased: David 
aged three, Sarah aged thirteen, Anna 
aged ten, Lydia aged twelve, Catherine 



aged three and Daniel aged twenty-three. 
Five of these died with diphtheria. 

Joseph Ulery was reared on his 
father's farm near Liberty and received 
his educational training in the common 
schools of that locality. Much of his 
time was devoted to work on the farm and 
his entire industrial career since has been 
devoted to agriculture. For five years 
subsequent to his marriage he farmed the 
home place and then, in 1878, moved to 
his present farm of eighty-two acres, pur- 
chasing the land from George Cramer, it 
having been originally entered by the 
grandfather of Mrs. Ulery. Mr. Ulery 
erected the large house which the family 
occupy, and also made other important 
improvements. He was engaged in oper- 
ating a cane factory and hydraulic cider- 
press in connection with his farming oper- 
ations and has met with success in both 
lines of activity. 

February 2, 1873, Mr. Ulery was joined 
in marriage with Mary Evelyn Mock, a 
daughter of Samuel and Mary A. (Bod- 
kin) Mock. Her father was a native of 
Pike Township and was born, lived and 
died on the same farm. , His death oc- 
curred in 1877, ^'lien he was fifty-seven 
years old. He is survived by his wife, 
also a native of Ohio, who makes her 
home on the old place and is now about 
eighty years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Mock 
were the parents of eight children, name- 
ly: Melissa, Lucinda, Evelyn (now Mrs. 
Joseph Ulery), Ella, John, Julia, George, 
and Vesper. Of these children, Melissa, 
George, Vesper and John P., who was the 
husband of Crilla (Mitchell) Mock, are 
now deceased. 

Three children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Ulery, namely: Glenn M., a 



1038 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



resident oi' Spring-field, Ohio, who mar- 
ried Florence Jenkins, June 17, 1907; 
Aldo, who died in infancy; and Ilo V.,- 
who is a pnpil in the Springfield High 
School. In polities a stanch Democrat, 
Mr. Ulery has served his township as 
trustee for five years and as justice of 
the peace for one term. The religious 
connection of the family is with the 
Honey Creek Christian Church, of which 
Mr. Ulery is a deacon, trustee and the 
treasurer. 



SAMUEL S. ZERKLE, who owns al- 
most one hundred and one acres of fine 
farming land in German Township, was 
born on a farm lying on the line between 
Clark and Champaign Counties, Ohio, Oc- 
tober 29, 1835, and is a son of Jonathan 
and Regina (Zerkle) Zerkle. 

Jonathan Zerkle, who was a son of 
Jacob Zerkle, married a daughter of 
Abraham Zerkle, who was a brother of 
Jacob Zerkle. Jonathan Zerkle was born 
and reared in Virginia. His wife was 
born in what is now West Virginia and 
she was brought to Clark County, Ohio, 
in girlhood. Jacob Zerkle owned a part 
of the farm now occupied by Samuel S. 
Zerkle, and Abraham Zerkle owned a 
farm that lay in both Clark and Cham- 
paign Counties, his residence standing on 
the county line. Jonathan and Regina 
Zerkle had eight children, all of whom 
grew to maturity and married, but there 
are now only three survivors: Samuel 
S. ; Michael, residing in Indiana; and 
Mary, who is the widow of John Tshan. 
The father of the family died in Clark 
County, Ohio, but the mother died in 
Illinois. 



Samuel S. Zerkle had the advantage of 
living in two counties during his boyhood 
and attended the schools situated nearest 
to his home. Farming has been his main 
occupation in life, but not the exclusive 
one, as he ran a sawmill for eight years 
at Terre Haute, in Champaign County. 
Prior to coming to his present place' he 
resided on a farm on the Valley turnpike, 
south of Treinont. On March 16, 1892, 
he took possession of his present farm, 
which, to be exact, contains one hundred 
and seven-tenths acres of land and is sit- 
uated about nine miles northwest of 
Spring-field and two miles northwest of 
Tremont, on the road that runs from Law- 
renceville to Terre Haute. He carries on 
general fanning, grows fruit and raises 
a considerable amount of good stock. 

Mr. Zerkle married Catherine Michael, 
who died in 1890, leaving one son, Walter. 
The latter married Clara Belle Swartz- 
baugh, who is a daughter of Philip 
Swartzbaugh, and they have two children : 
Ernest and Mertie. Walter Zerkle assists 
his father on the farm. Both are highly 
respected citizens and are widely known 
through both Clark and Champaign 
Counties. 



A. C. HARRAMAN,* who is vice presi- 
dent of the Springfield Planing Mill and 
Lumber Company, and is also interested 
in a general insurance business, with oflS- 
ces in the New Zimmerman Building, 
Springfield, was born in 1869 in Preble 
County, Ohio. Mr. Harraman was reared 
and educated in his native county. In 
1888 he came to Springfield and for ten 
ten years was interested in a general in- 
surance business, representing the Cooper 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1039 



Fire Insurance; the German, of Pitts- 
burg; the Concordia, of Milwaukee; the 
Cincinnati Underwriters; the Philadel- 
phia Casualty and the United Surety of 
Baltimore, during his twenty years of 
residence here becoming very prominently 
identified with insurance matters. As vice 
president of one of the city's large indus- 
tries, he occupies a prominent place 
among her business men. He has also 
borne an active part in political life in 
Clark County, having served as a mem- 
ber of the Eepublican Central Commit- 
tee, a very influential organization. From 
January 1, 1903, until 1908, he held the 
office of justice of the peace. 

In May, 1904, Mr. Harraman was mar- 
ried to Anna B. Johnson, who is a daugh- 
ter of Albert Johnson, one of the pioneer 
settlers of Clark County. They have one 
child, Blanche L. Mr. Harraman is a 
member of the fraternal order of Eagles, 
of the Junior Order of American Mechan- 
ics, of the Odd Fellows and of Camp Ben 
Hur, Bed Men. 



GEORGE S. STEINBAEGER,* one of 
Moorefield Township's prominent citizens 
and large farmers, owning 206 acres of 
valuable land, was born in Urbana Town- 
ship, Champaign County, Ohio, August 
10, 1830, and is a son of David and Eliza- 
beth (Pence) Steinbarger. The Stein- 
barger family came from Germany to 
America and settled in Virginia, in the 
person of the great-grandfather of George 
S. Steinbarger. 

David Steinbarger was bom in Virginia 
in 1800, and was a son of John Stein- 
barger, who was also a native of Virginia 
and was the founder of the family in 



Ohio. David Steinbarger was five years 
old when his parents settled near Millers- 
town, Champaign County, Ohio, the father 
securing a farm on Nettle Creek. He re- 
mained on that farm until 1819, when he 
removed to Taylorsville, about thirty 
miles south of Indianapolis, Indiana, 
where he secured a very valuable farm 
in the bottom land along the White Eiver. 
On that farm John Steinbarger died, his 
son, David, subsequently leaving Indiana 
and returning to Champaign County, 
Ohio, where he became a leading citizen 
and successful farmer of Urbana Town- 
ship. In Champaign County, David Stein- 
barger was married to Elizabeth Pence, 
who was born in that county and was a 
daughter of John Pence. The Pence fam- 
ily was also of German extraction, and 
John Pence was born in Virginia. After 
the death of his first wife, David Stein- 
barger was married to Lucy Gains and he 
was the father of fifteen children. 

George S. Steinbarger was reared in 
Urbana Township and attended the dis- 
trict schools. He assisted on the home 
farm until he was twenty years of age, 
when he went into the mill and distillery 
business with his father and thus con- 
tinued for ten years. In 1862 he moved 
to Springfield, where he lived for three 
years, during which period he was en- 
gaged in a wholesale liquor business, after 
which he removed to a farm south of 
Springfield, just north of the Spring 
Grove Park. On this farm Mr. Steinbar- 
ger resided until 1876, when he settled on 
his present farm, where he carries on gen- 
eral agriculture and raises Shorthorn cat- 
tle. He has made many improvements on 
his property, completely remodeling the 
house and erecting farm buildings. He 



1040 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



has a very valuable property in which he 
takes justifiable pride. 

On March 11, 1856, Mr. Steinbarger was 
married to Barbara Elizabeth Funk, who 
was born in Pennsylvania and who is a 
daughter of John Funk. She was six 
months old when her parents brought her 
to Ohio. She was reared in Clark Coun- 
ty and was married in Springfield. Their 
three living children are : David R. ; Mary 
Elizabeth, who is the widow of A. D. Hol- 
man, and has one child, Jolm Roy; and 
John Brutus, who was married (first) to 
Clara Benedict and (secondly) to Lou 
Peters. A child survives from both mar- 
riages, both wives being deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Steinbarger have three deceased 
children — an infant; James Edward, who 
died aged nineteen months; and George 
Christy, who died aged twenty-two years. 



CHARLES P. DUNN,* a well-known 
citizen, whose public-spirited efforts while 
serving as a member of the City Council 
from the Second Ward, have resulted in 
great advantage to Springfield, was born 
at Springfield, Ohio, in August, 1870, and 
is a son of the late Charles Dunn. Charles 
Dunn was born in Ireland and came to 
America and settled at Springfield as 
early as 1849, which city remained his 
home until his death in 1896. 

Charles P. Dunn was reared and edu- 
cated in his native place and after leav- 
ing school worked for some years in var- 
ious factories. He then embarked in a 
laundry business which he conducted un- 
til 1903, when he became identified with 
the Central Union Telephone Company. 
He is one of Springfield's leading Demo- 
crats, is a member of the Democratic Ex- 



ecutive Committee and has been a useful 
member of the City Council. He worked 
hard for the measure which has resulted 
in the draining of Buck Creek, which will 
add materially to the sanitary condition 
of the city. He is an earnest, progressive 
and reliable citizen. 

In 1900 Mr. Dunn was married to Jane 
F. Kelly, who was born and reared at 
Springfield and who is a daughter of Will- 
iam Kelly. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have four 
children — Charles, Frances, Louise and 
William. Mr. Dunn and family belong to 
St. Raphael's Catholic Church. His fra- 
ternal connections are with the Knights of 
Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hiber- 
nians and the National Union. 



J. S. HARSHMAN,* one of Spring- 
field's capitalists and most prominent 
business men, who has been closely identi- 
fied with many successful enterprises in 
this section of Ohio, is perhaps best 
known in connection with the establish- 
ment, control and management of electric 
railroads. To name these is to desigTiate 
the most important lines in which Spring- 
field capital is interested. Mr. Harsh- 
man is the president of the Dayton, 
Springfield and Urbana Electric, presi- 
dent of the Columbus, London and Spring- 
field Electric, president of the Springfield 
and Western Electric, also of the Urbana, 
Bellefontaine and Northern Railway 
Company and of the Columbus, Delaware 
and Marion Electric Railway. Other large 
interests with which he has been asso- 
ciated are: the Citizens' National Bank 
of Springfield, of which he was formerly 
vice TDresident; the Victor Rubber Tire 
Compan}^ the Kyle Art Glass Company, 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1041 



and tlie Harshman Shoe Mamifacturing 
Company, of Harshman, Ohio. 

Mr. Harshman was born at Harshman, 
Montgomery County, Ohio, January 26, 
1863, and is a son of George W. and 
Anna V. (Rohor) Harshman. The family 
is of German extraction and its founder 
in Ohio came from Maryland. The father 
of J. S. Harshman was born in Ohio and 
died at the village named in his honor, 
where he had been manufacturer, farmer, 
merchant and prominent man for many 
years, in 1898. 

J. S. Harshman completed his educa- 
tion in the public and select schools of hi& 
native locality and then spent one year 
in the employ in the office of the Amer- 
ican Express Company at Dayton. After 
returning home he became interested with 
his father in many of the latter 's busi- 
ness enterprises and subsequently became 
buyer and seller of grain and farm prod- 
ucts for his father's mills and farms. He 
continued thus engaged until 1886, when 
he became associated with his brothers in 
the business of buying and shipping grain. 
Subsequently he sold out his interests to 
his partners and located at Enon, Clark 
County, where he entered into the grain 
business on an extensive scale. His ele- 
vator was once destroyed by fire and was 
rebuilt, but since 1893 he has been mainly 
interested in electric railway lines. His 
office is at Eoom No. 128 Bushnell Build- 
ing, Spring-field. 

Mr. Harshman was married in 1887, to 
Mary Snyder, who is a daughter of Henry 
and Anna (Hertzler) Snyder. The late 
Henry Snyder and a brother were promi- 
nent citizens of Clark County and the 
name is perpetuated not only in the vil- 
lage of Snyderville, but also in Snyder's 



Park, which was a gift to the city. Mr. 
and Mrs. Harshman have three children, 
namely: Anna S., George W. and Vir- 
ginia V. The family home is in the en- 
virons of Springfield. 



JOHN W. SULLIVAN,* president of 
the City Board of Review of Springfield, 
Clark County, Ohio, was bom in Cham- 
paign County, Ohio, in 1856. Mr. Sullivan 
was reared and educated in Champaign 
County and early in life learned the mold- 
er's trade at Mechanicsburg, Ohio, after 
which he spent about twenty years en- 
gaged in following that business. He has 
been a resident of Springfield since 1882 
and a member of the Board of Review 
since the time of the organization of that 
body. In 1880 Mr. Sullivan was married 
to Mary Dolan and to this union have been 
bom five children, namely: Mattie, 
James, Josephine, John, and Maurice. 
Mr. Sullivan is a member of the St. 
Raphael Catholic Church of Springfield, 
and is fraternally a member of the 
Knights of Columbus. 



L. F. DIPFENDAL,* a prominent citi- 
zen of South Charleston, Clark County, 
Ohio, has for many years been extensively 
engaged ia buying and shipping stock. 
He is a successful business man and a sub- 
stantial citizen, and has a wide circle of 
acquaintances and friends throughout this 
section of the county. He is a native of 
Frederick County, Maryland, the date of 
his birth being January 11, 1860. He is 
a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Eyler) 
Diffendal, and on both sides of the house 
comes of old Maryland families. 



1042 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



Samuel Diffendal was born and reared 
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where 
Ms father had for many years been en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits. In early 
life he moved to Maryland, and was there 
joined in marriage with Elizabeth Eyler, 
whose father was a farmer in Frederick 
County. They later lived in Washington 
County, Maryland, and in the spring of 
1877 Samuel moved west with his family, 
locating near South Charleston, in Clark 
County, Ohio. Here he continued to farm 
until his death. He and his wife were par- 
ents of nine children, sis of whom are now 
living, and of these our subject is the 
youngest. 

L. F. Diffendal was but one and a half 
years old when his mother died. He was 
reared and educated in Washington Coun- 
ty, Maryland, and in 1877 came to Clark 
County with Ms father. He also took to 
agriculture and upon leaving the home 
place was for ten years engaged in farm- 
ing for himself. He has always been an 
expert judge of stock and stock values, 
following his inclinations along that line 
even in his younger days. Since locating 
in South Charleston, he has operated on 
an extensive scale and success has 
crowned his efforts. For fifteen years 
prior to his marriage he made his home 
at the Ackley House in South Charleston. 

Mr. Diffendal was united in marriage 
October 30, 1907, with Miss Anna Myrtle 
Walker, a daughter of E. P. Walker, a re- 
spected citizen of South Charleston. Po- 
litically, he is a stalwart Democrat, and 
although his party is very much in the 
minority, he was elected mayor of the vil- 
lage by a large majority, and this in spite 
of the fact that he made no effort to win 
votes. He was the first man of his party 



to hold that office, and although strongly 
urged to make the race a second time, he 
declined for business reasons. He also 
ran for county commissioner, receiving a 
large vote that evidenced the esteem in 
which he is held, but the odds against him 
were too great to be overcome. Frater- 
nally, he is an Odd Fellow, serving as dis- 
trict deputy one year; a member of Blue 
Lodge, F. & A. M., at South Charles- 
ton ; Adorian Chapter at London, and the 
Knights Templar Commandery at Spring- 
field. Eehgiously he belongs is the Meth- 
odist Church. 



JOHN L. BOWLUS,* postmaster of 
Bowlusville and proprietor of the largest 
general store in the town, is a leading 
citizen of this section of Clark County. 
He was born in Moorefield Township, 
Clark County, Ohio, September 9, 1858, 
and is a son of Samuel H. and Lucinda 
(Michael) Bowlus. 

The Bowlus family came to Ohio from 
Maryland. Samuel H. Bowlus was born 
near Middletown, Frederick County, 
Maryland, grew to manhood on his 
father's farm, and was married in that 
neighborhood, and when he came to Clark 
County in 1853, he already had a family 
of seven children. He settled on what 
is now known as the Eupsum farm, on 
which his son John L. was subsequently 
born, and engaged in farming that prop- 
erty until 1865. He then built a grain 
warehouse on the Erie Eailroad, at the 
point now knovm as Bowlusville, giving 
the name to the place. He was a man of 
great business enterprise and in addition 
to dealing in grain and later in coal, he 
started a general store. His son, John 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1043 



L., succeeded to all his interests. Sam- 
uel 11. Bowlus invested largely in land 
and as his judgment was good, his various 
purchases were intelligently made and he 
hecame a man of large fortune. He died 
November 26, 1897. 

Samuel H. Bowlus married Lueinda 
Michael and they had the following chil- 
dren: George C, who resides at Spring- 
field; Samuel W., who lives at Bowlus- 
ville; Charles F., who died in Michigan, 
in 1906; Mary A. C, who lives at Bow- 
lusville ; Maria Nettie, who is the wife of 
T. C. M. Shindler, who is private sec- 
retary to United States Commissioner 
Garfield; Millard McCauley, who resides 
at Kansas City; Warren L., who is a high 
official with the Wabash Eailroad, at 
Spring-field ; John L. ; Henry C, who lives 
at Springfield; and Clement L., who died 
in 1891. Two children died in infancy, 
in Maryland. The mother of the above 
mentioned family survived her husband 
but seven weeks. 

John L. Bowlus was reared in Moore- 
field Township, where he attended the dis- 
trict schools. Before he had reached his 
jnajority he entered into the mercantile 
business which his father had established 
and in the same year, 1878, he was ap- 
pointed postmaster, an office he has con- 
tinuously filled until the present time, with 
the exception of some ten months during 
the administration of President Haj^es. 
Mr. Bowlus conducts a large business and 
he is well and favorably known over a 
large territory, enjoying the high regard 
of his fellow-citizens as public official, 
business man and as private citizen. 

Mr. Bowlus was married (first) in May, 
1893, to Emily Dunlap, who died May 25, 
1904. She was a daughter of George R. 



and Columbia (Jennings) Dunlap, and 
was born and reared near Urbana. Mr. 
Dunlap was born at Lexington, Kentucky, 
He assists Mr. Bowlus in the store. The 
three children born to the above marriage 
were: Anna Dunlap, Gwendolyn M. and 
Edward Jennings, the last mentioned of 
whom died in 1898, at the age of fourteen 
months. Mr.. Bowlus was married (sec- 
ondly) in May, 1905, to Mrs. Adeline 
Laughrey. 



CHARLES T. RIDGELY,* a well- 
known resident and highly respected busi- 
ness man of Spring-field, was bom here in 
February, 1856, and is a son of J. F. 
Ridgely, one of the leading business men 
of the city, who came here in 1852 from 
Maryland-, where he was born. 

Charles T. Ridgely was reared and edu- 
cated in Spring-field and early in life be- 
gan learning the painter's and paper 
hanger's trade, at which he worked for 
about seven years when he was obliged 
to give up painting on account of ill 
health. He then devoted his time wholly 
to decorating for eleven years, during 
which time he was employed by C. H. 
Pierce, and in 1885 invented the first trim- 
mer. In 1890 he took charge of the wall 
paper department for another firm in 
Springfield, remaining there one year, 
when he organized the Ridgely Decorat- 
ing Company, later selling his interest in 
the business and also his trimmer patent. 
On August 15, 1903, he became one of the 
incorporators of the Bookwalter Hotel 
and also operated a news and cigar stand 
until 1906. In July of that same year he 
organized the Standard Trimmers Com- 
pany for the manufacturing of wall paper 



1044 



HISTOEY OF CLARK COUNTY 



trimmers, straight edge folding pile tables 
and boards, seam rollers, smootbing rolls, 
base and casing cutters, and plumbs and 
level combination tools, in fact a full line 
of paper banger's tools. Mr. Eidgely is 
president and general manager of tbe 
Standard Trimmers Company, which is 
incorporated and has a capital stock of 
$50,000. He is also financially interested 
in the United States Nursery of Rich, Mis- 
sissippi. Mr. Ridgely was united in mar- 
riage to Nellie Sharp of Troy, Ohio, and 
to them have been born two sons — Charles 
Verrey, and Roderick Leigh. Fraternally 
Mr. Eidgely is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen, and 
the B. P. 0. E. 



JOHN B. HIRONS, M. D.,* a promi- 
nent physician engaged in the practice of 
his profession at Tremont City, was born 
in Highland County, Ohio, May 18, 1862, 
and is a son of Joseph C. and Melissa J. 
(Gardner) Hirons. 

Dr. Hirons was reared mainly on his 
father's farm in Highland County and at- 
tended the country schools. After his 
father became a merchant at Buford, he 
assisted both on the farm and in the store 
and also taught one term of school. ^Vhen 
twenty-one years of age he began the 
study of dentistry and remained under the 
instruction of Dr. J. R. Callahan, at Hills- 
boro, Ohio, for one year, after which he 
studied medicine there for a year. He 
then accompanied his brother. Dr. Joseph 
Gardner Hirons, now of New York City, 
to Europe and studied medicine and sur- 
gery at Heidelberg University and at 
Leipsic. The brothers were students at 
Heidelberg in 1886, when that famous old 



institution of learning celebrated its six 
hundredth anniversary. 

Upon his return to his native state, Dr. 
Hirons located at Chattanooga, Mercer 
County, until 1889, when he came to Tre- 
mont City and easily took a leading place 
among the medical men of Clark County. 
Dr. Hirons was married at Tremont, Jan- 
uary 1, 1893, to lora Augusta Hinton, who 
is a daughter of Edgar B. Hinton, post- 
master at Tremont. Mrs. Hirons had been 
a successful school teacher for three years 
previously, at Terra Haute, Champaign 
County, Ohio. 



CHARLES E. MICKLE,* general 
foreman of the Machine Department of 
the International Harvester Company of 
Springfield, with which concern he has 
been associated for the past thirty years, 
was born March 27, 1858, at Delaware, 
Ohio. 

Mr. Mickle was reared and educated at 
Delaware and early in life learned the ma- 
chinist 's trade at which he worked there 
until 1879. He then came to Springfield 
and entered the employ of the old firm 
Warder, Mitchell & Company, with whom 
he continued when the firm was changed 
to Warder, Bushnell and Glessner, who 
were later succeeded by the International 
Harvester Company, with which concern 
he has been identified ever since. He he- 
came foreman in the shops in 1880 and 
for the past five years has been general 
foreman of the Machine Department. 

Mr. Mickle married May Harrison, a 
daiighter of Edward Harrison of Spring- 
field, and they have two sons, namely: 
Edward H., a student at the Ohio State 
University of Columbus and Frank, who 



AND EEPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1045 



will graduate from the Springfield High 
School in the spring of 1908. In politics 
Mr. Mickle is a Eeptiblican and his reli- 
gious connection is with the United Breth- 
ren Church. 



WILLIAM BALLENTINE,* general 
farmer and stockraiser, whose valuable 
farm of ninety-four acres is situated on 
the Terre Haute Road, about ten mUes 
northwest of Springfield and three miles 
from Tremont, was born at Lawrence- 
ville, Clark County, Ohio, November 28, 
1836. He is a son of Eobert and Kather- 
ine (Beriy) Ballentine. 

William Ballentine was reared in Ger- 
man Township and attended the country 
schools in his boyhood. His business has 
been farming ever since he started out to 
make his own way in the world. On Jan- 
uary 5, 1850, Mr. Ballentine married 
Mary Clark, who is a daughter of Tliorfias 
and Susannah (Cox) Clark. Mrs. Ballen- 
tine was born and reared in Eandolph 
County, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Ballen- 
tine have reared a fine family of nine chil- 
dren and thus far there has been no break 
in the circle. They are as follows : John, 
residing in Lagonda, is married and has 
four children: Emma married Moses 
Overholser and they have one child; Eose 
married William Baker and they have 
seven children ; Mary Etta married Ealph 
Snyder and they have one child; Lenore 
is married and has eight children; 
Thomas is married and has one child; 
Clifford is also married; Albei-t, the farm- 
er on the home place, is married and has 
three children, and Alpha, the youngest, 
still resides at home. Thus it will be 
seen that Mr. and Mrs. Ballentine have 



plenty of young life about them and have 
every reason to be proud of their twenty- 
five grandchildren. 

For one year after their marriage, Mr. 
and Mrs. Ballentine lived in Indiana, 
moving then to Clark County, Ohio, but 
tAvo years later they returned to Indiana. 
After four more years in Mrs. Ballen- 
tine 's native state, in August, 1866, they 
moved to The farm on which they reside, 
Mr. Ballentine buying sixty acres of it at 
that time. To the first purchase he added 
until he owned one hundred and twelve 
acres, but they have sold some eighteen 
acres. The property is an excellent one 
and the D. T. & I. Eailroad runs through 
the farm. Mr. Ballentine built the sub- 
stantial house and barn and made many 
other improvements. Both he and wife 
belong to the Eeformed Church at 
Tremont. 



GEOEGE S. COTTEE,* superintend- 
ent of the Springfield Water Works, was 
born at Springfield, Ohio, in 1862, and is 
a son of the late James L. Cotter, who 
was born in Ireland, emigrated to Canada 
when thirteen years of age, and came td 
Spring-field in 1847, where the rest of his 
life was passed. 

George S. Cotter attended school until 
he was thirteen years old and then entered 
the machine shops of Warder, Mitchell 
and Company and remained until he had 
learned the trade. When he was eighteen 
years old he went to Aurora, Illinois, and 
worked in the railroad shops at that city 
for three years, after which he returned 
to Springfield and continued work as a 
machinist until 1884, when he became en- 
gineer of the city water works at the 



1046 



HISTOKY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



pumping station. He continued in that 
capacitj'' for ten years and for four years 
more was superintendent there. In 1898 
he left the city's employ and accepted a 
position as foreman of the machine shops 
of the Warder-Bushnell Company. When 
the International Harvester Company 
came into possession, he became mechan- 
ical engineer for a time and then re- 
signed to accept the superintendency of 
the city water works again, and has had 
charge of this important municipal utility 
ever since. He takes an intei'est in poli- 
tics, but only to the extent of promoting 
good government. 

In 1891 Mr. Cotter was married to 
Jennie Bryant, who died October 16, 1906, 
leaving four children, namely: Paul Bry- 
ant, Helen, Ruth, and G-eorge, Jr. Mr. 
Cotter is a member of the Elks. 



CHAELES L. NISLEY,* proprietor of 
the leading wholesale and retail shoe 
store at Springfield, was born at Lan- 
caster, Ohio, in 1847, and he was quite 
young when his iiarents moved to Spring- 
field, where he was reared and educated. 
His first Avork was done while he was 
little more than a school boy, he being em- 
ployed for eight months in the grocery 
store of S. B. Stiles & Company, after 
which he entered the shoe store of Starkey 
& Scowden. With that firm he remained 
for ten years and then went into business 
for himself, taking a partner, and for 
eight years they carried on a successful 
enterprise under the style of Young & 
Nisley. Wlaen this partnership was dis- 
solved, Mr. Msley purchased the Arcade 
Shoe Store and established the Nisley 
Arcade Shoe Company, which is one of 



the largest shoe stores in this section of 
the state. Mr. Nisley occupies three 
rooms, vSO by 35 feet in dimensions. This 
is the building in which Mr. Nisley began 
work, September 14, 1888, and just seven- 
teen years later he purchased the build- 
ing as tlie proprietor of the prosperous 
business. Twenty workmen find constant 
employment and a business of $120,000 is 
done annually. In 1896, Mr. Nisley was 
married to Minnie Flora. They are mem- 
bers of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Nisley 
is a Knight Ternplar Mason, a Knight of 
Pythias, and he belongs to the Springfield 
Commercial Club and the Lagonda Club. 



DANIEL EUST,* owner of sixty-nine 
acres in German Township, Clark County, 
Ohio, has been a resident on his present 
place some seventeen years. He was born 
near Lawrenceville, German Township, 
March 4, 1845, and is a son of Abraham 
and Sarah (Cooper) Rust. His father 
was twice married, having five children 
by each union, and of these our subject 
was the youngest. 

Daniel Bust was five years old at the 
lime of his father's death. He was reared 
on the farm and lived there with his 
mother until 1864, when in March of that 
year he enlisted in Company I, Eighth 
Ohio Cavalry, for three years' service. 
While in the army he was called upon to 
mourn the loss of his mother. He was 
discharged from the cavalry in July, 1864, 
because of injuries received by his being- 
thrown from a horse, and returned to his 
home in German Township. He soon re- 
enlisted however in Company B, One 
Hundred and Ninety-sixth Regiment; O.V. 
I., in which he served until the war closed. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1047 



He then returned home and took up farm- 
ing on the home place, and this has since 
been his sole occupation, and more than 
ordinary success has attended his efforts. 
In the early nineties he purchased his 
present farm in German Township, con- 
sisting of fifty acres, and has an additional 
tract of nineteen acres one-half mile east 
of his home. 

Mr. Eust was united in marriage with 
Catherine Freeze and they became the 
parents of nine children, five of "whom are 
living, namely: Lawrence I., David S., 
Charles F., Carrie E. (wife of William 
Thackery), and Harrison B. Those de- 
ceased are Eosie, who was the wife of 
Albert Bowers ; Noah Abraham, Lily May, 
and Minnie Myrtle. Mrs. Catherine Rust 
died May 20, 1887, and Mr. Eust was mar- 
ried, secondly to Miss Lois Dorner, daugh- 
ter of Adam Dorner. They have two chil- 
dren — Beulah B. and Eva G. Fraternal- 
ly, Mr. Eust is a member of the Grand 
Army Post. He belongs to the German 
Reformed Church. 



dent, Edward Wren, came from Ireland 
to Springfield in 1848, then being a 
young man, and has been identified 
with the interests of this city ever 
since. His earliest business venture 
was as junior member of the firm 
of Kumane & Wren, which became 
very prominent in the business world, for 
over thirty years being a leading one of 
the city. In 1903 Edward Wren, Mrs. 
Edward Wren, James K. Wren and James 
Johnson, Jr., established The Edward 
Wren Company, a concern which does the 
largest business in this city and one of the 
largest in the state. This immense de- 
partment store occupies 105,000 square 
feet of floor space. The present officers 
are : Edward Wren, president and treas- 
urer ; James K. Wren, vice president and 
general manager, and Edward Wright, 
secretary. In 1905, James K. Wren was 
married to Minnie B. Meals, of Spring- 
field. The Wren family belongs to St. 
Eaphael's Catholic Church. 



JAMES K. WEEN,* vice president and 
treasurer of The Edward Wren Company, 
the largest business house at Springfield, 
operating one of the most extensive de- 
partment stores in Ohio, was born in the 
city of Dublin, Ireland, and was fifteen 
years of age when he came to America. 
Mr. Wren was reared at Spring-field and 
was educated at St. Mary's College, Em- 
mettsburg, Maryland, and immediately 
after his return, entered his father's store 
and has been connected with the business 
ever since. 

The Edward Wren Company grew from 
small beginnings. Its venerable presi- 



HENRY OXTOBY,* who owns an ex- 
cellent farm of sixty-six acres, situated in 
Harmony Township, has resided on the 
same since the fall of 1907, but he has 
owned the property for the past sixteen 
years. He was born in Clark County, 
Ohio, February 16, 1882, and is the only 
son of Robert and Mary (Henry) Oxtoby. 

The grandfather, Henry Oxtoby, lived 
out a long life in Clark County, where 
Robert Oxtoby was born. He followed 
farming until his death in 1892. He mar- 
ried Mary Henry, who died in 1884. 

Henry Oxtoby obtained his farm train- 
ing with the imcle by whom he was reared. 
In earlv manhood he went into railroad 



1048 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



work and prior to Ms marriage, was a fire- 
man on a railroad line in Illinois. He be- 
longs to the Brotherhood of Locomotive 
Fireman and Engineers and is connected 
with Riverside lodge of the same or- 
ganization, at Savannah, Illinois. In 
1907, Mr. Oxtoby was married to Flora 
Chaney, who is a daughter of R. S. and 
Lucinda Chaney, of Clark County, and 
then settled on his present farm, where 
he has been engaged in general farming 
ever since. 



THOMAS D. WALLACE,* senior 
member of the firm of Wallace & Todd, 
grocers, at Springfield, is one of the city's 
careful, conservative and successful men 
of business: He was born in 1849, in 
Madison Township, Clark County, Ohio, 
and is a son of John Wallace. 

John Wallace was born in England and 
came to Clark County, Ohio, in 1844, 
where he was engaged first in business 
in the merchant-tailoring line, and for a 
few years he carried on a general store at 
Enon. He was among the pioneer mer- 
chants of this section. 

Thomas J). Wallace was trained in the 
details of mercantile life in his father's 
store. In 1871 he went to the northwest- 
em part of Missouri, where he engaged 
in a mercantile business for two years and 
then returned to Enon, Ohio, where he 
was a general merchant until 1881, when 
he came to Springfield. Here he em- 
barked in a grocery business. Politically, 
Mr. Wallace is a Democrat and in 1890- 
91, he served as city clerk. After that 
he was a member of the Board of Public 
Affairs and was concerned in the news- 
paper business. During the last ad- 



ministration of President Cleveland he 
was postmaster at Springfield. Follow- 
ing the close of his official life he bought 
the Daily Democrat which he conducted 
until 1906, when he sold out and has been 
interested in the grocery line ever since 
under the style of Wallace and Todd. He 
has long been a Democratic leader in 
Clark Coimty and for eight years was 
chairman of the Democratic County 
Committee, and for twenty-three years 
has been a delegate to the Democratic 
State conventions. He has been a loyal 
party man and has accepted few rewards. 
In 1873 Mr. Wallace was married to 
Mary A. Shellabargcr, and they have two 
children — Gertrude L. and Edwin S. The 
family belong to St. Paul's Methodist 
Church, Mr. Wallace being a member of 
its official board. For six years he has 
been a member of the Board of Commis- 
sioners of Snvder Park. 



JAMES J. WOOD,* one of the wealth- 
iest and most prominent citizens of 
Springfield Township, who resides on a 
tract of one hundred and seventy-five 
acres of land located in Section 7, 1847, 
on the Clifton Pike, just beyond the city 
limits, was born September 7, 1847, in 
AVaterf ord, Ireland. He is a son of James 
and Johanna (Sweeney) Wood, the form- 
er of whom died previous to the birth of 
the subject of this sketch, his widow later 
becoming the wife of James Goft". 

Although a native of Ireland, Mr. Wood 
comes of an old English family, from 
whom he received a large legacy. His 
grandfather Wood was a captain in the 
British navy, and it was while his vessel 
was in harbor at Waterf ord, Ireland, that 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1049 



he met the lady that was to be his wife, 
at an entertainment, and eloped with her. 

James J. Wood was just one year old 
when he was placed under the care of his 
paternal grandmother, by whom he was 
reared. After attending school, he 
learned the carpenter's trade, at which he 
served a five years' apprenticeship. On 
March 10, 1866, he was married, and on 
April 10th of the same year he sailed for 
America, on his arrival here locating at 
Cincinnati. Thence, after a week's stay, 
he went to Urbana, Ohio, where he was 
in the employ for one year, of the Leon- 
hard Plow Shop Company. In the fall 
of 1868, when that firm retired from busi- 
ness, he removed to Lagonda, which now 
forms a part of Springfield. Mr. Wood 
has since continued to reside in Spring- 
field, with the exception of a short period 
just after the great Chicago fire, when he 
went to Chicago, and assisted in the re- 
building of that city, being employed for 
some eight months on one building on 
Madison Street. He then returned to 
Springfield, where he engaged in contract- 
ing, and also entered into the real estate 
business in which he was very successful. 

In 1894 Mr. Wood built his present fine 
country home, which he named Wood- 
ville, the property at the time of his pur- 
chase consisting entirely of timberland. 
He has now retired from business ac- 
tivities, his two sons continuing the real 
estate business, in connection with a hard- 
ware store, which they operate in Spring- 
field. 

During the past seventeen years Mr. 
Wood has spent much time in Europe, 
having made thirty-four trips across the 
Atlantic since 1891. He is the father of 
seven children, of whom sis are still liv- 



ing. For each of them he built a fine 
and commodious house, this magnificent 
present including also in each case the 
lot. These children are as follows : Mary 
E., wife of Frank HoUeran; James J., 
Jr., Harry E., Lily, who is the wife of 
AVilliam Hiekens ; George, Frank E., and 
Erin J., the last mentioned of whom died 
at the age of eighteen years. Mr. Wood 
is a member of the Eoman Catholic 
Church, at Springfield. 



HENRY LEWTON FEIRSTINE,* 
who is engaged in general farming and 
stock-raising on a farm of one hundred 
and forty-three acres, was boim October 
30, 1849, and is a son of George and Sarah 
Ann (Lewton) Feirstine. 

George Feirstine was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, where he worked 
at carpentering for many years. When 
a young man he reraoved to Montgomery 
Coimty, Ohio, where he worked at his 
trade until his sons matured, when he 
engaged in farming, buying our subject's 
present farm on March 11, 1863. After 
the marriage of his son, Henry Lewton, 
he and his wife returned to Montgomery 
County, where they passed the rest of 
their lives. He married Sarah Ann Lew- 
ton, a native of Maryland, and they 
reared a family of five children, namely: 
Martha, married Pelasca Fairchilds, now 
deceased; Dellason P.; Henry Lewton, 
subject of this sketch; Albert; and Alice 
(Mrs. J. Folkorth). 

Henry L. Feirstine was born in Mont- 
gomery County, and passed his boyhood 
days on his grandfather's farm, which 
was carried on by his father. He sub- 
sequently came to Clark County with his 



1050 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



father and settled in Mad River Town- 
ship, where he has since been engaged ia 
general farming and stock-raising, mak- 
ing a specialty of raising fine hogs. Mr. 
Feirstine bought his farm, consisting of 
one hundred and forty-three acres, from 
the Feirstine heirs and is one of the most 
successful farmers of the township. He 
was married March 20, 1877, to Mary 
Ellen Rockefield, a daughter of John 
Martin and Mary (Cos) Rockefield. 
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Feirstine: Cora, who married Clyde 
Burr and lives in this vicinity; Maude, 
who lives at home, and Laura, who died 
at the age of fifteen. 

Mr. Feirstine is a Democrat in politics 
and has served as township trustee of 
Mad River Township. Fraternally he is 
an I. 0. 0. F., and is also connected with 
the Knights of Pythias. 



M. J. LOFTUS,* superintendent of the 
Ohio Electric Railway Company, with 
headquarters at Springfield, has had rail- 
road experience dating from his boyhood. 
He was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, 
in 1874, and is a son of the late M. J. 
Loftus, who was proprietor of the old 
horse-car street railroad at ^¥heeling, in 
1887. 

M. J. Loftus went to school until he 
was thirteen years of age and then en- 
tered his father's employ, when the old 
horse-cars were still valued utilities. In 
1890 he went to Pittsburg and entered the 
employ of the Thompson-Houston Elec- 
trical Company for one year, after which 
he took charge of the Brooklyn & Coney 
Island Repair Shops for a year. He next 
had charge of the repair shops of the city 



and the siiburban lines of Baltimore, 
Maryland, and after more than two years 
there, he returned to Wheeling. For the 
three succeeding years he was superin- 
tendent of transportation for the Wheel- 
ing & Elm Grove Railroad. He then 
went to Newark and for one year was 
superintendent of the Newark & Gran- 
ville Street Railway, and for two years 
superintendent of the Indianapolis & 
Martinsville Interurban Railway. In 
1903 Mr. Loftus came to Springfield and 
for the past three years has occupied his 
present responsible office. His long con- 
nection with railroad affairs in different 
sections has given him expert knowledge 
and a business acquaintance extending 
through many states. In 1892, Mr. Loftus 
was married to Christina Herman, of 
Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and they have 
three children — Frank, Joseph and Ruth. 
Mr. Loftus and family belong to St. Ra- 
phael's Catholic Church at Springfield. 



WILLIAM S. VALE,* a life-long resi- 
dent of Clark County, Ohio, trustee of 
Bethel Township and owner of two hun- 
dred and twenty-five acres of fine farming 
land situated in Clark and Miami Coun- 
ties, was born January 18, 1860, a son of 
Peter and Sarah (Shull) Vale. 

Peter Vale was born in Pennsylvania 
and when a j^oung man of nineteen came 
to Ohio, first locating near Carlisle, Clark 
C;ounty, where he worked for some time 
on various farms. Here he married 
Sarah Shull, a native of Clark County and 
later bought a farm in Bethel Township, 
where they passed the remainder of their 
lives, his death occurring in 1894 when 
he was sixty-two years old. His wife died 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1051 



in 1898 at the age of sixty-five years. 
They had but . one child, William S., the 
subject of this sketch. 

William S. Vale passed his boyhood 
days on the farm, remaining at home un- 
til his marriage May 13, 1880, to Mary 
Johnson, a daughter of Eev. E. R. and 
Julia (Colton) Johnson. They have one 
child, Chester, who is engaged in seed 
growing. Mr. Vale resides in New Car- 
lisle and always devoted his time to agri- 
cultural pursuits, until 1906, when he 
gave up farm life, and is now engaged in 
buying and selling stock, most of which 
is disposed of in Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Vale 
is a Eepublican and has served as town- 
ship trustee for the past nine years. He 
is fraternally associated with the Masonic 
Lodge of New Carlisle, and the I. 0. 0. 
F. of New Carlisle. 

Rev. E. R. Johnson, father of Mrs. 
Vale, came to Ohio with his wife in 1841. 
His education was obtained at the Lane 
Theological Seminary of Cincinnati and 
he had charge of the Presbyterian Church 
of New Carlisle for twenty-one years, 
passing away in that village in 1862. He 
was instrumental in organizing the 
church at Addison, Tippecanoe, and at 
Osburn. His wife died in January, 1907, 
aged eighty-eight years. Rev. Johnson 
was the father of the following children : 
Laura, who died young; Frances, who 
married A. N. Mitchell; Emily, who mar- 
ried Oliver Turner; Janet, who married 
Robert Stafford; and Mary, who is the 
wife of William S. Vale. 



ELMER C. HARTMAN,* senior mem- 
ber of the firm of Ilartman & Morgan, 
well known dealers in hardware and farm 



implements at Sugar Grove, Clark Coun- 
ty, Ohio, has been a life long resident of 
the county. He was born in German 
Township, Clark County, May 11, 1873, 
and is a son of Gideon and Barbara 
(Snell) Hartman. His mother died when 
he was eleven years of age, and his father 
is now living in Pike Township. 

Elmer C. Hartman was ten years of age 
when his parents moved to Pike Town- 
ship, and there he grew to maturity. He 
engaged in farming until he moved to 
Sugar Grove and engaged in business. 
In 1905, he erected the Hartman Block, 
opposite the Ohio Masonic Home, a large 
two-story brick building with three store 
rooms on the first floor. Here he em- 
barked in the general mercantile business, 
carrying a comprehensive line of dry 
goods, groceries, queensware, hardware 
and farm implements. In 1906, he dis- 
posed of all but the hardware and im- 
plements department of his store, which 
he moved in an addition he had built on 
to the block. On February 1, 1908, he 
formed a partnership with Mr. John E. 
Morgan, and the business has since been 
carried on under the firm name of Hart- 
man & Morgan. They carry a large stock 
of general hardware, and in farm imple- 
ments make a specialty of McCormick 
binders, corn planters, and International 
Manure Spreaders. The second floor of 
the Hartman Block is used to display 
their line of carriages and buggies. They 
enjoy the patronage of this vicinity al- 
most exclusively, and during the summer 
months are kept busy day and night. 

In ]897 Mr. Hartman was joined in 
marriage with Christina Busch,. a daugh- 
ter of Ludwig Busch, and they became 
parents of four children, three of whom 



1052 



HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY 



are living, namelv: Ludwig C, Lucille 
M., and Louise. A daughter, Christina, 
died at the age of two years. Fraternally 
Mr. Hartman is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias. 



COLONEL MILTON CHENEY,* one 

of South Charleston's highly respected 
and influential citizens, who is living in 
retirement after years of unceasing ac- 
tivity in agricultural work, is a native of 
Madison Township, Clark County, Ohio. 
He was born in 1850 on the old home 
place three miles south of South Charles- 
ton, is a son of Jonathan and Matilda 
(Harpole) Cheney, and a grandson of 
William Cheney. 

William Cheney was a native of Vir- 
ginia, where he was reared and followed 
farming for a number of years. After his 
marriage to Rebecca Orr, also a native of 
Virginia, he settled in Meehanicsburg, 
Champaign County, Ohio, and engaged in 
farming the remainder of his life. Nine 
children were born to the grandparents of 
our subject, all of whom are now deceased. 
Jonathan Cheney, the father, was born 
near Meehanicsburg and spent his early 
boyhood days on his father's farm. At 
the age of sixteen he went west and en- 
gaged in the cattle business, and drove 
cattle from Illinois to Harrisburg for a 
period of five years, after which he came 
to Clark County, and purchased the pres- 
ent farm of his son, Milton, consisting of 
three hundred and twenty-five acres, three 
hundred acres of which are located in 
Madison -Township, Clark County, and 
the remaining twenty-five acres in Madi- 
son County, just across the county line. 
Here he followed agriculture until his 



death, which occurred March 18, 1865. 
Jonathan married Matilda Harpole of 
Greene County and to them were born 
three children, of whom two are living, 
Milton, the subject of this notice; and 
Rebecca (Young) of Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia. 

Milton Cheney was reared on hig 
father's farm and attended the district 
schools of the township for a short time. 
He was but eleven years old at the out- 
break of the Civil War, and is practically 
self educated, as his services were early 
required on the farm. Mr. Cheney has 
been engaged in agricultural pursuits on 
the home farm since 1867. He married 
Ada Sprague, a daughter of L. B. 
Sprague of Harmony Township, and to 
them have been born five children : Molly 
(Mrs. Hicks); Harriet; Pearl (Mrs. 
Sprague) of Clark County; Howard, who 
married Anna Hostetter of Dayton; and 
Scott. 

Col. Cheney has always been an ardent 
supporter of the Republican party. He 
has served twelve years as township 
trustee, was for six years county commis- 
sioner, thirty-two years a member of the 
Madison Township School Board and also 
served as a member of the Agriculture 
Board. Col. Cheney is also prominent 
in fraternal circles, being a member of the 
Masonic order and the Odd Fellows, in- 
eluding the Mad River Encampment, at 
Springfield, of which he is Past Grand 
and Past Chief Pater. 



GEORGE F. JOHNSON,* a represent- 
ative citizen of German Township, resid- 
ing on his farm in Section 19, is a veteran 
of the Civil War. He was bom in York- 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. 



1053 



shire, England, October 14, 1841, and is a 
son of Mark and Esther (Firth) Johnson. 
Mr. Johnson was five years old when his 
parents came to America. The father had 
previously been a school teacher, but after 
locating in New York, he followed farming 
until 1852, when he started with his family 
for Clark County, Ohio, landing at Spring- 
field on New Year's Day, 1853. He soon 
rented a farm in Green Township and 
there the family lived for some years. 

George F. Johnson attended school in 
the neighborhood of his home, as he was 
afforded opportunity through his boyhood. 
The family was living in Green Township 
when he enlisted for service in the Civil 
War September 4, 1861, entering Com- 
pany F, Forty-fourth Regiment Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, for three years. His 
regiment was connected with the Twenty- 
third Army Corps, Army of West Vir- 
ginia. After about one year in the Vir- 
ginia mountains, during which period Mr. 
Johnson participated in the battles of 
Lewisburg, Charleston and Cotton Moun- 
tain, in October, 1862, the regiment was 
sent to Kentucky and during the year 
siDcnt there he participated in the battle 
of Duncan's Hill. At that battle, the in- 
fantry being mounted, he had a fall from 
his horse, which caused him some suffer- 
ing. During the greater part of the time 
in Kentucky the regiment was given fron- 
tier duty — some of the most dangerous 
work in the service — and after leaving 
Kentucky the regiment went to Knoxville, 
Tennessee, where it had three weeks of 
steady fighting. Prom August, 1863, un- 
l til J.^T- '\ i^ni, ^- .T,.^?ason -was' in 



at Strawberry Plains, entering the Eighth 
Regiment Ohio Cavalry, in which he con- 
tinued until the close of the war. He was 
taken prisoner at Beverly, West Virginia, 
but was immediately paroled. This was 
his second capture, the first one having oc- 
curred also in this vicinity, but before he 
and his companions could be marched 
away, the Union forces recaptured them. 
Thus Mr. Johnson most fortunately es- 
caped the horrors of a Southern prison 
and after his honorable discharge, at 
Clarksburg, West Virginia, July 30, 
1865, returned to Ohio, practically un- 
harmed. During his absence in the army, 
Mr. Johnson's people had moved to 
Springfield and when he returned home he 
went to work in the Springfield flax mill. 
In 1867 he moved to German Township 
and has resided here ever since. He has 
a good farm and he has erected all the 
farm buildings since locating here. 

On April 15, 1866, Mr. Johnson was 
married to Leanah Overholser, who is a 
daughter of Moses Overholser, and they 
have five children, namely: Ida C, who 
married Harmon C. Fisher, and has eight 
children ; Grant O., married, who has three 
children ; Ella, who married Ora Stafford 
and they have one child; Elmer; and Es- 
ther, who married David McAllister, has 
one child. Mr. Johnson has always taken 
an active interest in township affairs and 
for fifteen years served as a member of 
the Board of Education. He belongs to 
the Grand Army of the Republic. 



STEWART ALBERT MUPFl* a well 



1054 



HISTOEY OF CLAEK COUNTY 



been a resident of Clark ("ounty, since 
1897. He was born June 7, 1871, on Ms 
father's farm in Milford Township, But- 
ler Connty, Ohio, and is a son of John and 
Eachel (Antrim) Muff. 

John Muff was a native of Germany 
and when a lad of ten years came to this 
country with his mother, and after reach- 
ing manhood went to California where he 
worked in the gold mines until 1865. He 
then came to Butler County, Ohio 
where he was married and there 
followed farming and operated a gi'ist 
mill for many years. He died in 
Butler County in 1904 aged about 
seventy years, his wife's death hav- 
ing occurred ten months previous when in 
her sixty-first year. John Muff and wife 
were the parents of three children: Ed- 
ward C, of Butler County, Ohio ; Stewart 
Albert, subject of this sketch; and Sarah 
Antrim, who is thc,,wife of Edward L. 
Tracy of Butler Co^ty, Ohio. 

Stewart A. Muff was about sis years 
old when his parents move'd to Somer- 
ville, Ohio, where he was educated in the 
public schools and he is a graduate of the 
high school of that village. His leisure 
time was spent in his father's grist mill. 
At the age of twenty-one he began deal- 
ing in stock at Somerville, and later es- 



tablished a grain business in connection 
Avith stock buying, continuing at this 
until 1897. He then sold out and came to 
Clark County, locating at New Carlisle, 
where he operates a grain elevator and 
deals in farming implements. Ten 
months later he removed to his present 
location on the Big Four Eailroad. In 
1903 he bought a grain elevator at Me- 
chanicsburg,Ohio,from W. H. Hodge, and 
operated this in connection with his other 
business for four years, when he sold to 
H. M. Conger. Tn 1904 he purchased the 
Wigwam building in Springfield, where he 
has since been dealing in farming imple- 
ments with much success. He also con- 
templates establishing a business of that 
natiire at Enoii, Ohio. Mr. Muff owns a 
line farm of three hundred and ten acres 
in Butler County. 

Mr. Muff was united in marriage De- 
cember 25, 1905, to Minerva Clark, a 
daughter of W. Scott Clark of Eoss Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and they reside at No. 705 N. 
Fountain Avenue, Spring-field. Political- 
ly Mr. Muff gives his support to the Dem- 
ocratic party and when a resident of 
Butler County took a very active interest 
in the affairs of that party. His frater- 
nal connection is with the Masonic Order. 



aN^-'" '/ 







>i,i>"'' 



::3- 






' )'■■'• 






!"!'*;■ 















